[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 137 (Monday, September 17, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H10395-H10397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MALAYSIA'S INDEPENDENCE

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 518) recognizing the 50th anniversary of 
Malaysia's independence, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows

                              H. Res. 518

       Whereas Malaysia is a multi-religious and multi-racial 
     democracy in Southeast Asia that is important to the United 
     States' strategic interests;
       Whereas Malaysia is one of the United States' key allies in 
     efforts to combat international terrorism, and it condemns 
     all terrorism, regardless of its cause or objectives;
       Whereas the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Abdullah 
     Ahmad Badawi, has condemned those seeking to incite race and 
     religious hatred, including anti-Semitism;
       Whereas Malaysia has taken a leading regional role in 
     counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics in Southeast Asia, 
     through intelligence sharing, close cooperation in law 
     enforcement, participation in joint exercises and training, 
     and other cooperative efforts with its neighboring countries 
     and the United States;
       Whereas Malaysia is the United States' 10th largest trading 
     partner, and the two countries have signed a Trade and 
     Investment Framework Agreement;
       Whereas Malaysia has consistently been a favored 
     destination of American investment due to its competitive 
     advantages, including good infrastructure, a highly-trained, 
     educated, and multilingual workforce, and a business-friendly 
     government;
       Whereas the Malaysian Constitution guarantees gender 
     equality, and the many accomplishments of Malaysian women 
     evidence Malaysia's commitment to the advancement of women's 
     social, economic, and legal status;
       Whereas Malaysia was ruled by the United Kingdom until 
     1957;
       Whereas Malaysia gained independence from the United 
     Kingdom on August 31, 1957; and
       Whereas August 31, 2007, is the 50th anniversary of 
     Malaysia's independence, as well as the United States-
     Malaysia relationship: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's 
     independence;
       (2) expresses congratulations to Malaysia on reaching this 
     national milestone; and
       (3) expresses its support for an ongoing strong bilateral 
     relationship between the United States and Malaysia and the 
     continued cooperation of the two countries in such important 
     areas as counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, and trade.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) and the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Smith) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from American Samoa.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from American Samoa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and thank 
the leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Lantos) and the senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen, for their support in bringing this legislation before the 
floor.

[[Page H10396]]

  Let me also express my support and commendation to my good friend and 
senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Meeks) for introducing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, Malaysia today is a far cry from its humble beginnings a 
half-century ago. From its start in 1957 as an underdeveloped nation 
struggling to gain its footing in uncertain terrain of post-colonial 
Southeast Asia, Malaysia has transformed itself into a confident 
country that attracts the attention of the world.
  Malaysia now boasts a booming economy that is deeply integrated into 
the world's economic system. Its economy was mature enough to weather 
the Southeast Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s and rebound to 
produce strong growth again in the 21st century.
  Mr. Speaker, few sights symbolize Malaysia's progress more aptly than 
Kuala Lumpur's dramatic modern skyline, dominated by the Petronas Twin 
Towers, which are currently the second-largest buildings in the world 
and a constant reminder of Malaysia's bright future.
  Significant political transformations have accompanied Malaysia's 
dramatic economic development. But Malaysia's democracy remains 
incomplete, as evidenced by the fact that the same political party has 
held power for over 50 years.
  The Internal Security Act is used to lock up people without charge, 
and defamation laws are used to silence critics of the government.
  While Malaysia's democratic transition is not fully complete, it 
remains a democracy nonetheless, and a strong ally of the United 
States.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States today counts Malaysia as one of its 
most important partners in Southeast Asia. Malaysia works closely with 
the United States to combat terrorism and narcotics trafficking. We 
look forward to continuing to work with the people of Malaysia to bring 
peace, stability, and prosperity to this important region of the world.
  With this resolution, we support Malaysia's golden anniversary, its 
50th year of independence. It is a proud achievement for an important 
friend and ally of the United States, and I ask and urge my colleagues 
to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 518, recognizing 
the 50th anniversary of Malaysian independence.
  In this regard, I would like to recognize Representative Meeks and 
Mr. Sessions for their longstanding interest in Malaysia and in 
expanding economic, political, and people-to-people ties with that 
important Southeast Asian country.
  This year, Malaysia celebrates the 50th anniversary of its 
independence from Britain as well as the 50th anniversary of U.S.-
Malaysia diplomatic relations. Malaysia has earned the reputation of 
being a moderate majority-Muslim democratic state and has integrated 
itself into the world economy while maintaining a multi-faith, multi-
ethnic society. While recognizing Malaysia's achievements and regional, 
as well as global, influence, however, it is important to note several 
areas of concern both for Malaysia's people and the international 
community.
  Malaysia has an established record of tolerance and respect among its 
varied religious and ethnic populations. However, recent reports raise 
troubling concerns as to whether the rights of religious and racial 
minorities are being threatened. For example, the May 30, 2007, 
decision by the Malaysian Federal Court in the apostasy case of Lina 
Joy has troubling implications for the question as to whether shari'a 
law takes precedence over civil law in matters of religious conversion. 
There are indications that this and other court rulings are eroding the 
constitutional rights of minorities, which in turn is aggravating a 
growing socio-religious divide in the country.
  The resolution we are considering references the Prime Minister's 
condemnation of those seeking to incite racial and religious hatred. 
While commendable, the fact that the Prime Minister perceived it 
necessary to make this commendation only reinforces the growing 
perception that the government needs to be more vigilant to ensure that 
the rights of minorities in Malaysia are respected.
  Another area of deep concern to me is in the area of human 
trafficking. Malaysia has progressively fallen in the tier rankings 
made by the State Department pursuant to the Trafficking Victims 
Protection Act until it reached tier 3 in 2007, and that is for the 
most egregious violators. According to the June 2007 Trafficking in 
Persons Report, Malaysia is failing to punish acts of trafficking, 
provide adequate shelters and social services to victims, protect its 
migrant workers from involuntary servitude, and prosecute traffickers 
who are arrested and detained under preventive laws. It is particularly 
disturbing that the Government of Malaysia recently signed a memorandum 
of understanding with the Government of Indonesia that authorizes 
Malaysian employers to confiscate and hold the passport of Indonesian 
domestic employees throughout the term of their employment. Such 
authority could easily facilitate the involuntary servitude of domestic 
workers.
  I would strongly encourage the Malaysian Government to take the 
opportunity on this 50th anniversary celebration of the country's 
independence to seriously address human trafficking so as to protect 
the rights of all individuals residing or transiting within its 
borders.
  The United States and Malaysia have sometimes had sharp policy 
differences. Yet despite these occasional disagreements, this 
resolution points out that the U.S. and Malaysia have continued to work 
closely together in such important areas as counterterrorism, defense 
cooperation, counternarcotics, and trade. Bilateral relations have 
grown stronger in recent years, and we value their relationship. 
Nevertheless, we continue to have different perspectives on important 
issues of concern.
  One of these relates to Iran. As my colleagues are aware, the United 
States remains opposed to foreign investment in Iran's oil and gas 
sector, including Malaysian investment, as a matter of law and policy. 
Congress and the executive branch must continue to emphasize our 
concerns about such investment and related financial ties and to oppose 
business as usual with Iran. It is critical that the world community, 
including Malaysia, joins us in persuading Tehran to end its nuclear 
weapons program.
  In addition, U.S. authorities have recently uncovered a number of 
plots to transship weapons technology and sensitive dual-use goods 
through Malaysia to Iran. This, together with past evidence of a 
Malaysian company's involvement in A.Q. Khan's clandestine nuclear 
proliferation network, point to an urgent need for Malaysia to 
implement reforms to its export controls. The failure to rein in 
proliferators not only endangers international security, but could also 
imperil legitimate trade. Thus, it would be in the country's best 
interest, as well as that of the international community, for Malaysia 
to enact a world-class export control system.
  Another concern involves relations with the State of Israel. Although 
Malaysia is not a member of the League of Arab States, it appears to 
share much of the league's anti-Zionist ideology. Indeed, Kuala Lumpur 
does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
  A 2006 Congressional Research Service report on the then-proposed 
U.S.-Malaysia FTA pointed out that Kuala Lumpur appeared to be a de 
facto supporter of the trade embargo against Israel. In point of fact, 
Malaysia conducts virtually no trade with Israel.
  The absence of normal commercial ties with Israel, let alone formal 
diplomatic relations, presents a stunningly awkward circumstance, one I 
hope Malaysian leaders would find time to reflect upon and to correct.
  In conclusion, while I join this body in welcoming this 50th 
anniversary of Malaysian independence, I would simply note that U.S.-
Malaysian relations could become even more constructive and mutually 
beneficial if Kuala Lumpur would take action to address these ongoing 
issues of concern
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Malaysia's 
50th anniversary of their independence from the United Kingdom that was 
recently celebrated on August 31, 2007.

[[Page H10397]]

  I am proud to serve as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Malaysia 
Trade, Security, and Economic Cooperation Caucus along with my good 
friend, the Honorable Gregory W. Meeks of New York. This is an 
important tribute from the House of Representatives to the people of 
Malaysia, as we honor a landmark day in their history. The United 
States was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations 
with the newly independent Malaysia 50 years ago, and I am proud of how 
the United States/Malaysian relationship has prospered since their 
independence.
  Malaysia has a population in excess of 25 million, and is a moderate-
Muslim democratic nation in a key geo-politically sensitive region of 
the world. Malaysia is currently our 10th largest trading partner, and 
I hope that our trade relationship with Malaysia will expand. We have 
inked a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Malaysia, and our 
countries are currently in talks for a free trade agreement. I am 
hopeful that these talks will produce a free trade agreement accord 
that Congress will be able to pass. This enhanced economic partnership 
would be of great benefit to the businesses and citizens of both 
countries.
  Malaysia has been a regional leader in many areas of mutual concern 
to the United States and Malaysia, they are a leader in counter-
terrorism and counter-narcotics in Southeast Asia. Through intelligence 
sharing, close cooperation in law enforcement, participation in joint 
exercises and training, and other cooperative endeavors with its 
neighboring countries and the United States, Malaysia is a leader in 
many of our shared interests.
  I would like to take this opportunity to thank our recently departed 
Ambassador to Malaysia, Ambassador Christopher J. LaFleur, for his 
service of representing the interests of the United States in Kuala 
Lumpur. Moreover, I would like to thank the current Charge d'affaires 
ad interim for the American Embassy in Malaysia, David B. Shear, and 
the Malaysia Desk Officer at the State Department in Washington, 
Michael P. Taylor, for their service and hard work. Recently, I had the 
opportunity to meet our new Ambassador to Malaysia, Ambassador James R. 
Keith. Ambassador Keith has my full confidence and gratitude; he is a 
seasoned diplomat of great skill, and I wish him a good start to his 
duties in representing the United States in Malaysia.
  I have also had the pleasure of working with many fine diplomats from 
Malaysia; I would like to recognize the current Ambassador from 
Malaysia to the United States, H.E. Datuk Dr. Rajmah Hussain. I would 
also like to note her immediate predecessor, who I worked with for 
several years, H.E. Tan Sri Ghazzali B. Sheikh Abdul Khalid. Ambassador 
Ghazzali was Malaysia's long-tenured representative in Washington, and 
I am pleased that he is currently engaged in the free trade talks 
between our two countries. I thank Ambassadors Rajmah and Ghazzali for 
their services in representing Malaysia in Washington.
  I congratulate the people of Malaysia on the occasion of this 
landmark day in their history, and firmly believe that our bilateral 
relationship will only continue to grow and prosper.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 
518, which recognizes the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's independence. 
H. Res. 518 acknowledges the Federation of Malaysia's accomplishments 
over the past 50 years. In addition, H. Res. 518 recognizes the 
importance to the United States' strong bilateral relationship with 
Malaysia and endorses this relationship to continue to prosper. It is 
important for the United States to make this demonstration and 
endorsement not only because of our relationship with Malaysia but also 
because we share a similar history of gaining independence and 
implementing democracy. Therefore, we are proudly participating in the 
celebration of a government that has liberated its people and provides 
freedom in the name of democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, celebrating Malaysia's 50th anniversary is significant 
because it shows her strength and perseverance towards maintaining 
freedom. Malaysia shows its determination throughout its history by 
gaining its independence in 1957, defeating communists soon after 
gaining independence, surviving through turmoil in 1960s, recession and 
political repression in the 1980s, and more unrest in the 1990s.
  Today, Malaysia is a nation of skyscrapers and microchip plants, fast 
highways and sprawling cities where the government talks of Malaysia's 
role in biotech, or conference hosting or Islamic finance. It is almost 
unrecognizable from the independent Federation of Malaya of 31 August 
1957, when its first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra AI Haj 
stood tall in a specially built stadium in Kuala Lumpur and raised his 
right arm as the crowd echoed his three cries of ``Merdeka!'' which 
means freedom. At that time 60% of Malaysians were living below the 
national poverty line according to Dr. Richard Leete, head of the UN 
Development Program for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Over the past 
50 years that proportion has declined remarkably and currently there 
are less than 5% of people in poverty in Malaysia.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 518 also gives us the opportunity to support key 
American values and interests. By supporting this bill the United 
States will essentially be supporting a multi-religious and multiracial 
democracy. In addition, the United States will be supporting the 
condemnation of racism, religious hatred, and anti-Semitism. Also, the 
United States will be supporting Malaysia's condemnation of all forms 
of terrorism and assistance in the War on Terror. Finally, the United 
States will be supporting the success of our 10th largest trade 
partner, who we are currently in talks with about a free trade 
agreement.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 
518 and commending Malaysia on the 50th anniversary of its freedom.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) that the House suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 518, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________