A fruitful working visit

Low-budget trip to Mongolia but DPM hits it off on a high note

ULAANBAATAR: Not only did she manage to strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and Mongolia, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail concluded her maiden overseas working visit here by also ensuring the trip’s expenditure was kept low.

Besides flying on a commercial airline and enduring an almost 20-hour gruelling journey, the Deputy Prime Minister also stayed in a regular hotel room, sans frills and grandeur.

She said this was in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s prudent spending principles.

“It was the advice given to us by the Prime Minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad).

“We have financial problems and we have to help our country,” Dr Wan Azizah told reporters after her three-day visit.

Dr Wan Azizah arrived here on Tuesday evening to attend the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) – a forum to discuss and share ideas on how to minimise the damage done by natural disasters among others.

She said overseas travel by Pakatan federal and state leaders would only be granted if they were absolutely necessary.

Therefore, all overseas trips undertaken by the Government would first be tabled at the Cabinet for approval, she added.

On her visit, Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Malaysia’s Central Committee on Disaster Management chairman, said it went well.

“It is a great learning experience for me, and my first exposure in representing Malaysia overseas,” she said.

Dr Wan Azizah said she learnt much from the conference where she presented a ministerial statement, delivered a keynote address as well as held several bilateral and formal meetings.

She said the Malaysian entourage was privy to many ideas from the conference, attended by some 3,000 participants, including ministerial leaders from Asia and Asia Pacific countries.

On another matter, the Deputy Prime Minister said Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga asked about the status of the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case when they met on Wednesday evening after he invited her to the state palace.

“I told him I met the Prime Minister before coming here and had brought up the matter.

“I also told him that the Prime Minister said he had met Altantuya’s father, Dr Shaariibuu Setev, and Malaysia is willing to review the case,” said Dr Wan Azizah.

She said after hearing her explanation, Battulga was pleased.

Altantuya was murdered and her body blasted with explosives in Bukit Raja, Klang, between Oct 19 and 20, 2006.

Three years later, former policemen Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri were found guilty of the murder.

She said Battulga, who was a judo exponent, also told her Mongolia had sent martial arts instructors to Malaysia and would send them again if there was a request.

Dr Wan Azizah said Battulga also spoke of his fondness for Penang and told her how he used to enjoy his visits there before he became president.