Embassy of
7/09 01 July 2009
PRESS RELEASE
WORKING VISIT OF THE HON. TAN SRI MUHYIDDIN YASSIN,
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND
MINISTER OF EDUCATION TO FRANCE
FROM 29TH JUNE TO 1ST JULY 2009
The Hon. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of Malaysia, was on a three-day working visit to France from 29th June to 1st July, 2009. The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied by his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Dato? Seri Utama Haji Mohamed Hasan as well as senior government officials from the Ministry of Education.
The visit of the Honourable Deputy Minister was the first high-level visit by a Malaysian government leader to France since the swearing in of the new government leadership headed by Prime Minister Dato? Seri Najib Tun Razak.
During the visit, The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister held meetings with the Director-General of the UNESCO, His Excellency Koichiro Matsuura; Secretary General of the Elysée Palace, Mr. Claude Guéant; the newly appointed French Education Minister, Mr. Luc Chatel; President of the Malaysia-France Friendship Group of the National Assembly, Mr. Jean-Marie Le Guen; French Foreign Minister, Mr. Bernard Kouchner and the President of the French Business Confederation (MEDEF) International, Mr.Jean-Burelle.
The Hon. Deputy Prime Minister also hosted dinner for 200 Malaysians including students in Paris at Hotel Le Grand Intercontinental on Monday, 29 June 2009. In his speech, the Deputy Prime Minister explained on the various policies undertaken by the new government leadership under Dato? Seri Najib Tun Razak, in particular the concept of ?1Malaysia, People First , Performance Now?. He said that the 1Malaysia concept was crucial in safeguarding the peace and stability in the country through racial harmony whereby every Malaysian citizen, regardless of race or economic status, had a fair chance to excel in education and other opportunities. He also called on Malaysian students in France to gain knowledge as much as possible and be creative so that they could contribute to the development of the nation when they return to Malaysia.
While in Paris, the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and delegation was also hosted to dinner by H.E Dato? S. Thanarajasingam, Ambassador of Malaysia to France at Rumah Malaysia. The dinner was also attended by officials of the Embassy and the Heads of Malaysian agencies in Paris.
The Hon. Deputy Prime Minister left Paris on Wednesday, July 1st 2009.
Embassy of Malaysia,Paris
01 July 2009