The Honorable Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, held a working visit to Washington, D.C. from 13 to 14 January 2011. During the visit, he held meetings with the Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, the Honorable Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education and the Honorable Senator Jim Webb, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs. Among the issues discussed during these meetings were the steps to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation between Malaysia and the United States of America, the potential expansion of Malaysia’s involvement in Afghanistan, the setting up of the Peace Corps-like initiative involving U.S. English language teachers and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied by senior officials from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA). While in Washington, D.C., a lunch was hosted in his honour by the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC). TYT Dato’ Sri Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis, Ambassador of Malaysia to the U.S., also hosted a dinner at the Embassy in his honor, which was attended by various U.S. dignitaries including Senior Director of the National Security Council Ambassador Jeffrey Bader, U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell and the Malaysian community. The Deputy Prime Minister also launched the Malaysian Biotechnology Entrepreneurship Special Training (myBeST) Program. He also had the opportunity to meet with Malaysian school students participating in American Field Service - Youth Exchange & Study (AFS-YES) Programme.
