Erdo An S Visit To Malaysia Personal Or Official

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THE recent visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Malaysia has raised questions about its nature, more specifically, whether it was an official diplomatic engagement or a personal visit.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s remarks, emphasising his long-standing friendship with Erdoğan and recalling the Turkish leader’s support during his political struggles, suggested a more personal dimension.
Anwar, who once sought refuge at the Turkish Embassy during his turbulent years, spoke of Erdoğan as a loyal friend.
However, it is unlikely that a leader as busy as Erdoğan would travel solely for a personal meeting.
Even if the visit was informal, discussions would have inevitably touched on pressing global issues, particularly the ceasefire in Gaza and the future of the Palestinian cause.
The Malaysian public needs to know the true objective of Erdogan’s visit apart from renewing friendship ties with Anwar and family.
Foreign leaders cannot come and go without the government amplifying the nature of the visit and the agenda. There is no such thing as private visit or visit for the sake of visit.
While Erdoğan’s respect for Anwar is evident, it largely stems from Anwar’s past struggles rather than his current standing as a global statesman.
To truly solidify his international stature, Anwar must earn recognition from influential world leaders such as US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
His exclusion from a phone call with Trump during the latter’s inauguration and the apparent indifference of major powers to Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship highlight the limitations of his global reach.
Domestically, Anwar’s leadership continues to face challenges, particularly in managing ethnic and religious issues.
While his strong stance on Palestine has been amplified for domestic appeal, it remains to be seen whether his engagement with figures like Erdoğan is enough to elevate his international reputation.
For now, the road to global leadership remains long and uncertain.
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT. 
- Focus Malaysia.

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