PETALING JAYA: Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has described Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Saudi Arabia as a “huge diplomatic blunder”.
Khairy said this was because Anwar failed to meet with Saudi monarch King Salman Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the Saudi Arabian prime minister.
“I agree with views that it (Anwar’s visit to Saudi Arabia) was a huge diplomatic blunder.
“He should not have visited Saudi Arabia if a meeting with King Salman or Prince Mohammed bin Salman (crown prince) was not set,” Khairy said in an episode of the “Keluar Sekejap” podcast with Shahril Hamdan.
He said typically, a prime minister would not visit another country unless a meeting with their counterpart had been scheduled.
The former Rembau MP also said Anwar’s failure to meet with his Saudi counterpart was embarrassing, as Saudi Arabia was an important partner.
“Saudi Arabia plays an important role in the (Middle Eastern) region and there are many opportunities for business and investment there,” he said.
Yesterday, Bersatu’s Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal urged Anwar to explain how Malaysia benefitted from his official visit to Saudi Arabia.
Anwar’s political secretary Ahmad Farhan Fauzi has said the prime minister’s visit was “fruitful” and had strengthened bilateral ties between both nations.
On Anwar’s failure to meet his counterpart, Farhan said the Saudi Arabian government had wanted Anwar to extend his trip so that he could meet Saudi leaders. However, Anwar had to turn down the offer as he had prior engagements. - FMT
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