PM Najib Oversees Preparations For ASEAN Summit

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- Not leaving anything to chance, Prime Minister Najib Razak visited the venue of the 26th ASEAN Summit here Saturday to oversee preparations ahead of the gathering of regional leaders to be chaired for the fourth time by Malaysia (left). A number of events have been lined up at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) ahead of Monday's opening ceremony, including the gala dinner Sunday night in honour of ASEAN leaders attending the annual summit. Najib was accompanied on the visit to KLCC, which nestles at the foot of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, by Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed. He paid particular attention to KLCC's Plenary Hall where the opening of the April 26-27 summit will take place. Najib was seen checking, among others, the seating arrangement for leaders as well as the sound system. The prime minister, who was later joined by his wife Rosmah Mansor, was also briefed on what was to be expected at the gala dinner to be hosted by him and Rosmah. Queried by reporters on the rehearsal for the show drawn up for the gala dinner, Najib indicated his satisfaction, saying: "I enjoyed the show. It was good." It will be preceded by a series of meetings earlier on Sunday, including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting where Malaysia will be represented by Anifah Aman. Also on Sunday's programme is the 12th ASEAN Leadership Forum. The April 26-27 summit is split between the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur and the island of Langkawi in northern Malaysia. Established in 1967, ASEAN comprises 10 countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Malaysia chaired the ASEAN Summits of 1977, 1997 and 2005. Meanwhile, security level at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) has been heightened on Saturday amid several meetings ahead of the 26th ASEAN Summit to be held here on April 26-27. The management of KLCC has put up a notice that the convention centre will be closed to public access from Saturday till Monday, April 27 and will reopen on Tuesday. "During this period, the food court and concourse tunnel will operate as normal," it said on the notice displayed at the entrance of the convention centre. A check by BERNAMA revealed that only delegates, officials and media personnel who have the official pass issued by Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs were allowed access. --BERNAMA