Malaysia’s aye-aye for CHOGM

* ‘We supported Sri Lanka’s hosting of CHOGM so we should be there’

* Malaysia invited to send delegation for business forum

Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamed Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak assured his country’s participation at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo, when President Mahinda Rajapaksa met him in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Saturday.

The bilateral meeting took place on the sidelines of the Global 2013 Smart Partnership Dialogue. The two leaders discussed CHOGM which will take place in Sri Lanka in November.

President Rajapaksa briefed the Prime Minister on the current status of planning and also invited Malaysia to send a delegation for the business forum that will be held on the sidelines of CHOGM.

Prime Minister Najib assured President Rajapaksa of Malaysia’s participation and wished the summit success.

“We supported Sri Lanka’s hosting of CHOGM so we should be there,” the Prime Minister said.

President Rajapaksa also briefed the Prime Minister of the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and post-conflict development activities.

The President said the best way to determine Sri Lanka’s progress after the war is to come to the country in person.

The Prime Minister agreed and said: “It’s better for you to go there and see for yourself instead of passing judgment.”

This will be the first time the Prime Minister is visiting Sri Lanka.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Hj Aman who had been in Sri Lanka about 13 years ago, said it was really difficult to get things done in those days, and there is “big improvement today.”

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal were present.