MALAYSIAN PM CONGRATULATES OBAMA ON US INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak,
on behalf of the government and the people of Malaysia, has extended his warmest
congratulations and best wishes to President Barack Obama and the people of the
United States on the occasion of its 233rd independence anniversary Saturday.

In his message, he said he was happy to note that Kuala Lumpur and
Washington had always enjoyed close and excellent relations and he was confident
that these ties would continue to flourish in the coming years for the mutual
benefit of the two countries.

"I look forward to working closely with Your Excellency towards realising
this objective, and once again express my earnest hope to meet Your Excellency
in the very near future to discuss bilateral issues and issues of common
interest to both of our nations," he said in his message, a copy of which was
made available to Bernama here Friday.

Najib also took the opportunity to congratulate Obama for the US leader's
excellent and inspiring speech, particularly for the Muslim world, which was
delivered at the Cairo University on June 4.

He said he was also deeply touched by Obama's kind words and recognition of
Malaysia's astonishing economic progress among the Muslim-majority countries in
the speech at the Egyptian capital.

"I would like to work closely with Your Excellency in forging better ties
between your country and the Muslim world," said Najib.

Malaysia and the United States share a diverse and expanding partnership
and the bilateral economic ties can be described as robust.

The United States is Malaysia's largest trading partner while Malaysia is
currently the 18th largest trading partner of the United States, with US$43.7
billion in two-way trade during 2008.

-- BERNAMA