New US Ambassador to Malaysia aims to build stronger bilateral relations

KUALA LUMPUR: The United States (US) Ambassador-designate to Malaysia Brian McFeeters is aiming to work in building a stronger relation between the US and Malaysia.

McFeeters, who arrived here on the evening of Feb. 26, said he is looking forward to working with a strong US Embassy team, which includes representatives from across the US government.

"Our overall goal is stronger relations with the Malaysian people and government. President Biden has emphasised that the United States needs to work closely with our friends, allies, and partners around the world to combat the myriad of global challenges we face from public health and economic recovery to human trafficking and climate change.

"We are stronger when we work together. I look forward to leading a team that works with Malaysia in many areas, including by fostering mutually beneficial security cooperation; further strengthening economic ties that support tens of thousands of jobs in both Malaysia and the United States; and building more people-to-people ties, including through exchange programs for young people," he said in a statement issued by the US Embassy, here, Saturday.

The Ambassador-designate had previously been posted to the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur as the Political Counselor from 2009 to 2011.

Upon his arrival here with his wife Melanie and their daughter Sara, McFeeters said "It is wonderful to be back in Malaysia. During my time here ten years ago I was privileged to meet and work with many talented and dedicated Malaysians.

"I know that we have a lot of work to do towards finally defeating COVID-19, but we are on that road together. I am glad that the Pfizer vaccine has successfully arrived in Malaysia and that the vaccine rollout has begun," he added.

According to the statement, the Ambassador-designate will begin meeting virtually with the US Embassy team and key counterparts while completing his required quarantine.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, McFeeters previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy, Baghdad, Iraq, Senior Advisor in the Office of the Counselor to the Secretary of State, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs in Washington.

McFeeters has spent half of his 30-year Foreign Service career working on Southeast Asia, including as Deputy Chief of Mission of US Mission Indonesia, and as Deputy Director of the State Department's Office of Maritime Southeast Asia. Besides English, he also speaks Bahasa Malaysia, Indonesian, French, Spanish, and German.

-- BERNAMA