Anwar Ibrahim denied meeting with MBS, King while on official visit to Saudi Arabia, after meeting the gay rights activist and Foreign Minister Australia Penny Wong- Anwar's claim to be a bridge between the Middle East and the liberal West shattered, attempt to be all things to all people backfires

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

                                                         

     Anwar was received by Jeddah Governor Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi Al Saud. His                        predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin was met by MBS himself.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, known in the West as a moderate Muslim who has the ear of the Saudi monarchy, appears to have been snubbed by Crown Prince Mohamad Bin Salman and King Salman.  Anwar , who was in Saudi Arabia on an official visit has expressed disappointment. Malaysia's national news agency Bernama had reported that Anwar was "scheduled to have an audience with the King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who is also the Prime Minister, at the Al Salam Palace."

The Saudis indifference to Anwar's presence in their country comes shortly after Anwar met with the gay rights activist and Foreign Minister Australia Penny Wong. Ms Wong had announced around the time of her meeting with Anwar that her Department of Foreign Affairs will reach out to LGBTQI+ organisations around the world to offer financial and other support.  Saudi Arabia is a frequent target of LGBTQI+  activists like Wong, who protest the Kingdom's refusal to recognise same sex marriage and other LGQTQI + rights. 

Anwar's  claim to be a bridge between the Middle East and the liberal West has been shattered, his attempt to be all things to all people seems to have backfired. 

                                                https://twitter.com/SenatorWong/status/1630175825890017281

END 

PM arrives in Saudi Arabia for three-day official visit



22-03- 2023 01:32 PM



Pix credit: Anwar Ibrahim FB


JEDDAH: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has arrived here to begin a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, his first outside of ASEAN since being appointed as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia on Nov 24 last year.


The special aircraft carrying the prime minister landed at the Royal Pavilion of King Abdulaziz Airport at 6.40 am local time today (11.40 am in Malaysia).

Anwar is accompanied by his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir and Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

On arrival, Anwar was received by Jeddah Governor Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi Al Saud at an official welcoming ceremony involving a static parade.


Anwar and his delegation are scheduled to perform the umrah before receiving a courtesy call from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) secretary-general Hissein Brahim Taha and Muslim World League (MWL) secretary-general Sheikh Dr Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa today.


Anwar is also scheduled to have an audience with the King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who is also the Prime Minister, at the Al Salam Palace.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia was Malaysia’s largest trading partner, third biggest export destination and biggest import source in West Asia, with two-way trade totalling RM45.52 billion (US$10.26 billion), a 159.2 per cent increase over the previous year’s figure.

Of this amount, exports to Saudi Arabia rose by 43.8 per cent to RM7.28 billion (US$1.66 billion) while imports from that country increased by 205.8 per cent to RM38.24 billion (US$8.60 billion). -Bernama