15 years later, Malaysia’s PM Mahathir is back on the UN world stage
New York: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is set to make a return to the world stage. Tun Mahathir, 93, arrives in New York today for a working visit to the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly.
He will deliver Malaysia’s national statement during the assembly’s general debate on Friday.
It has been nearly 15 years to the day since Mr Mahathir last spoke at the UN general assembly - on September 25, 2003, about a month before he retired as Malaysia’s fourth Prime Minister on October 31.
He called for a restructuring of the UN, saying that the world had lost its way.
“There is a Malaysian saying that when one loses his way, he should go back to the beginning. We need to go back to the beginning,” Mr Mahathir said.
Fifteen years on, Malaysia found itself in a new beginning. When Mr Mahathir takes to the UN podium on Friday, he will be speaking as Malaysia’s seventh PM, following Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) May 9 general election victory. Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, in a media briefing on the visit, said Mr Mahathir would lay out the framework of the PH government’s foreign policy in his UN speech.
Datuk Saifuddin said the fundamental principles of Malaysia’s foreign policy would be maintained. Asean would remain the top agenda in the country’s foreign relations. Malaysia will also continue to practise the policy of neutrality and strive for friendly relations with all countries.
In addition, some older foreign policy elements would be revived. These include the Look East Policy and emphasis on Africa.
“But there are at least two elements which are new on the table, which is human rights and sustainable development goals,” said Mr Saifuddin.
Another thing that will not change in Mr Mahathir’s UN speech this time around will be his habit of criticising what is wrong with the state of international affairs.
It is a trait that endeared him, and by extension Malaysia, to the developing world during his 22 years as the country’s fourth PM from 1981 to 2003.