PUTRAJAYA – Wisma Putra Day 2023, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the aim of popularising Malaysia’s foreign policy, has received encouraging support from members of the public who want to understand the role and function of the ministry.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the program, which was held for the first time in the ministry building today, promotes cultural diplomacy and brings the ministry closer to the people and the international community.
“We have also received encouraging support from foreign embassies in Malaysia, and I can see that since it opened at 8:30am today, about 4,000 people have attended, and we expect twice that number by this afternoon,” he told reporters after officiating the programme, earlier today.
According to Zambry, Malaysians were becoming increasingly sensitive to global developments, such as the conflict in Gaza, hence the organisation of this programme is timely to explain the country’s policies regarding these ongoing global issues.
“At present, Malaysia practises active diplomacy to ensure that our role on the world stage remains active and that we continue to be an important country in seeking solutions to ongoing crises,” he said.
Zambry said Wisma Putra Day may become an annual event to provide a unique opportunity for all Malaysians and foreign nationals in the country to better understand the ministry’s role.
The program was attended by foreign representatives, including those from Cambodia, the Maldives, Palestine, and Turkiye.
Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia, Walid Abu Ali, told Bernama that the embassy’s exhibition booth at the event received many visitors expressing their support for the Palestinian cause.
“This is where we can share with all visitors the truth of what is happening in Palestine, especially Gaza, to raise awareness among the Malaysian people,” he said.
In addition to showcasing Palestinian cultural products, the embassy also displayed images of the destruction in Gaza caused by Israeli airstrikes and images of Palestinians killed by the Zionist regime, including Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead in 2022, and two former students of the Islamic Science University Malaysia (Usim) from Palestine who died in a bomb attack.
Apart from the foreign embassies’ exhibition spaces, the event also featured the promotion of ‘Malaysian breakfast culture,’ offering nasi lemak, roti canai, and teh tarik, cultural performances from Malaysia and other countries, film and animation screenings, traditional games, sports diplomacy, and exhibitions.
During the event, Zambry also launched the Wisma Putra Volunteer Program aimed at encouraging young people to contribute to the community and inspire them to become diplomats in the future.
He also launched the ‘Basic Malay Language Module for Foreign Speakers’ and ‘Malay Language Course Module for Children,’ developed by the Language and Literature Bureau as a guide for local intake staff and the children of Malaysian representatives abroad in learning the Malay language. – November 4, 2023