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VOA News 02 November 2010
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gestures during a town hall event at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 02 Nov. 2010U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is praising Malaysians for their moderation during a visit to the Muslim-majority country, and urging them to reject extremism.
The remarks came Tuesday at a town hall meeting with ordinary Malaysian citizens. Clinton also met with national leaders including Foreign Minister Anifah Aman. But a widely expected meeting with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim did not take place.
Anwar is standing trial on what he claims are trumped-up sodomy charges, and a meeting would have embarrassed the government. Anifah pledged after his meeting with Clinton that Anwar will receive a fair trial.
At the town hall, Clinton praised Malaysia for its dynamism and urged it to stick to its traditional moderate roots. She also urged the country to keep the political arena open to all its citizens.
Malaysia is the fourth stop on Clinton's 2-week, 7-country tour, which has already taken her to Vietnam, China and Cambodia. She is the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Malaysia, apart from international conferences, since Warren Christopher in 1995.
The U.S. State Department said Monday that Clinton's meetings in Kuala Lumpur reflect the importance of U.S. engagement with the region. It said Washington seeks cooperation with Malaysia on issues including trade, science, education, Afghanistan and non-proliferation.
Clinton and Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili, were to sign an agreement promising cooperation on such challenges as food security and global climate change.
Clinton completes her tour with visits to Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
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