NEW YORK: After Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivered his address at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday, there were all kinds of reactions from various quarters in Malaysia.
Some were positive while others were negative. However, there were more positive reactions to the negative ones, which mainly came from opposition leaders and netizens who were either anti-government or anti-Anwar.
Among these were Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who described the address as bland and having failed to have grabbed the attention of world leaders.
The Perikatan Nasional election director had said the empty assembly while Anwar delivered Malaysia's National Statement was embarassing.
Sanusi had said this while speaking at PN's Ceramah Perdana on the campaign trail for the Pelangai by-election in Dataran Purnama, Simpang Pelangai, in Bentong, on Friday night.
Yet, among those who were present at the UN complex in New York, including foreign representatives and diplomats, the view of Anwar's address was the complete opposite. Instead, they praised Malaysia and Anwar.
In a press conference at the end of his maiden appearance as prime minister on the UN stage, Malaysian media were told by Malaysian officers that immediately after the National Statement, delegates and officers present at the UN complex had received positive reactons towards the prime minister's address.
Foreign Minister secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin said there were many who congratulated Malaysian delegates for Anwar's address, including from countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and the Maldives.
"We received positive reactions from amond the diplomats, who praised us and told us that Malaysia's firm stance in the UN had gotten the attention of many," he said.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir also informed Malaysian media that he had received congratulations from his counterparts from many countries over Anwar's speech.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, meanwhile, said the various programmes in Anwar's schedule of discussions with captains of industry would potentially have a huge impact on the economic and investment sectors in Malaysia.
He said further details and decisions of Anwar's discussions with the leaders of giant corporations would be firmed up during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco in November, at which Anwar will also be leading the Malaysian delegation.