Page 25 - Diplomatic Voice 2014 Vol 1

FORUM NEWS Sri Siti Rubiah Datuk Abdul Samad, wife of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia, was the guest of honour. The Deputy Director General (C) of IDFR, Ambassador Aminahtun Hj. A. Karim moderated a breakout session on Malaysian Diplomats: Today and Tomorrow which was held on 26 February 2014. Before the Heads of Mission departed for Kuching, Sarawak, sessions on Strengthening ASEAN and Global Movement of Mo- derates – Beyond Rhetoric were Kota Kinabalu, Sabah conference and stressed the need for presented. Heads of Mission to continuously On the first day in Kota Kinabalu, upgrade their skills and develop the Kuching, Sarawak Sabah, there was a session on right expertise within their areas of Improving and Strengthening the competencies. The 8th Heads of On Thursday 27 February 2014, two Institution and Human Capital. Dato’ Mission Conference concluded with a breakout sessions took place: Streng- Rohana Ramli stated how foreign closing dinner hosted by the Deputy thening Multilateral Diplomacy and language programmes should be Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia at , Strengthening Bilateral Diplomacy. institutionalised and structured for the Le Meridien, Kota Kinabalu, Some of the outcomes of the first Heads of Mission and officers and Sabah. session were Malaysia’s priorities in management service should be the multilateral sphere must reflect its formed under the Deputy Secretary- domestic policies, Malaysia should General in order to formulate reforms. leverage on ASEAN in its participation Heads of Mission then dined with in international fora, the ministry Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Hj. Aman, should develop greater expertise on Chief Minister of Sabah. economic issues as economic diplo- macy has become a major component On the final day of the conference, the on the country’s foreign policy and Outcome Document and Plan of Malaysia should strive to accede to as Action were adopted and presented. many international human rights Based on the dialogue and breakout conventions as possible to elevate its sessions, YM Raja Nushirwan Zainal global standing. With regards to Abidin aimed to highlight the strengthening bilateral diplomacy, the actionable proposals that can be summarised outcomes were that incorporated into the Ministry’s Strate- Malaysia should participate in the gic Plan (2016-2020). Ambassador regional or sub-regional organisations Zainol also summarised the outcome within the African region and adequate of discussions under the six Strategic attention must be given to South and Objectives. On behalf of the Secretary Central Asia given the region’s General, Dato’ Ramlan Ibrahim em- geographical proximity to Malaysia as phasised on the importance of well as its rapidly growing economy. follow-up action to the outcome of the Apart from that, a lunch talk titled, Investment Scenario in Sarawak and How Malaysian Missions Abroad Could Promote Foreign Investment in Sarawak by Datu’ Haji Ismawi Haji Ismuni, Director, State Planning Unit of the Chief Minister’s Department Sarawak was conducted. A courtesy call and dinner by Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, former Chief Minister of Sarawak ended the day. DIPLOMATIC VOICE 25