Ahmad Shahizan Abd Samad, the Malaysian Ambassador in Manama, on the sidelines of the opening of 4-day second Bahrain Retail Fair and Seminar being held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, said Bahrain should work on creating a branding before embark on a global marketing campaign.
“Bahrain has all the ingredients which you need as a perfect business destination and but it has to be visible as a brand,” Ambassador Ahmad Shahizan, stressed adding that a branding would continue to serve as a vital tool for the marketing for any country for that matter.
The Malaysia envoy in an earlier statement had reiterated his full support to the National Dialogue in Bahrain, praising the His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s initiative by inviting all parties to engage in the process.
“Malaysia is in full support of His Majesty the King’s invitation to the National Dialogue,” Malaysian envoy in a statement told the BNA.
“Not only HM the King of Malaysia and the Prime Minister, but also all the people of Malaysia are in full support of the National Dialogue in Bahrain because dialogue is the most important component, not only in terms of democratization, but also for national reconciliation. Bahrain is a very multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-religious. We are in full support.”
The diplomat said that his country also lauded the initiative taken by His Majesty on the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), the international fact-finding panel of legal experts set up by HM King Hamad to look into the events that occurred in Bahrain in February and March 2011 and their consequences.
The BICI issued its report in November 2011 that included a set of recommendations that Bahrain pledged to implement, setting up a national commission to follow up on their implementation.
“Bahrain National Commission has been able to fulfill a lot of the recommendations by the BICI. Bahrain has completed 19 recommendations very well and the other seven are on a full forward movement for their implementation. So, we are very positive about the National Dialogue,” the ambassador added.
He added that his country had expressed full support to Bahrain in 2011.
“In 2011 when there was civil unrest, Malaysia was among the first countries to support Bahrain. My Prime Minister supported Bahrain on its initiatives to move on to the National Dialogue. Our Prime Minister said ‘We are in full support and willing to send our forces to help Bahrain.’ Malaysia is in full support,” he said.
Ambassador Shahizan said that his country opposed all acts of terror and violence, in Bahrain and elsewhere, dismissing the notion they could be part of a pro-democracy or human rights movement.
“We are against terrorism and violence in all forms. The government of Malaysia is against violence of all forms even here in Bahrain. We do not say that it is democratic or a real part of democracy. It is not part of human rights, either. This is a real act of killing people. I think that is not right and we have to be very clear about it in terms of our approach,” he said. “Our Prime Minister has promoted internationally at the United Nations, in ASEAN, in international forum, even at the World Economic Forum (WEF), the World Economic Islamic Forum, the voice of moderation. The voices of the moderates are not heard. We hear only the voices of violence, the voices of extremism and terrorism. I think we need to get the moderates to support the policy of the livelihood of all people because their voice has not been heard. So, this is why Malaysia is spearheading this movement. I think we did reflect this in the recent 12th Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) meeting here in Bahrain. My Minister did mention that we would like to go with the movement of the moderates,” the ambassador who took up his post in Manama in August 2011.
Ambassador Shahizan praised the status of women in Bahrain, saying that Malaysia could benefit from the empowerment of women in the Kingdom.
“I would say that based on my experience here after two years and four months, I find that the women in Bahrain are really modern and in terms of professionalism they are ahead of women in many countries in the world. For instance, in Malaysia, we are looking at thirty percent woman’s empowerment. We do have strong women in areas like the Malaysian Central Bank is a lady Governor. We have also full-fledged lady ministers in Cabinet. There are also in private sectors woman have gone very strong, for instance in education. Women in Bahrain have been leading in the Gulf region. In fact, Bahrain is the Kingdom of the First. Being the Kingdom of the First, Bahrain has been successful in advancing women’s empowerment in many areas,” he said.
Malaysians should explore ways to interact closely with Bahrainis on the empowerment of women, he added.
“I believe what we can do now as Malaysians in Bahrain is to look at the status of women, be it at the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) or any association or organization. It is high time we pushed women’s empowerment, visits and cooperation. I would like to thank the Government of Bahrain, His Majesty the King in particular, for the Isa Award. The first Isa Award is given to a Malaysian and given to a lady, Dr. Jameela Mahmoud, an iconic figure. What is wonderful about the Isa Award is that Bahrain has been very neutral, very open in terms of selecting the first laureate of the Isa Award and it was given to a lady. I am with this initiative to see where we can have cooperation and collaboration between women in Malaysia and Bahrain,” he said.
Ambassador Shahizan said that he was optimistic about relations between Bahrain and Malaysia.
“The most important aspect of bilateral relations is that they are very warm, very close, very cordial and brotherly because both are brotherly Muslim countries. We are both constitutional monarchies. We have both kings and constitutions and a parliamentary democracy. So, we have much in common. I think our towering and strong bilateral relations will be even better than before,” he said.
There is a move of promoting closer ties between Bahrain and Malaysia I hope His Majesty and Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King, will be visiting Malaysia next year. I think this will lift up the political leverage with Malaysia. Bahrain has so much in common with Malaysia in terms of being a parliamentary democracy and we hope the parliamentarians here and also in Malaysia will have mutual visits. I think this is crucial as we need to get stronger in terms of promoting our parliamentary relations because parliamentary relations are for the people. In Malaysia’s case, it is meant for people, and also for Bahrain. So, there is so much in common that we can do together. I hope next year will be a good year where we get both parliaments to be very active in visits at the highest level,” the diplomat said.
However, he deplored the lack of direct air links between the two countries.
“The only problem is, what we do not have a direct route from Manama to Kuala Lumpur. We have to go to Oman, Qatar, Dubai, or Abu Dhabi or even Jeddah to go to Malaysia. It is a long way. I remember in 2011 when I came here, I was on Gulf Air. On Gulf Air you feel really at home, because you are in the country: the hospitality of the stewardesses, and so forth. I think this is very important. So, if we get this air connectivity – physical connectivity “the air” back – there are chances for Bahrainis to travel to Malaysia on Malaysia Airline, where you feel like you are at home. Likewise, you know, for Malaysians on Gulf Air, you feel really at home because the cuisine, the warmth of the people, the pilots, is very different. So, we need to do this. This is the only problem in my fiche now – No connection,” he said.
Ambassador Shahizan said that total trade between Bahrain and Malaysia was “very small.”
“It is only about $250 million in total trade, but most of the trade surplus is in favour Bahrain. So, we have to do more, and I am trying to look at increasing this to 1 billion for a start in 2015 and 3 billion in 2020. This is one aspect of cooperation in trade and commerce. At the same time, there are other sectors which we have to consider seriously. One of the other sectors would be the Islamic finance, banking Takaful. I think both Malaysia and Bahrain have strength. The only problem we have is that we have not really corroborated this partnership to the highest level. We should not compete because Bahrain has a different strength in Islamic finance, banking and Takaful. Malaysia also has a very different strength. So we have to ensure that there is a better advancement in terms of cooperation in this sector.
Another sector that needs serious consideration is tourism, he said.
“Next year, I would like to congratulate again Bahrain for three years in a row: 2012, as Arab Capital of Arab Heritage. This year is Arab Capital of Culture. And next year is Asian Tourism Capital – Manama 2014. And Manama next year again will be the focus of tourism. And for Malaysia next year 2014 is ‘Visit Malaysia Year’. So, again we can develop tourism to even higher level of cooperation. Perhaps, among others in the sector of tourism, is to look at the infrastructure of the tourism industry. We have not seriously looked at it.
Other cooperation areas include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the diplomat said.
“I am proud to see that we have one Malaysian coach from the SME Cooperation (Malaysia) now based in Bahrain for the next six months and hopefully another six month, to have young, and women, entrepreneurs to develop the full potential here in Bahrain. There is cooperation with Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and I hope there will also be strong cooperation on youth and women because women here in Bahrain are very, very advanced. In Malaysia, of course we have the Central Bank Governor a lady and quite a number of ladies, but Bahrain has led far beyond. We can see Bahrain has been very strong in women’s empowerment. Education is another sector which we can look at seriously. I think there are now more than 300 Bahraini students studying in Malaysia. It is our National Council policy to make Malaysia the hub of regional excellence in education in the world,” he said.
The ambassador said that around 250 Malaysians live in Bahrain.
“It is a very small community, but most of our people here are professionals. They work with the Government of Bahrain and most of them are civil, mechanical engineers, quantity surveyors, professionals in the banking sector. Some of them have their families with them. Their children go to school here. Many Malaysians make Bahrain their second home,” he said.
Malaysians have also professionally and participated very actively in the nation-building process through the private sector, he added.
“We have bankers, financiers – they are here in promoting Islamic finance and even Takaful in that manner. We have lawyers working for the Government of Bahrain, and also a lawyer working in the banking sector. So, this is assimilation. I think it is time for our culinary experts to come. Perhaps next year we can bring Malaysian cuisine, recipes. I told Malaysians who want to open restaurants here that they should not think only about Malaysian cuisine as such, but must have a vision of a mixture of things because Bahrain is very international,” he said.
Ambassador Shahizan said that he wished to greet Bahrain on the celebration of its National Days.
“First and foremost I would like to congratulate all Bahraini people and the Government on the 42nd National Day anniversary and also the 14th Anniversary of His Majesty’s accession to the throne. What is important here is that Bahrain should forward in the hope that 2014 would be a great year. I believe Bahrain is a perfect choice to advance into this whole region as it is the real hub or the gateway into the Arab world and also into Africa,” he said.
“If we do not take advantage of this, we may lose too many countries that are coming very strong. Bahrain has many advantages. To me, Bahrain is absolutely a perfect choice. Malaysia should make Bahrain the real hub of political, economic, social, cultural areas, sports, tourism. I personally would also like to see Bahrain this time not only move forward but also to brand Bahrain as a brand. It is time for Bahrain to move forward and brand itself as a Brand Bahrain. Hopefully 2014 will be a great year for Bahrain and for Malaysia as well. This is my message for all Bahrainis and for the international community. Bahrain is my second home,” he said.