NAJIB EARNS TRUMP’S RESPECT

US president sought PM’s views on international issues

VEENA BABULAL KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my

MALAYSIANS would be proud of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak if they knew how he handled his United States visit, which earned him the respect of United States President Donald Trump.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said this following his participation in the Malaysian government’s delegation’s official visit to Washington.

“If only Malaysians could see how he (Najib) handled the visit and the quality of the exchanges which earned the respect of the US president and his delegation. It will make you proud to be Malaysian,” he said.

Anifah said that Trump had sought Najib’s views on regional and international issues and at times, instructed his senior cabinet members to follow Malaysia’s example.

“You could see by the body language of the president and the cabinet, and their attentiveness that this was a meeting of substance.

“Truly, I can’t find enough words to describe how proud I was. And you all should too because our prime minister is special,” he said, adding that Trump in person was not as he was portrayed in the media.

Najib, added Anifah, had earned the respect of the president of the world’s most powerful nation.

Anifah said he had accompanied Najib for visits with kings, prime ministers and presidents but this was the “highlight”.

He said words could not describe how privileged the few who accompanied Najib on the visit felt.

Anifah also thanked Najib for the honour and privilege of accompanying him during his historic meeting with Trump.

He said all the top three US government and senior cabinet members were there, making the meeting historic.

Present were Vice-President Michael Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Deputy Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan, National Security Adviser Lieutenant-General H.R. McMaster, National Economic Council director Gary Cohn and US ambassador to Malaysia Kamala Lakhdhir.