Page 24 - Diplomatic Voice 2014 Vol 1

NEWS as part of your public diplomacy Heads of Government Meeting or Wabilllahitaufikwalhidayah, wassala- efforts. CHOGM in 2019. I look forward to mualaikum warahmatullahiwabarak having a fruitful dialogue with you on tuh. As I have earlier mentioned, Wisma rethinking diplomacy and finding new Putra would be facing challenging approaches to diplomacy in support- Thank you. times ahead, especially with Malay- ing the National Transformation Pro- sia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2015, grammes to achieve our goals to our bid to the non-permanent seat of become a high-income developed the UN Security Council for 2015-16, country by the year 2020. and the hosting of the Commonwealth The 8th Heads of Mission Conference The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malay- transformations that is trending Stakeholders and Clients and Promot- sia organised the 8th Heads of Mission around the region and the world, with ing Malaysia and Disseminating Infor- Conference with the theme, Trans- a transformation of our own, a foreign mation through Public Diplomacy. Tan forming Malaysia’s Diplomacy To- policy which will see Malaysia through Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy Prime wards 2020 and Beyond from 23 to a developed status and beyond by Minister of Malaysia, delivered his February to 1 March 2014. IDFR 2020. address titled, Engaging and Mobili- hosted the conference from 23 to 26 sing Malaysian Diaspora to Strengthen February 2014, while the remaining Two dialogue sessions were also held the Nation, stressing the importance days took place in Kuching, Sarawak earlier that day. Dato’ Sri Anifah Hj. of tapping into the experiences, exper- and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Approxi- Aman, Minister of Foreign Affairs, tise and skills of Malaysian Diaspora in mately 150 participants, made up of Malaysia, spoke about Rethinking order to reverse brain drain. Later, the Heads of Mission from around the Diplomacy: New Approaches and Chief Secretary to the Government of world and heads of departments and Domestic Challenges, while Senator Malaysia, Tan Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa spoke divisions in Wisma Putra, took Dato’ Sri Idris Jala, Minister in the about the Role of Malaysian Diplomats part. Prime Minister’s Department and CEO towards Realising the National Trans- of PEMANDU, explained on the formation Agenda, addressing the The purpose of the six-day conference Government Transformation Agenda. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia to was to provide the opportunity for aim at delivering people-centric Heads of Mission to exchange views On the morning of 25 February 2014, services. A special spouse program- with stakeholders including academia, three breakout sessions were con- me was also conducted which includ- NGOs, economists, media and bu- ducted: Pursuing New Frontiers for the ed talks on Understanding Emotional siness community. It also provided a Nation’s Wealth, Providing Effective Intelligence and Professionalism and setting to discuss and identify chal- and Efficient Services to the Ministry’s Moments of Truth at Missions. Datin lenges and solutions as well as approaches and strategies to achieve and diagram future foreign policy goals. The opening ceremony was officiated by Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak on 24 February 2014. In his keynote add- ress, he stated that as a Middle Power, Malaysia must continue its commit- ment towards ASEAN, strengthen bilateral relations with our neighbors and continue to value ASEAN as the fulcrum of peace, prosperity and stability in the region. The Prime Minis- ter then said as policymakers, diplo- mats and members of the international community, Malaysia must react to the 24 bulletin@idfr.gov.my