Kuala Lumpur, June 27: Malaysia government is focusing on promoting the country as a safe and viable investment centre as well as a popular tourist destination, deputy foreign minister has said. "The government, mainly through the foreign ministry, will continue to counter the negative portrayal of the country as an unsafe place," the minister told the country's Lower House of Parliament yesterday.

He said that despite the negative portrayal of Malaysia by some foreign media, many industrialists were still interested in investing in the country.
On Malaysia-United States relations after the invasion of Iraq, he said although the two countries had a different stance on several issues, "it should not harm the long-established and mutually favourable relations between the countries."
Malaysia's stand on the Iraq issue was based on law and principles and not on anti-American sentiments, he added. Bureau Report