Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA
Tarikh/Date : 25/08/95
Tajuk/Title : DINNER HOSTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY DR.
SAM NUJOMA, PRESIDENT OF NAMIBIA
May I, first of all, express my sincere
thanks and appreciation to Your Excellency for the kind
and spontaneous invitation extended to me and my wife
to visit Namibia for the second time. I also wish to
take this opportunity to thank Your Excellency, the
Government and the people of Namibia for once again
according us such a warm and friendly welcome as well
as generous hospitality.
2. This afternoon I was discussing with the Prime
Minister how things have changed. I am visiting a
country ruled by terrorists, or at least former
terrorist. Yet this country is peaceful and well
administered and is growing fast. The terrorists or ex-
terrorists are not at all seeking revenge. Instead
they are so friendly even with those people who were
not so friendly with them before. I will not encourage
people to become terrorist because of this. But I hope
we do not rush to call people terrorist without giving
them a chance to demonstrate their good intentions.
3. I am delighted to be here again, to touch base
with you on issues of common interest and especially on
ways and means of further strengthening the bilateral
relations between Malaysia and Namibia. The way
relations between our two countries have been
developing since we last met in 1992 reaffirm my belief
in Namibia as a friend and partner with whom Malaysia
can work with for mutual benefit.
4. I am most encouraged by the frequent exchange of
visits at ministerial and official levels as well as by
members of the private sector which has led to close
economic interaction between our two countries. The
volume of our bilateral trade has seen significant
increase over the last two years and a start has been
made by Malaysian companies to invest in this country.
5. I am therefore looking forward to my visit to
Grootfontein tomorrow and see for myself the fruit of
the first Malaysia-Namibia joint-venture in the area of
housing. Modest as this project may seem, it
nevertheless exemplifies what we, the countries of the
South, can do together in support of development. The
support and encouragement that Your Excellency and the
government of Namibia had rendered, gives me every
reason to be optimistic that Malaysia-Namibia
cooperation is on the way to a healthy growth.
6. Malaysia is aware that tremendous opportunities
exist for cooperation and investment in the fields of
tourism, construction, mining and fishing. I assure
you, Your Excellency, that the Malaysian Government
will do everything it can to encourage the Malaysian
private sector to work with your people to seize those
opportunities. We are always concerned that the people
of Namibia should benefit from those opportunities.
Perhaps it is necessary for them to acquire certain
skills and expertise. The government of Malaysia would
be most pleased to contribute towards the development
of those skills and expertise should the government of
Namibia so require. Malaysia had provided training to
Namibians in selected fields in the past. It is ready
to continue doing so if Namibia finds such training
useful.
7. We have been most impressed by the policies the
government of Namibia has followed under your wise
leadership. The priority that government has placed on
economic development has directly benefitted the people
of Namibia. Your success and that of your party at the
last general elections is testimony to the trust and
support the people of Namibia have placed in you. We
are confident that the Republic of Namibia will
continue to benefit from your pragmatism and
willingness to compromise in the long term interest of
the nation.
8. I welcome your decision to have full diplomatic
representative in Kuala Lumpur. In view of our
increasing involvement with each other I will recommend
to my Cabinet that we reciprocate your move.
9. Several important developments have taken place in
southern Africa since my last visit to Namibia.
Apartheid is dead and a new South Africa - non-racial
and democratic - has emerged. In Mozambique peace has
returned. These developments have made a significant
contribution to peace and stability in the Southern
African region. Countries of the region can now direct
their attention towards economic development free from
distractions and the threat of war. Malaysia welcomes
these positive changes which we hope would have an
equally positive influence on efforts to find a
peaceful and durable settlement in Angola. In this
regard, we would like to pay tribute to Namibia for the
active role it had played in support of such efforts.
10. Malaysia like Namibia finds it difficult to make
an impact on the international scene. We will only be
taken seriously if we speak with greater unity. We
would like to work closely with Namibia in
international fora such as the UN, NAM and the
Commonwealth. In order to be effective we would like
to consult and discuss international issues more
frequently with each other. In this way we can respond
more effectively when others make decisions affecting
us.
11. May I once again express our sincere appreciation
and gratitude to you and the Government of Namibia for
the kind hospitality extended to us and for receiving
us with such warmth and friendliness. My wife and I
will take home with us many pleasant memories of this
visit.