Ethnic, religious diversity can lead Malaysia to a brighter future, says Obama

Obama (centre) offering a toast in honour of Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at the state banquet held at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur tonight. - Reuters pic, April 26,2014.The President of the United States, Barack Obama believes that, like the US, Malaysia can draw strength from its ethnic and religious diversity and learn from history to carve a brighter future for the next generation.

In his remarks at a state banquet hosted at Istana Negara in conjunction with his three-day state visit to Malaysia, Obama noted that while the US and Malaysia may be different as nations, their people shared similar hopes and aspirations, Bernama reported today.

"I believe that whether we come from a remote village or a big city, whether we live in the United States or in Malaysia, we all share basic human aspirations - to live in dignity and peace.

"(We want) to shape our own destiny, to be able to make a living and to work hard and support a family. And most of all, to leave the next generation something better than what was left to us," Bernama reported him as saying.

According to Bernama, Obama said these were the aspirations that can illuminate a new era of partnership between the US and Malaysia.

The banquet was graced by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah, as well as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The US president, who spent some years in Indonesia as a child, also sprinkled a few Malay words and expressions during his speech at the banquet. This was well received by the audience who responded generously with applause at his valiant attempts.

"Selamat petang" (Good evening) and "terima kasih banyak" (thank you very much) were the key lines he used at the start and end, respectively, before speaking of "bekerjasama" and the "boleh spirit" to illustrate the partnership between the two nations, Bernama reported.

Obama arrived in Kuala Lumpur today on a three-day visit to Malaysia as part of his four-nation tour of Asia that started in Japan followed by South Korea while his final stop is the Philippines.

His trip here is the first by a sitting US president in 48 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson's trip back in 1966.