YOURSAY | Much ado about PM’s Saudi Arabian visit

YOURSAY | ‘This is not the first time something like this has taken place.’

Anwar shouldn’t have gone to Saudi Arabia without firm appointment - KJ

Mazilamani: It’s good that the "failed" visit by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Saudi Arabia is brought to our attention.

As former health minister turned radio DJ Khairy Jamaluddin explained, based on personal experience, any official visit at the beginning of Ramadan has that chance of going haywire.

The blunder, as much as I understand, falls solidly on Wisma Putra, who should have sought confirmation of appointment from the Royal Office of King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed Salman Al Saud.

This is not the first time something like this has taken place. Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob experienced a similar hiccup during an official trip last March. Something is not right about Wisma Putra, two defaults in a row.

For Perikatan Nasional MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal to demand a parliamentary debate on this setback only goes to show his shallowness and to what length the august house is being abused and degraded.

It has nothing to do with the cost of the trip, but with seeking an opportunity to insult Anwar and glorify Muhyiddin Yassin's successful trip to the kingdom when he was prime minister.

It cannot be reduced to a failed trip, since three memoranda of understanding have been signed between Malaysian companies and their Saudi counterparts.

BobbyO: While in Malacca, l called up an MP and made an appointment at 5pm on a Sunday. On the way to Kuala Lumpur, l received a call that the MP had to attend an important meeting.

So our meeting was scheduled for another day. Since I was already on my way to Kuala Lumpur, l continued on my journey and met other individuals that can be considered not as important as my appointment with the MP.

It can happen to anybody. The appointments have been made, but due to other more important issues that the host country leaders had to attend to, the appointments had to be rescheduled.

So why this unnecessary drama? What’s with the accusations of this visit not being properly planned? It was planned but due to circumstances that were out of the control of our prime minister, the host leaders could not meet him.

Let us face facts. Khairy, how many times have your appointment dates changed at the last minute due to circumstances?

Cogito Ergo Sum: This matter will be thoroughly exploited by Perikatan Nasional in the upcoming state polls. Saudi Arabia is seen as the leader of the Islamic world and home to the most sacred places in the faith.

Anwar had bet the farm in trying to shore up Pakatan Harapan’s Islamic credentials by hoping to meet the Saudi King. This would have neutralised the ‘green wave’. But the move failed. It’s damage control now.

Anwar should have stayed in Malaysia and countered the opposition tactics instead of a dicey trip that had no firm commitment from the other side.

Of course, PN will use this like a plunged knife and twist it to their advantage. Harapan is now on the back foot after a failed, perhaps, political bet.

Man on the Silver Mountain: Obviously, this is being politicised as everything is when it comes to what the prime minister does. But that’s okay, it comes with the territory. But, what’s the big deal?

The prime minister travels here and there, and the trip was not a total loss. If the prime minister could not meet the Saudi king during the visit, well, then they owe us one.

Maybe next time we will get a bigger donation, perhaps even bigger than what former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak received. Oh, not that kind of donation, of course, a real one.

Geopolitics-wise, the Arabs seem to get a bigger rating than they deserve around here. Other than normal international relations, what can we benefit from them that we had not got before? They are not big players.

Besides, their interest is not in Southeast Asian countries but more in Europe and the US. So, the visit was just routine, perhaps for the political brownie points that you can get back home from the Muslim groups.

Just do not be obsessed with them being the big brother. That should be applied to China. They are more in a position to benefit us in many ways.

OrangePanther1466: It was quite embarrassing for the prime minister to have gone on an official visit and not be able to meet the king and the crown prince.

Someone in Wisma Putra made a big boo-boo in not anticipating the madness during the first week of Ramadan nor did they advise the prime minister not to go because the itinerary had not been firmed up.

Admit that it was a mistake and reschedule another visit to Saudi Arabia. Better still, invite them both to visit Malaysia but don't publicise it until they confirm attendance.

Let's not make a big deal out of the prime minister's Saudi Arabia visit. Enough of politics.

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