KUALA LUMPUR - The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) achieved a more prominent level of international engagement during the administration of the late Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister, said National Professors Council Fellow, Professor Dr Azmi Hassan.
He said that under Tun Abdullah’s leadership-fondly known as Pak Lah-Malaysia’s calm yet firm foreign policy approach strengthened the country’s role within the OIC, positioning the organisation as a key platform for addressing issues concerning the Muslim world.
"During Pak Lah’s tenure as Prime Minister, the OIC truly stood out. That’s undeniable. It wasn’t just because of his leadership, but also due to the close cooperation with leaders of other Islamic nations, which gave the organisation greater strength," he said in a special interview on Bernama Radio’s Belasungkawa Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi programme.
Elaborating further, Azmi said the late leader’s character and leadership style in steering Malaysia’s foreign policy-as both Prime Minister and former Foreign Minister-marked an era that reflected sincerity and composure in international diplomacy.
He noted that as the world faced complex geopolitical pressures, including sensitive issues in the Southeast Asian region, Tun Abdullah remained calm, methodical, and diplomatic in addressing those challenges.
"Soft power in Malaysia’s relations with neighbouring or other countries depends heavily on the nation’s top leadership-in our case, the Prime Minister.
"At the time, Pak Lah’s calm approach to challenges had a positive impact on Malaysia. Foreign leaders saw a Malaysian leader who wanted to solve problems, not worsen them," he said. - BERNAMA