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1 week ago | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
WHERE do I even begin with this week’s column? Malaysia’s response to US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs will be calm and firm, so we are told. Yet our southern neighbour is already bracing for a potential recession. And the last one week has seen global trade turmoil, worrying many governments unsure of Trump’s next move.
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1 month ago | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
IN the midst of the current global upheaval caused by trade wars and internal fighting, I decided to switch off temporarily from the upsetting news around us. I decided to take a break and join many diplomats last Sunday for the usual networking during a rather noisy buka puasa with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Foreign Ministry in Putrajaya.
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1 month ago | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
WHERE will you be in 2045? In 20 years’ time, that is. Those of us who are still alive may be lucky enough to see what has emerged from the Asean Community Vision 2045. Already a subscriber? Log in. Save 30% for ads-free and full access now! Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters. RM12.33/monthRM8.63/month Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters. Free Trial For new subscribers only Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal.
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2 months ago | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
IT is common knowledge that it is a reward and privilege for a non-career diplomat to be appointed as an ambassador representing his or her country. Over the years, Malaysia has seen former ministers in the role, like the late Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat and Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis who were posted to Jakarta and Washington DC respectively. Mohamed was made an ambassador with ministerial rank while Jamaluddin, who was still a serving MP, was sent to Washington as a special envoy.
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Jan 18, 2025 | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
NASI lemak and roti canai are famous enough nowadays that many foreign tourists visiting Malaysia will make a point of trying them. Two British models and content creators visiting Langkawi recently did just that. Calum Harper has a TikTok account with 2.6 million followers, while his best friend, Kit Price, has one with 1.1 million followers. Harper recently travelled to Langkawi to meet Price, coming all the way from New York City (36 hours!).
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Dec 7, 2024 | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
IT would not have become an issue if a simple oral question asked of the Prime Minister in the Dewan Rakyat had been given a straight forward reply. Member of Parliament for Paya Besar Datuk Shahar Abdullah asked Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim about the costs of Anwar’s working visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Peru, and Brazil between Nov 9 and 19. Already a subscriber? Log in.
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Nov 23, 2024 | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
RETIREMENT is neither in her vocabulary nor will she slow down after six years helming the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) secretariat in Singapore. Tan Sri Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, who has been away in her job as Apec secretariat executive director, will be back in Malaysia soon. She was chirpy as usual over the phone despite having back to back meetings Thursday morning and just returned from the Apec Economic Leaders Week in Peru.
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Nov 9, 2024 | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
ONE of the first things that crossed my mind as Donald Trump made a comeback as the President of the United States is that will he make his way to Malaysia next November to meet his South-East Asian counterparts at the Asean summit that will be held in Kuala Lumpur. When he took office in the first round in 2017, Trump attended the Asean Summit when the Philippines was chair that year.
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Oct 26, 2024 | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
IN May, an Indonesian tourist took to her TikTok account to claim that during her visit to several states in Malaysia, she had not seen any mosques nor heard the call to prayer. Of course, Malaysians were quick to react and school her – but surprisingly, there was also a swift reaction from Indonesians, who lambasted the woman for her ignorance. She had to apologise and turn her account private. Already a subscriber? Log in. Subscribe now and receive FREE sooka plan for 1 month. T&C applies.
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Oct 12, 2024 | 
thestar.com.my | Mergawati Zulfakar
NEGOTIATIONS during the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agree-ment (TPPA) were difficult. At the height of the deliberations more than a decade ago over what was touted as the world’s largest free trade agreement then – it involved 12 countries, including Malaysia – Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed was not only busy with his responsibilities as the International Trade and Industry minister but had also joined several ministerial meetings abroad for talks.
