NEW YORK: Former tourism, arts and culture minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz encountered a bumpy road in becoming Malaysia's ambassador to the United States on Feb 9 this year, due to the appointment being made before Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim became prime minister.
Nazri, however, just weathered the brickbats and got on with his work, he tells the writer at the Malaysian mission in New York.
Question: What are your priorities as Malaysia's ambassador to the United States? You hinted at a focus on trade and business to promote bilateral ties.
Answer: My work as Malaysia's ambassador will be centred on fostering trade and economic ties with the US.
Over the years, Malaysia has established a network of contacts with several institutions and, more broadly, with the American business sector.
Our aim is to boost trade with the US even further, for which I have engaged the USABC (United States-Asean Business Council, an advocacy group whose goal is to promote strong economic and trade links between the US and Asean member countries).
All major American companies that are USABC members have been making investments in Malaysia.
Before coming to the US, I spoke with USABC representatives in Malaysia, and even attended their seminars. Also worth mentioning is the expanding Malaysian corporate community in the US. Malaysian businesspeople (there) provide useful insights and can help strengthen economic and business ties.
Q: How important is the US as a market for Malaysia?
A: The US is a crucial trading and economic partner for Malaysia.
After Singapore and China, the US is Malaysia's third-largest trading partner (According to the most recent trade data made public by the US Census Bureau, Malaysia's exports to the US last year totalled US$54.75 billion, while its imports from the US were roughly US$18.11 billion).
Our trade and economic connections have great potential to expand further.
Malaysia's exports to the US were worth US$11.9 billion in the January- March 2023 quarter, while imports totalled US$4.32 billion. The US is not only a valuable market for Malaysia, but it is also a significant source of (foreign) investment for Malaysia.
Q: What are the major products that characterise the bilateral trade profile?
A: Malaysia's major exports to the US consist of electrical and electronic goods, rubber products, optical and scientific equipment, wood products and others, while imports from the US consist of electrical and electronic products, chemicals and chemical products, machinery equipment and parts, optical and scientific equipment, as well as others.
The US is keen to increase its exports of agricultural products, equipment and machinery, aerospace products, healthcare, information and communication technology and renewable energy, among others.
This could benefit Malaysia because US exporting companies can also consider setting up operations in Malaysia and use it as a hub for production and distribution in the Asean region.
Q: Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines have also been aggressively courting American companies; as their recent manoeuvring shows, they have intensified their courtship through exchanges of high-level visits in both directions. What do you think of the rivalry between the Asean member states?
A: These countries are our Asean partners and we all strive to get a larger share of the lucrative US market.
Q: In the South China Sea, where US-China tensions are rising, Asean's strategic location has increased its influence. Recently, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr visited Washington, and US lawmakers have visited numerous Asean capitals. How do you see the situation in the South China Sea?
A: Malaysia maintains strict neutrality in regards to the situation in South China Sea.
Our policy is to maintain friendly relations with all countries. We will continue to maintain neutrality in this regard.
Q: The Philippines, Vietnam, and other Asean countries look to be 'not disinclined to US overtures to enter into strategic cooperation', according experts. The Philippines is resuming defence cooperation with the US, a previous ally under former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Your thoughts?
A: The Philippines has been a strategic partner of the US, whereas Malaysia focuses on trade and investment with the US.
With our well-developed infrastructure, skilled manpower, lower costs, and good connectivity, we are attempting to attract US businesses. These are our priorities, and we are working towards them.
Q: There have been attempts in the past by Malaysia to get a visa waiver facility for Malaysian passport holders visiting the US. Where do we stand today on the question of visa-free entry into the US?
A: Malaysian passport holders have been urging the government to get visa-free entry facilities into the US, and the subject was raised by past Malaysian governments with successive US administrations.
While we have that in mind and are not losing sight of that goal, Malaysians should, for now, ensure that they obtain the appropriate visa and follow US visa regulations.
I would also like to urge Malaysians living in the US to register themselves with the consulate general or the embassy so that we can assist them with regards to their enquiries about Malaysia.
Q: What are other areas which offer opportunities for greater cooperation and promotion of goodwill and understanding between the two sides?
A: Malaysia is also interested in promoting cultural, academic and people-to-people exchanges and activities.
We have a Malaysian tourism official posted at the Malaysian Embassy in Washington in an effort to promote tourism from the US to Malaysia.
Following the closure of the Malaysian Tourism Office in New York a few years ago and the discontinuation of flights by Malaysia Airlines to the east coast, we are looking at ways to promote tourism traffic from the US to Malaysia.
Tourism is an important source of revenue for the country and benefits other tourism-related sectors.
At present, Malaysia's Tourism Ministry has only one representative office in Los Angeles, which promotes tourism from the US.
We are confident that a tourism representative at the embassy will strengthen the overall tourism-promotion effort.