Bernama Holds Special Interview With Timor-Leste President
From V. Sankara
DILI (Timor-Leste), Sept 17 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) today held a special 40-minute interview with President of Timor-Leste and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate José Ramos-Horta at the Presidential Palace here.
The session, part of Bernama’s eight-day coverage mission to Timor-Leste, was conducted by Bernama TV programme anchor and Head of Programmes Gerard Ratnam.
The interview took place at the Sala Presidente Nicolau Lobato, a ceremonial hall named after the country’s independence hero.
Following the interview, Ramos-Horta personally escorted the Bernama delegation to the ASEAN Hall, a facility he mooted as a symbol of Timor-Leste’s aspirations of joining ASEAN.
He said his wish was for every ASEAN country to also establish its own ASEAN Hall as a physical representation of the bloc’s shared vision and identity.
The Bernama delegation, led by Acting Deputy Editor-in-Chief (News Services) Mohd Shukri Ishak, presented Ramos-Horta with a specially designed batik shirt, a Bernama coffee table book chronicling the agency’s history, and a commemorative plaque.
Bernama is serving as the official media agency and coordinator of the International Media Centre for the ASEAN Summit, which will be hosted by Malaysia as ASEAN Chair in Kuala Lumpur this October.
During the interview, Ramos-Horta praised Malaysia’s leadership and progress, noting that the country stands as a model of modernisation and regional cooperation.
“When I go to Malaysia, I feel like I am in a modern industrial country with advanced hospitals and infrastructure. Many Indonesians and others now go to Penang for medical treatment instead of Europe.
“Malaysia must continue to share this progress with others in ASEAN,” he said.
He also expressed deep appreciation to Malaysia and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for their steadfast support of Timor-Leste’s ASEAN membership bid.
“We thank Malaysia and all ASEAN leaders for the trust in us that we are capable of discharging our responsibilities as an ASEAN member. We may have weaknesses, but we pledge to improve and do better year after year,” he said.
Ramos-Horta added that Timor-Leste will remain a “loyal and steady friend” of ASEAN, contributing to peace, stability and fraternity across the region.
“Our goal is to be part of ASEAN’s vision of leaving no one behind, and to help make Southeast Asia a beacon of peace, prosperity and justice. Hopefully one day, I can nominate ASEAN itself for the Nobel Peace Prize,” he said.
The full 40-minute interview will be broadcast on Bernama TV’s “The Nation: ASEAN Plus” programme in conjunction with the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October, with the airing date to be confirmed later.
As part of its mission in Timor-Leste, Bernama is also scheduled to interview Metropolitan Archbishop of Dili, His Eminence Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, SDB.
-- BERNAMA
