I would like to congratulate President George W Bush for his re-election to the presidency of the United States.

It is my fervent hope that his second term will provide an opportunity to Washington to embark on a more inclusive foreign policy to help mend the damage done in recent months.

I continue to urge President Bush to adopt a multilateral approach, particularly in the war on terror and in efforts to win peace in Iraq. Washington is expected to demonstrate a serious commitment in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict without which lasting peace in the region will remain illusory.

Whilst some fears of an isolationist and religious tendency in its foreign policy may not be completely unfounded on account of the strong conservative core, I hope the Bush administration will open up to the needs and interest of the rest of the world, particularly the Asian region.

The writer is a former deputy prime minister of Malaysia.