KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is reclaiming its prominence on the global stage, marking a significant turnaround in its international standing over the past two decades.
National Press Club of Malaysia (NPC) president Datuk Ahirudin Attan credited this positive shift to the efforts of the Madani government and the Foreign Ministry.
Datuk Ahirudin Attan, popularly known as Rocky Bru, highlighted the impact of the unity government’s initiatives – particularly the numerous overseas visits by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.
He expressed that these diplomatic efforts have yielded favourable outcomes for the country, noting that Malaysia has regained the global reputation it held in the late 80s and early 90s.
Ahirudin – who is also group executive director of Big Boom Media, which publishes Scoop – was recounting the era when Malaysia played a significant role in global issues, such as contributing to the abolishment of the apartheid regime in South Africa and involvement in the Bosnian War.
“As a reporter back then, I was very proud to travel overseas and tell my counterparts that I’m a journalist from Malaysia.”
“For about two decades, we lost that shine a bit. We lost that voice a bit. We were consumed by other issues and other matters,” Ahirudin said.
“In the last one year, my colleagues would agree that we have seen great strides being made by this country in the international arena,”
“I myself started covering the UN (General Assembly in the United States) in September…and I went back again (to the US to cover the) Apec (Summit). I found that we are beginning to recover that voice.”
Ahirudin said this during Wisma Putra’s Media Appreciation Night in Royale Chulan, here, this evening, in the presence of Zambry and other officials.
The seasoned journalist attributed Malaysia’s progress on the matter to having a “great team up there.”
“And to you Datuk Zambry, for those who have complained that you have not been in the country often enough, it is (indeed) your job as foreign minister to speak out there, to talk less in the country, and to talk more overseas,” Ahirudin said, adding that Zambry has been working tirelessly during the working trips.
On another matter, Ahirudin said Wisma Putra and the media can improve their interactions for the benefit of the country.
In this spirit, he said the NPC will be holding a professional development series course, which will be launched by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil next week.
For the 10-part development series taking place until March or April next year, Ahirudin invited Wisma Putra to send its officers for the course in the interests of fostering collaboration between the media and Wisma Putra.
Zambry, meanwhile, said it has been his mission to make the Foreign Ministry more accessible to the media and the public.
“I want to introduce this new policy of ‘Merakyatkan Wisma Putra’.”
“People want to know what we are doing. We are not this exclusive club. We do important work and people want to know what we have achieved and what more we can achieve,” he said.
He added that the media plays a crucial role in articulating the country’s foreign policy to the public.
“We will be the chair of Asean in 2025 and it is an important responsibility,” he said.
He added that as one of the 10 countries selected to engage foreign nations to seek an end to the slaughter in Gaza, Malaysia has been given an important recognition and task.
Also present were Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin, Wisma Putra secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin and deputy secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Rozian Abd Ghani. – December 7, 2023