ambassador, to meet with him.Īnwar was recently convicted for the second time on sodomy charges that the U.S. spurned calls from human rights groups for the president himself to meet with the 66-year-old former deputy prime minister, but was instead sending Susan Rice, his national security adviser and former U.N. In a sign of the ongoing agony, about 50 relatives of missing Chinese passengers continue a sit-in protest outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, demanding answers.Ībsent from Obama's itinerary in Malaysia: A meeting with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who presents the most potent political threat to Najib amid a decline in Najib's popular support over the past two elections. Officials are widening the search area in a remote part of the ocean where the jet may have crashed. is assisting in the massive search effort and the disaster was expected to be on the agenda during Obama's visit. Last month's disappearance of a commercial airliner carrying 239 people put Malaysia in the international spotlight as Obama was preparing to head to the region. But Obama rejected calls from human rights groups to meet with a prominent Malaysian opposition leader. Obama's next stop was to be the Istana Negara, the National Palace, for an audience with Malaysia's royal family before he takes his seat later Saturday at a state dinner in his honor.ĭuring the two-day visit, which follows stops in Japan and South Korea, Obama will also meet with citizen leaders and hold a town hall-style forum with young leaders from across the region. and Malaysian national anthems - twice - and Obama inspected an elaborate honor guard in crisp green and white before the arrival ceremony came to a close. Stepping onto a red carpet at the Royal Malaysian Air Base, Obama was whisked by limousine to Kuala Lumpur's Parliament Square, where a 21-gun salute rang out as Malaysia's king and prime minister greeted Obama under muggy skies and a yellow awning. president in nearly half a century, Barack Obama looked ahead Saturday to economic and security talks with Prime Minister Najib Razak, who leads a southeast Asian nation with an important role in Obama's efforts to forge deeper ties with the region. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Opening the first visit to Malaysia by a U.S.

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