The government needs to be careful when accepting foreign invitations, said Mohamad Hasan

KUALA LUMPUR: The government needs to take a cautious approach in accepting invitations from foreign countries to position Malaysia as a neutral country.

Berita Harian reported, Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, said Malaysia needs to be careful in bilateral relations so as not to be seen as leaning towards any country.

He said, despite having a good relationship with Russia, but in an uncertain geopolitical situation, the presence or visit of the Prime Minister needs to be well planned.

“There are many invitations to the Prime Minister, but we need to be careful to position the country… the Prime Minister’s visit or my visit as Foreign Minister is considered as recognition of the country’s foreign relations.

“The Foreign Ministry’s advice to the Prime Minister is to scrutinize each and every invitation, because it does not want to get involved in more complex world politics and cause problems with other countries,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat, today.

He answered a supplementary question from Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (PN-Machang) who asked when the Prime Minister will pay an official visit to Russia.

Mohamad said Malaysia’s relations with Russia and China are good.

“We are a trading country and trading economy. We want to be friends with everyone.

“This is the basis of our foreign policy, which is not just normal diplomacy but trade diplomacy,” he said.