July 8, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – THE “praise” by a member of the Opposition directed at Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan caught the Foreign Minister off guard in the Dewan Rakyat recently.
Perikatan Nasional MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal began by saying: “I want to ask the Minister when the Prime Minister will visit Russia and meet President Vladimir Putin? From the information I gathered many invitations have been sent and yet no feedback from Putrajaya.”
He then unexpectedly added: “Lastly, the honourable Minister, as a respected former corporate leader, the Perikatan Nasional MPs appreciate your firm reply recently on the sale of MAHB shares to BlackRock,” as Opposition MPs thumped the table in approval.
He was referring to the remarks that Mohamad, who is also Umno deputy president, made about the sale of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) shares, that the sale could be reviewed despite already being at a “very advanced stage”. It was widely reported by the media.
(Umno boss Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi later clarified that Mohamad’s statement was his personal view.)
In the House, Mohamad stood up with a smile and asked “What is the question again?”
But what came after that was an off-the-cuff, rollercoaster of a reply from the Foreign Minister, and it was unsettling to say the least.
“When are we going to Russia? Datuk Speaker, in bilateral relations we need to be careful. Although we have good ties, in the present uncertain geopolitical, very fluid (so) the visit of the Prime Minister needs to be better planned.
“Just because we receive an invitation, we will go. We recei-ved many invitations. But we really need to be cautious about how we should position our country,” Mohamad said, according to Dewan Rakyat Hansard.
He went on to explain that while there are many invitations received, the advice by Wisma Putra to the Prime Minister is that each invite must be scrutinised carefully for fear that Malaysia will be caught up in complex world politics and later find problems developing with established ties with other countries.
He then added to his earlier remarks that Malaysia has good relations with Russia, China, and other countries, and that Malaysia is positioning itself as a middle state and does not want to be seen as leaning towards anybody as a trading nation.
I think the less said the better in responding to any international issues.
More importantly, any reply, be it in Parliament or elsewhere, must show wisdom, clarity, and strategic thinking. The Foreign Minister’s response is not only for domestic audiences but will be closely followed internationally.
Another thing, what sort of message are we sending to Moscow with this statement in the Dewan Rakyat?
It is a surprise that since he took up the job last December, Mohamad has been cautious in his remarks on many issues so far.
Granted, like he said, geopolitics is such that it’s “either you are with us or you are against us”.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has already announced that Malaysia is interested in joining the BRICS economic bloc. The announcement came on the heels of similar interest shown by other Asean members.
BRICS, which formed in 2009, originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa; Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were admitted in January this year.
Singapore has already said there is no substitute for Asean as an organising unit, investment, or competitive zone.
Its Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said even though several South-East Asian countries have expressed interest in joining the BRICS bloc, there is no question “the key game in town in our part of the world is Asean”.
When Wan Ahmad Fayhsal indicated that Malaysia needs to knock on Moscow’s door, Moha-mad gave a lengthy reply to explain that one of the reasons Malaysia wants to join BRICS is to amplify its voice so that the country can be heard on many platforms.
Mohamad’s response in Parliament may have been a manoeuvre to evade potential traps set by the Opposition. Wan Ahmad Fayhsal had recently returned from speaking at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, where he had noted the absence of Malaysian government representatives.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of strategic communication in international relations. Sometimes, less detailed explanations can preserve diplomatic flexibility and enhance the country’s credibility on the global stage.
Critically, such unscripted remarks prompt reflection on the broader implications of Malaysia’s diplomatic moves. While Malaysia eyes potential membership in economic blocs like BRICS, it is also active in the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Balancing regional commitments, such as the country’s upcoming Asean Chairmanship with global aspirations requires a more delicate and graceful diplomatic dance.
Give diplomatic answers – non-committal, without really saying anything about Russia, and that we are a friend to all. Mohamad must learn how to give a “boring” reply when necessary.
As for the reason for joining BRICS, to use it as a platform for Malaysia’s voice, Putrajaya must be aware Malaysia will be just one of many voices because the strong ones would be China and Russia.
Have we forgotten the organisation that Malaysia is one of the founding members of, Asean?
Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship next year should be a time when the country uses its leverage to show leadership.
“We keep on talking about wanting to be seen on the global stage, we want to be the global voice, and here you are in Asean, a founding member. This is where you should be speaking the loudest,” said an Asean observer.
“In another organisation like BRICS, it will be another brick in the wall because you are a newcomer, there is so much you can do with Asean. Don’t blow that chance,” he added.
Perhaps the Opposition’s praise so shocked Mohamad that, for a few minutes, he forgot that he is the Foreign Minister.