Jamaludin Jarjis, Malaysia's ambassador to the United States, said that his first meeting with US President Barack Obama was "good and cordial".

Jamaluddin, who presented his credentials to the US President on Nov 4, is the first Malaysian ambassador to be received by Obama.

NONE Although he had to wait for some time since his arrival in the United States for a date to present his credentials and be formally installed as the Malaysian ambassador in the USA, Jamaluddin can now officially assume his responsibilities as the Malaysian envoy in the country where he discerns "excellent potential" to develop bilateral relations.

There are a range of issues of bilateral interest to both sides, one of which is the fate of a free trade agreement (FTA).

Malaysia is also interested in getting more investments from and increasing trade with the United States.

Valuable source of investment

Jamaluddin, who is also Rompin parliamentarian, said he believed that Malaysia could also become a valuable source of investment in the United States as more and more Malaysian companies identify investment opportunities abroad.

"Malaysian companies ought to take advantage of the opportunities available to them in the United States, which is a very open country for foreign investors," he said on the sidelines of a friendly golf and bowling tournament hosted by the Malaysian embassy.

The tournament is between the embassy's staff in Washington DC and the staff of Malaysia’s permanent mission to the United Nations and the consulate-general in New York.

Among those present were Malaysia's permanent representative to the United Nations, Hamidon Ali, and his wife, Amy Hamidon, and New York-based Malaysian Consul-General M Zamruni Khalid and his wife.

Both Jamaluddin and Hamidon exchanged memorabilia at the end of the tournament as a gesture of goodwill.

- Bernama