VERBATIM TEXT

 

OFFICIAL VISIT OF

HIS EXCELLENCY PHAM MINH CHINH

PRIME MINISTER OF VIETNAM

25 MAY 2025

 

POINTERS FOR JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

 

 

1. Thank you, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam and members of the Vietnamese delegation. On behalf of the Malaysian government and people, may I wish you and thank you for being gracious enough to visit Malaysia prior to the ASEAN-GCC-China-Summit. And as you know, and I’ve said it repeatedly, Vietnam has a special place in our heart. We have followed, particularly in our young days, the heroic struggle of the people of Vietnam against French imperialism initially and the great battle of Dien Bien Phu under the leadership of the freedom and liberation fighter Ho Chi Minh.

 

2. And then, of course, your exceptional ability and strength and resilience, the spirit of the Vietnamese people to secure free from United States imperialism. So, if you ran the long history and I remember my young days, we set up a team South East Asian Intellectuals promoting Vietnam to join ASEAN and there was on informal basis with a number of friends from Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. So personally, Prime Minister, I’m of course delighted to have your friend and to have Vietnam is a great friend of Malaysia.

 

3. Now, we have seen today, some key decisions by governments and institutions, Universiti Kebangsaan in particular and the Energy Board Company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) with your counterpart and of course PETRONAS, in particular with Petrovietnam and this ASEAN Power Grid from Vietnam undersea cable to Semenanjung, National Grid to Singapore is to my mind one of the key successes of this year’s ASEAN Summit. We not only make its impressive pronouncements on the gigantic projects or collaboration or diplomatic endeavour, but this time we have be able to concretize this through effective programs and projects, which is consistent with our energy transition policy for alternative energy for the region.

 

4. So, thank you again for your support in this field. But then I wish also to take this project. Thank you because in all our programs that we initiate either in the context of Multilateral ASEAN mechanisms or within Bilateral Malaysia and Vietnam, you have been very supportive, that include of course the LIMA Show and Exhibition and where Vietnamese Defence Force were there to support our endeavour. And the relations have been elevated to comprehensive strategic partnership last year.

 

5. But in this short phase of time, you have seen in agriculture with Insititut Penyelidikan dan Kemajuan Pertanian Malaysia (MARDI), with universities, with maritime collaboration. We do have some problems, so, we have already given this undertaking to collaborate through joint operations and also in terms of security arrangement. But I agree with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Vietnam is doing a phenomenal effort in terms of phenomenal economic growth. Your services in known economics, you have done remarkably well. But Malaysians may not appreciate politically the younger generation that you have started it with a very low base. The country was devastated.

 

6. But then in the few decades you have grown and the transformation that have taken place is something that we admire and areas that we can also learn. And I’m happy to suggest that to say that in 1993 I brought in and the first Malaysian Bank was set up with your support because I believe in the future of Vietnam, in 1993, as Finance Minister, I brought up the team, I think Maybank and Public Bank at that time to set up the branch and the Vietnamese authorities gave the approval. And there was a difficult time because we were adjusting on the financial procedures and agreements, which has not been in place in Vietnam, but purely because our confidence and trust in Vietnam, we proceeded right. Thank you.

 

7. But on the final note is that, there will be a football match on the 10th of June between Vietnam and Malaysia. And I’ve alerted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, don’t be too confident, because we are really coming out, this time very prepared. And the Vietnam is a formidable team, as very, as you know, very strong and it’s an uphill battle, but we have our team full of spirit and resilience to be able to showcase this time. And I told him if we do win, I give him a call. If we don’t, I will just go to sleep.

 

8. And finally, on the 28th, as you know, the Manchester United is coming here and against the ASEAN team led by the coach, Vietnamese coach and unfortunately, he will not be able to attend. I pursued him to attend because that showcases about the ASEAN spirit, I guess Manchester United, which is not easy. But anyway, I have invited him to attend.

 

Again, thank you very much, Prime Minister.