Ismail Sabri arrives home from working visit to US

SUBANG: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob arrived at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base here this morning after concluding his four-day working visit to the United States (US).

Some 400 people including UMNO leaders, students and youth were present at the air force base to welcome the arrival of the prime minister while carrying several banners and singing the patriotic song 'Inilah Barisan Kita'.

Also in attendance were Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim and Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

Ismail Sabri then spent about 30 minutes greeting the crowd.

During the working visit, the prime minister took part in the ASEAN-US Special Summit and met with US President Joe Biden and ASEAN leaders.

In a press conference on the final day, Ismail Sabri described the visit as successful and has further strengthened Malaysia-US as well as ASEAN-US ties, while during the ASEAN-US Special Summit chaired by Biden, he touched on the Russia-Ukraine crisis and issues concerning the South China Sea, Palestine and Myanmar.

According to Ismail Sabri, the conflicts not only affected the world economy but also sacrificed the lives of innocent people.

During the summit, Malaysia was the only country that openly called on the US to help implement the United Nations (UN) resolution on the formation of a Palestinian state before the 1967 war that gave Jerusalem the right to be the Palestinian capital.

In front of Biden, the prime minister urged the US to be honest and transparent in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian issue and said: "Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians must be stopped immediately".

On the South China Sea issues, Malaysia wants the waterway to be free from outsiders' interference and to remain a free trade area, while urging superpowers like China and the US to end any provocations in the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, Malaysia hopes that the Myanmar issue could be resolved in a diplomatic manner, including by observing ASEAN's 5-Point Consensus.

As a country most affected by the influx of refugees from Myanmar, Malaysia also requested US assistance in relocating them to a third country.

A media content creator, Muhammad Adib Aiman Badrul Shahar, 33, said he arrived at the air force base compound at 8 am.

"The return of the prime minister from the US brings along good news, investors and he also carries the good name of Malaysia, so why don't we welcome him home," he said.

A Universiti Malaya graduate, Wan Nuremmelly Mekar, 21, said she arrived at around 7.50 am and the atmosphere was very lively.

-- BERNAMA