OBAMA: The eagle has landed, the first in almost half a century

Obama, arriving in the Air Force One at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) airbase in Subang at 4.50pm Saturday, becomes the second US president to visit Malaysia after 48 years.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin received Obama, shaking his hands just as he stepped down from the plane. The 44th US president was accompanied by a heavy entourage of government and security officials, and almost immediately got into his black official presidential state car, nicknamed 'The Beast'. His first destination will be at Parliament Square, where he was accorded a red carpet welcome by the guard of honour before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as well as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Hours before his arrival, police personnel, US embassy staff and the secret service members were seen checking for security threats in areas where Obama is scheduled to visit.

Obama then attended a state banquet at the Istana Negara.

The last sitting president in an official state visit to Malaysia was Lyndon Johnson in 1966 to rally support for the US war in Vietnam.

The visit by Obama is viewed by Putrajaya as one that will continue to build good rapport between the countries on areas such as “economy, security and people-to-people relations”.

However, Obama is also facing pressure on areas such as human rights, democracy and religious issues.

A main economic component of the visit is the US-led free trade pact Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).

But the TPPA has already been drawing criticism and protests from various groups here in Malaysia who say that it would affect medicine prices, infringe on the country’s sovereignty as well as clash with affirmative policies that benefit the Malay majority.

The Obama visit also comes amid the West’s concern over China’s meteoric rise and criticisms against Malaysia over allegations of abuse of power and the vanishing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

On Sunday, Day-Two of Obama’s visit continues with a stop at the National Mosque in the morning, despite protests by certain groups denouncing the US leader as “an enemy of Islam”.

The all-important high level one-on-one meeting with Najib will then take place at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya. In the afternoon, he will then deliver a joint press conference with Najib.

Obama, together with Najib, is then expected to officiate the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC), in Cyberjaya. MaGIC is touted to be a ‘one-stop hub’ for local and international entrepreneurs that is aimed at transforming Malaysia into a dynamic entrepreneurial nation.

Later throughout Sunday, Obama will also attend a town hall session with the Young South East Asian Leadership Intitiative at Universiti Malaya, and will be meeting a host of others including a number of civil society leaders.

On Monday, Obama, who will be reportedly staying at the glitzy Ritz Carlton Hotel here in the city, is to depart to Manila, Philippines, to complete his tour of four Asian countries that has already included Japan and South Korea.