RAMOS-HORTA A GLOBAL LEADER WITH MORAL CLARITY, COURAGE - PM ANWAR
PETALING JAYA, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has lauded Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta as a statesman of rare moral clarity and courage whose leadership continues to inspire the region.
“What the world lacks now is a voice of conscience...moral clarity. And this country, this man, Ramos-Horta, has that which the world lacks,” he said at a fundraising dinner hosted by Ramos-Horta, themed “Timor-Leste: Building a Shared Future with ASEAN” here tonight.
Also present were Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, and Berjaya Corp founder and chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan.
Anwar said Ramos-Horta embodied tenacity, courage and conviction, the qualities that made him a rare voice of conscience in global politics today.
The Prime Minister said Malaysia’s principled support for Timor-Leste’s full admission into ASEAN was one of his key priorities as ASEAN Chair.
“I want you to succeed because I want friends who have that moral clarity, moral policy.
“When we assumed the Chairmanship, I told the team, the Foreign Ministry, and the Cabinet, that before we hand over the chair, Timor-Leste must be a full member of ASEAN,” he said.
Anwar acknowledged that the process was ‘tedious’, but Malaysia was determined to help and would continue to stand with Timor-Leste in its journey of nation-building and regional integration.
“I told my colleagues, help them, contribute...and we did. We gave funds through the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. We sent staff. That’s what comradeship is all about. That’s what humanity is all about,” he explained.
Anwar also urged Malaysian businesses to invest in Timor-Leste responsibly, stressing that economic cooperation must be guided by fairness and shared growth.
“When our investors go, they must not behave like ex-colonial masters. Of course, they seek profit, that’s normal. But there must also be transfer of technology, training of young people, and giving back to the community,” he said.
Ramos Horta, in return, described Anwar as his mentor and thanked Malaysia for its unwavering support throughout Timor-Leste’s struggle for independence and its path towards ASEAN membership.
He said Malaysia’s unwavering belief in Timor-Leste’s Southeast Asian destiny had inspired confidence in its long and challenging path toward regional integration.
Turning to economic cooperation, Ramos-Horta said Timor-Leste is now “officially open for business”, inviting Malaysian investors to explore opportunities in key sectors such as oil and gas, agriculture, coffee, and tourism.
The dinner was held to celebrate Timor-Leste’s formal entry into ASEAN and to raise funds for the Timor-Leste Foundation for Children’s Future, an initiative spearheaded by Ramos-Horta.
-- BERNAMA
