VZCZCXRO8825
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #0794 2740855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 010855Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3241
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000794 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EAP/PD AND EAP/MTS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO MY
SUBJECT:   ENGAGING MALAYSIAN MUSLIMS DURING RAMADAN 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY.  The Ambassador and Embassy officers actively 
engaged Malaysians during the fasting month of Ramadan, using those 
opportunities to amplify on President Obama's Cairo speech which was 
well received in Malaysia.  The Ambassador hosted a series of four 
well-attended iftars for Mission contacts from all walks of 
Malaysian society.  Mission staff also engaged students and 
academics across the country via face-to-face encounters as well as 
virtual encounters utilizing new media and social networking sites 
on the Internet.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U)  The Ambassador hosted a series of four Ramadan iftar 
dinners at his residence.  Mission NGO and civil society contacts, 
senior government officials and foreign policy opinion leaders, U.S. 
Government program exchange alumni, senior academics, and 
economic/business contacts made their way through heavy KL rush-hour 
traffic to the Ambassador's downtown residence over a series of four 
evenings to break their fast at the sounding of the Azan.  Prominent 
Muslims and representatives of key Muslim organizations such as 
Sisters in Islam and Jemaah Islah Malaysia (Malaysian Islamic Reform 
Movement) also attended. 
 
¶3.  (U)  At the iftars in his welcoming remarks, the Ambassador 
reiterated his desire to advance relations between Malaysia and the 
U.S. on the basis of mutual respect and mutual interest.  Some 
guests afterwards expressed not only their pleasant surprise that 
the USG would host such an event but also their deep appreciation 
for the Ambassadors kind hospitality during this special time for 
Muslims.  The IIP publication "Being Muslim in America," an 
IRC-generated list of related Ramadan resources, as well as a 
personal greeting card from the Ambassador were distributed to all 
guests.  IIP Ramadan videos from America.gov were prominently 
displayed on a big screen television at the receptions. 
 
¶4.  (U)  Ramadan also provided an opportunity to further engage 
Malaysian Muslims in dialogue in a variety of settings.  Topics 
discussed included the ideas in President Obama's historic Cairo 
Speech and opportunities for further engagement and partnership to 
address global issues including climate change, non-proliferation, 
and women's empowerment.  Visiting Congressional staffer Dennis 
Halpin met with 15 professors and graduate students on the eve of 
Ramadan to get a sense of shifting Malaysian Muslim perceptions of 
the US.  Public Diplomacy officers met with students at one of 
Malaysia's American Corners located in the predominately Muslim 
state of Terengganu and attended several iftar events with Muslim 
education leaders.  Our request for "a new beginning," greater 
engagement and partnership were well-received, with deep interest 
expressed in the area of international education cooperation. 
 
¶5. (U)  While the President's Eid-ul-Fitr message received 
widespread coverage in the traditional Bahasa Malaysia and 
English-language print media, the Mission's Website, Facebook and 
the Ambassador's blog were other channels to further communicate 
bilingual Ramadan greetings from the President and Secretary and to 
share iftar photos with wider audiences. 
 
KEITH