Daily News Online

DateLine Friday, 11 July 2008

News Bar »

News: Workers defy strike call ...        Political: Polls Chief sets identity guidelines ...       Business: Ceylinco Insurance share issue raises Rs 1.13 b ...        Sports: Sports can bring about peace and prosperity, says President ...

Home

 | SHARE MARKET  | EXCHANGE RATE  | TRADING  | PICTURE GALLERY  | ARCHIVES | 

dailynews
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

Malaysian democracy booms after decades of coldness: Australia

MALAYSIA: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday praised Malaysia’s revitalized democracy, as the two countries celebrated their warming ties by announcing a plan to jointly train teachers from Afghanistan.

Rudd, on his first visit to Malaysia since taking office, said Malaysia’s democracy has been “tested and applied” in March 8 elections in which the opposition made unprecedented gains, loosening the ruling coalition’s 51-year hold on power.

“Democracy is not just alive and well in Malaysia but flourishing,” Rudd told reporters at a joint news conference with his counterpart, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Malaysia has had an uneasy relationship with Australia, evident in the frequent verbal sniping between previous prime ministers of the two countries - Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad and Australia’s Paul Keating and John Howard.

Ties have improved since 2003 when Abdullah replaced Mahathir, who was incensed when Keating once called him “recalcitrant.” Howard also had frequently criticized Malaysia’s human rights record. Rudd, a former diplomat with expertise in Asia, has maintained a much softer line.

As part of their improving ties, the two prime ministers announced that Afghan teachers will be trained in Malaysia with the help of the Australian government and universities.

Rudd, who is stopping in Malaysia for one day on his way back from Japan, said part of the reason the agreement was forged is that Malaysia is a Muslim country that “can comfortably partner with the education needs of Afghanistan.”

“This points to a new phase in the relationship between Australia and Malaysia,” he said. “Security is one part of Afghanistan’s future and it is core, but development and education are equally important.”

No details of the agreement were released. “We agreed to pool our resources,” Abdullah said. “This ... will usher in a new chapter of cooperation between Malaysia and Australia.”

Rudd is avoiding meeting with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim who has threatened to bring down Abdullah’s government with parliamentary defections even as he faces a sodomy accusation.

Anwar has dismissed the accusation as a politically motivated attempt to stymie his challenge to the government.

A respected news portal, Malaysiakini, reported Thursday that Anwar’s three-party coalition will soon try to bring a no-confidence motion against Abdullah’s government.

But it added that the motion is unlikely to see the light of the day because the speaker can easily reject it.

Putrajaya, Thursday, AP

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

Gamin Gamata - Presidential Community & Welfare Service
Ceylinco Banyan Villas
www.stanthonyshrinekochchikade.org
www.topjobs.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
www.helpheroes.lk/
www.peaceinsrilanka.org
www.army.lk
www.news.lk
www.defence.lk
Donate Now | defence.lk

| News | Editorial | Business | Features | Political | Security | Sport | World | Letters | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2008 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor