Text: Ambassador-designate Says Anwar Ibrahim's Case Concerns U.S.

(Nominee for Ambassador to Malaysia Huhtala's July 25 remarks) (730)

While there are many positive aspects to U.S.-Malaysian relations,
"the relationship is not perfect," according to Marie T. Huhtala, the
nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia.

"We remain deeply concerned by the case of jailed former Deputy Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the treatment of members of the political
opposition," Huhtala said in a prepared statement July 25 before the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

As Malaysia develops into a high-tech economy, she told the panel,
"restrictions on basic rights such as freedom of speech and assembly
are incompatible with its long-term goals."

Huhtala said she looks forward to the United States working with
Malaysia to help that nation develop the "modern political freedoms to
match its modernizing economy."

Following is the text of Huhtala's remarks, as prepared for delivery:

(begin text)

Statement of Marie T. Huhtala
Ambassador-Nominee to Malaysia
before the
Committee on Foreign Relations 
United States Senate
July 25, 2001

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I am deeply honored to come
before you today as the President's nominee to be the next Ambassador
to Malaysia. I am grateful to the President and Secretary Powell for
their trust in me as demonstrated by this nomination. If confirmed by
the Senate, I will work closely with the Committee, interested members
of Congress, and other Americans to represent United States interests
in Malaysia.

My husband Eino is with me today. We flew in last night from Thailand,
where I have just finished serving as Deputy Chief of Mission at our
embassy in Bangkok. Our daughter Karen, a molecular biologist, and son
Jorma, an Air Force officer, could not be here today.

Mr. Chairman, I have spent the past 29 years of my life preparing for
this assignment. I joined the Foreign Service in 1972, served
extensively in Asia -- in Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong -- and worked
in Washington as the Director of Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and
Vietnam Affairs. Additionally, I am pleased to note that in the 1980s
I was Congressional Relations Officer for the Africa Bureau and
studied at the National War College at Fort McNair.

The United States has sustained interests in Malaysia, and throughout
Asia. Our relationship with Malaysia is a positive one. Malaysia is
our eleventh largest trading partner and an important destination for
U.S. electronics and petroleum investment. The Malaysian government's
forward-looking policies have encouraged foreign direct investment,
high-quality infrastructure, a business-friendly bureaucracy, and,
most importantly, a skilled, educated workforce. The U.S. is the
largest foreign investor in Malaysia and its largest export market.

Defense ties are close. Our militaries exercise together and U.S. Navy
ships make regular port calls. Bilateral cooperation on
counter-narcotics and anti-terrorism is excellent.

Malaysia is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) and has long played a helpful role in this region. It
is an active member of regional organizations that are building
cooperation in the economic sphere, such as the Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) forum, and in the regional security field,
including the ASEAN Regional Forum which is meeting later this week. A
distinguished Malaysian diplomat, Tun Razali Ismail, is now serving as
a representative of the United Nations Secretary General to resolve
the difficult political and human rights situation in Burma. In
addition, we have been able to work effectively with the Government of
Malaysia, both multilaterally and bilaterally, to address
transnational problems such as smuggling, piracy, and the environment.

The relationship is not perfect, however. We remain deeply concerned
by the case of jailed former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and
the treatment of members of the political opposition. As Malaysia
develops into a high-tech economy and information society,
restrictions on basic rights such as freedom of speech and assembly
are incompatible with its long-term goals. This is an area where we
can work with Malaysia to develop modern political freedoms to match
its modernizing economy.

If confirmed, I look forward to working with you to improve and
intensify our relationship with Malaysia.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for your consideration of my nomination. I
would be happy to respond to your questions.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)