Public post questions on US embassy's 'Ask President Obama!'

The visit by POTUS – the President of the United States – to Malaysia is one that is highly anticipated.

After all, Barack Obama’s visit to this country is the first by a sitting US president in over 48 years. The last visit by a POTUS to Malaysia is in 1966 by Lyndon Johnson.

As the excitement heightens, people have taken to the US embassy’s Facebook page to post questions to Obama.

The embassy had invited the public to submit their questions to the president under a post entitled ‘Ask President Obama!” which received over 140 comments since it was posted two days ago.

Among the questions posed touched on economic and political issues in South East Asia, the US foreign policy, democracy, human rights and youth empowerment.

Arlene Tan asked about the US-led Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPPA), a multi-trade deal with eleven countries.

“How would this transnational agreement impact the trade and investment, as well as the livelihoods of ordinary people in Southeast Asia as a whole (in particular Malaysians)?” Arlene posted.

Another user, Andrew Teow wanted to know the president’s thought on youth and entrepreneurship.

“As the POTUS, you talked a lot about youth engagement and entrepreneurship. Well, as a dad, what programmes or activities do you really encourage Malia and Sasha to get involved in?”

Wan Imran Chik from Kota Kinabalu asked: “Where do you see or hope to see US foreign policy head towards in the future? Especially United States relations with Asian countries which are fast/quickly developing and with predominantly Muslim country such as in SE Asia and in the Middle-East?

Meanwhile, John Lim asked: “How do you personally feel about the direction of ethnic and religious centric policies is taking in certain countries in the region, and do you think there are any aspects of the American experience (such as the Civil Rights Movement) which you feel could apply to South East Asia's own cultural, ethnic and religious dynamics?”

Obama will be holding a town hall meeting on Sunday with 100 youths from the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), an initiative by Obama to build relationships across South-East Asia through the engagement of young people.

A few questions from the Facebook post will be selected for the president to answer at the townhall.