VZCZCXRO9749
RR RUEHCHI RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHPB
DE RUEHKL #1009 3180919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130919Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1980
INFO RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 001009 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/EP: M. DASTIN-VANRIJN AND A MATHUR 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ECIN ETRD SOCI PGOV PTER MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA SEEKS DISCUSSION OF GLOBAL FINANCIAL 
CRISIS AT APEC 
 
REF: SECSTATE 102397 AND KUALA LUMPUR 885 
 
1.(SBU) Summary:  Malaysia,s focus at the upcoming APEC 
Ministerial and Leaders Meeting will be discussion of 
approaches to dealing with the global financial crisis. 
Malaysia will be supportive of continuing efforts at trade 
liberalization in the WTO and regional integration as well as 
structural reform.  Given that Malaysia is in the middle of a 
leadership transition (highlighted by the fact that the 
Deputy Prime Minister will attend the Leaders Meeting in 
place of the Prime Minister), Malaysia is more likely to be a 
quiet contributor than an active promoter. End Summary. 
 
2.(SBU) Rahman Mahmat, the Secretary General of the Ministry 
of Trade and Industry (MITI) told Econcouns November 7 that 
Deputy Prime Minister/Minister for Finance Najib, would be 
sitting in for the PM at the Leaders Meeting, and Rahman said 
he would attend as his 
&plus one8.  Malaysia,s top priority at the upcoming APEC 
Ministerial and Leaders Meetings in Lima Peru would be to 
engage on addressing the global financial crisis and global 
economic slowdown. 
 
3.(SBU) According to Rahman, Malaysia would continue to 
express support for the multilateral trading system and the 
work being done in the current WTO Doha round. With regard to 
regional integration, he said Malaysia also would be 
supportive of the ongoing Second Study being done on FTAAP, 
but he cautioned that Malaysia viewed the FTAAP as a 
long-term project rather than a priority at this time. (Note: 
 MITI Deputy Secretary General Dr. Rebecca separately told 
Econcouns that as ASEAN had concluded deals over the past few 
months with India, as well as with Australia and New Zealand, 
Malaysia was focusing the efforts of its trade negotiators on 
bilateral FTAs.  End Note.)   Rahman said Malaysia would 
contribute on the broad array of APEC issues but had a 
particular interest in structural reform and the need for 
expanded economic and technical cooperation and capacity 
building. 
 
4.(SBU) Our contacts at other missions in KL also got 
generally passive responses from MITI and MFA on Malaysia,s 
goals for the APEC Leaders Meeting.  The New Zealand High 
Commission,s readout was that that active supporters for 
increased efforts at regional integration would have to be 
content with Malaysia remaining &quietly supportive.8 
Singapore High Commission Economic Officer Lee Cher Farn told 
Econoff  that Malaysia, and its newly appointed APEC Senior 
Official did not appear particularly prepared for the APEC 
meetings.  In discussions with both the Ministry of Trade and 
Industry (MITI) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), she 
said GOM officials explained that Malaysia "intends to 
observe the discussions" but that GOM does not have any 
specific agenda items it would intend to push. 
RAPSON