Malaysia Banks On Pragmatic Foreign Policy To Attract Investments - Deputy FM

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will continue to promote a forward-looking and pragmatic foreign policy that facilitates trade and attracts foreign investment under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Marzuki Yahya said the country's foreign policy was largely influenced and shaped by three key factors, namely its strategic location in Southeast Asia, a trading nation as well as its unique demography. He said Malaysia's foreign policy had been pragmatic and consistent based on the principles of international law ever since it obtained independence on Aug 31, 1957. “Malaysia relentlessly joins the international community in promoting global peace and prosperity through the various multilateral fora. At the regional level, we believe in close working relations through consensus building within the framework of ASEAN,” Marzuki said in his opening remarks at the Young Diplomats Forum 2018 here Monday. With the pragmatic and principled foreign policy, together with a visionary domestic policy, he said Malaysia had made a great stride from an agriculture-based economy and manufacturing to a well-established and advanced industry on trade and service sectors. “Malaysia’s economy is among the most promising in the region, as our gross domestic product (GDP) registered 4.2 per cent growth last year, among the healthiest GDP in the Southeast Asian region,” he said. In addition, Marzuki said the new government would continue to work closely with the international community to address pertinent global issues as economic growth and social development, environmental sustainability, non-traditional security issues such as transnational crimes and terrorism. “Malaysia rejects any forms or acts of extremism. Instead, we promote moderation in our society. The concept of Musyawarah or dialogue and negotiation is inherent both here (in Malaysia) and ASEAN value system in promoting peace, stability and prosperity,” he said. A total of 74 local and foreign young diplomats are attending the five-day forum, beginning Monday, which aimed at developing the next generation of diplomats, and creating bright young leaders who could make a positive influence to their community as well as the world. -- BERNAMA