Visits abroad no for leisure, says Anwar
KUALA TERENGGANU (July 12): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has denied that his official visits abroad, including to Brazil to attend the recent BRICS Summit, were merely for 'leisure', but rather as an important effort to establish global economic cooperation.
He said every official visit he undertook was aimed at generating economic returns for the country, and not for leisure as alleged by certain quarters.
'We do not travel just for sightseeing. During meetings and engagements, we use every opportunity to meet (with leaders and stakeholders to strengthen relationships and cooperation),' he said when officiating the closing ceremony of the Madani Rakyat Programme (PMR) 2025 in Terengganu today.
The Finance Minister said Malaysia's strategic cooperation with Brazil had greatly benefited the country, including Petronas being granted access to the largest oil platform in Brazil.
As for the frequency of his and several ministers' attendance at various Asean meetings and negotiations recently, Anwar said these were not merely symbolic but had led to concrete results, including Terengganu being selected as the hub for a new green hydrogen energy initiative.
He said the project in Tasik Kenyir was highly significant as it aligned with the region's major agenda to implement the Asean Power Grid, which would connect cross-border electricity supply from Vietnam to Malaysia and Singapore through undersea cables.
'This energy production can only be realised through the cooperation of Asean, the Federal Government, and state governments. It will certainly position Malaysia as a major energy producer in the region,' he said.
Anwar added that with the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology centres, which demand significantly higher energy and water capacities than typical industries, it was crucial for Malaysia to support and help realise the Asean Power Grid initiative.
He also said Malaysia was increasingly respected on the global stage, as demonstrated by the extraordinary participation of major powers in recent Asean meetings, indicating confidence in the country's stability and economic potential.
Anwar noted that while Asean meetings involved 10 member countries as well as Timor Leste, the attendance of major powers such as Japan, the United States, Russia, and Turkiye was a remarkable show of support for the platform.
'This is because they see Malaysia as a peaceful, united nation with great potential for trade cooperation,' he said. – Bernama anwar ibrahim asean brics criticism meetings visit
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Oil & gas not in MA63, say analysts
Despite a broad agreement reached by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg, Petronas is still negotiating the commercial terms of Petros's appointment as gas aggregator in Sarawak. PETALING JAYA : The Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) does not explicitly grant Sarawak autonomy over oil and gas (O&G) resources, but the state has valid grievances over the inequitable distribution of their benefits, according to analysts. Political analyst James Chin, of University of Tasmania, said Sabahans and Sarawakians feel they may have got the 'raw end of the deal', because it was widely understood that both states would experience rapid economic growth upon joining the Federation of Malaysia. 'While O&G aren't explicitly mentioned in MA63, the frustration arises because these states have not truly benefited from their resources,' Chin told FMT, pointing to the wealth of O&G resources available off the Bornean coast. 'Sabahans and Sarawakians believe their state authorities were bypassed. Their chief ministers signed away resource control without consulting their cabinets or legislatures, exceeding their constitutional powers,' he claimed. James Chin. This, said Chin, has fuelled resentment, with many East Malaysians saying their respective states have lost significant economic opportunities while their counterparts in the peninsula have benefitted at their expense. 'Dispute extends beyond O&G' Sunway University's Shakila Yacob offered a different perspective on the Petroleum Development Act (PDA), which has been a source of tension between the federal government and Sarawak. She said parliamentary records suggest that Sarawak's then-chief minister Abdul Rahman Ya'kub likely had the backing of the state's legislative assembly when consenting to the legislation. 'I found no recorded objections from Sarawak MPs regarding the Act,' she told FMT. Shakila Yacob. 'I understand that all states provided their consent except for Perak and Sabah, which initially declined to sign the PDA,' she said, referencing interviews with Petronas's founding chairman Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and research verified by US archival documents. 'Eventually, a change of government in Sabah, and the Perak chief minister relenting, led to their agreement,' she added. Equitable federalism? Shakila noted, however, that East Malaysia's discontent goes beyond O&G-related concerns. She highlighted ongoing grievances over the federal government's alleged failure to fulfil its obligations under the MA63, particularly the payment of special grants intended to support economic development in Sarawak and Sabah. East Malaysian grievances must be addressed to foster a more sustainable federal system, said Shakila. She also pointed to Sarawak's recent calls for autonomy in sectors such as health, education and environmental policy as a reflection of broader dissatisfaction with federal arrangements. 'This highlights deeper tensions within Malaysia's federal system. 'If not managed carefully, Sarawak's push could set a precedent, prompting other states to question power distribution, potentially straining national unity in today's volatile world,' said Shakila. She said it was necessary to balance state aspirations with national cohesion to address the matter holistically. Shakila had previously told FMT there were broader economic and security concerns that also need to be considered. Petronas and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) are still hammering out the legal and commercial terms pertaining to a new aggregator arrangement for Sarawak. Although Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that he had reached a broad agreement with Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg on the matter, negotiations have been complicated by Kuching's insistence on terms which may impact Petronas adversely. Industry expert Jamil Ghani previously told FMT that Petronas may be concerned about the impact Sarawak's demands may have on its multi-year international and domestic contractual commitments. He also said there may be potential repercussions on the corporation's bottom line, its ability to pay the federal government dividends, the nation's energy security and on the O&G industry as a whole. According to Jamil, more than 90% of the nation's 3,000 O&G services and equipment companies depend on Petronas to survive.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Rafizi warns of fallout for PH over judicial appointment issue
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan risks losing the support of its core supporters over issues affecting the judiciary, former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has warned. Rafizi, who is among nine PKR members of parliament who called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the appointment of top judicial positions, said this during a forum on the issue last night. The Pandan MP also said the push from the MPs was not an act of sabotage against PKR, whose president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is also prime minister. "If we do not speak up and this issue is not handled well, the impact on PH will be more severe. The impact on the country will be worse because voters and ordinary people who believe this country has a chance for change will feel that all hope is lost, that all politicians are the same. "If that is how the people feel, if PH loses (the 16th General Election) after this, if (DAP chairman) Gobind Singh Deo wants to talk about the judiciary, who will care? I don't think anyone will care anymore," he said at the Public Forum: Judicial Integrity last night. Rafizi said the push for an RCI served as an early warning to the government that its actions must be supported by all government MPs. "It's better to listen to us, the seniors, rather than (others who are supposedly) trying to protect the prime minister, politically. This is because Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim does not need protection. He only needs to do what is best," he said. He said the best thing for Anwar to do is to ensure that if a judge's credibility has been questioned, their name should be dropped from the nomination process. Last week, Rafizi and eight other PKR MPs publicly urged the government to establish an RCI to probe alleged interference in judicial appointments. At least 20 PKR divisions in Johor and Kedah have called for the MPs to be suspended for breaching party discipline over the push for an RCI. Yesterday, PKR secretary-general Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the party is looking into the calls for the MPs to face disciplinary action.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Blueshark aims to have over 50 battery swapping stations nationwide by mid-2026 in tie-up with Petronas
SHAH ALAM: Blueshark Ecosystem Sdn Bhd, in partnership with Petronas Dagangan Bhd, aims to expand its network of battery swap stations from 20 to more than 50 nationwide by the middle of next year, in a push to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Malaysia. Each battery swap station costs about RM50,000, with expenses shared between Blueshark and Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), Blueshark CEO Jeff Chong told SunBiz in an interview. A joint venture agreement was signed on May 9, aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric two-wheelers in Malaysia. Blueshark holds a 51% stake and Petronas Dagangan the remaining 49% in the joint venture. Chong said the planned expansion is based on the expected uptake of Blueshark's e-bikes. 'We are very confident that this year we will see at least tenfold growth compared to last year,' he said, adding that this growth supports the targeted number of new stations. 'We don't want too many stations that end up underused. We need to ensure a good return on investment (ROI),' he added. The rollout will initially focus on the Klang Valley, Johor and Penang. 'We will prioritise these three areas first because our bike population is concentrated in these cities,' Chong said. He noted that the strategic partnership with Petronas enhances brand trust and broadens market reach. 'Petronas is one of the top five most cash-rich companies in Southeast Asia and a national brand in Malaysia.' Chong said Petronas' network of more than 1,000 stations nationwide offers Blueshark wide coverage. 'Placing our battery swap stations at Petronas stations makes it much easier and more convenient for customers.' Chong highlighted that many Petronas stations are already installing rooftop solar panels, which could eventually power the battery swap infrastructure. 'This would allow us to offer a fully clean energy, net-zero emissions solution.': He pointed out that Petronas' strong business-to-business network would support Blueshark's growth in the commercial segment. 'We are also collaborating with Mesra to create a point system to benefit customers. There's a lot of synergy in working together,' he added. Future plans include opening Blueshark showrooms at Petronas stations and launching joint promotions via Petronas and the Setel app. Chong expressed hope that the upcoming national budget would continue to support two-wheeler EV adoption. 'The carbon emissions from two motorbikes are equivalent to those of one car. So, if the government supports two-wheelers, the ROI is better and emissions can be reduced more effectively,' he said. The current RM2,400 subsidy for electric cars has minimal impact on middle- and high-income groups, he opined. 'For them, the amount is too small to make an impact. But if you apply a RM2,400 subsidy to e-bikes, you can help the B40 group and achieve better environmental outcomes with a relatively small investment.' Chong cited data showing that motorcycles emit about 103 grams of carbon per passenger per kilometre, compared to 192 grams for cars. 'If the government wants to address this issue effectively, it should focus on bikes rather than cars. The ROI will be higher, especially considering Malaysia has almost 15 million bikes on the road,' he said. Chong called for more green funding to support industry growth, noting that Malaysia's adoption of electric two-wheelers remains relatively low compared to countries like Thailand and Vietnam, where supportive policies and stronger demand have driven growth. 'Right now, there isn't much funding or support to grow this sector. The government should consider this,' he said.
