KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — United States President Barack Obama pledged this evening to raise concerns over alleged democratic abuses in Malaysia when he meets with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak later today.

Obama noted, however, that as a “big country”, the US has to practice some level of humility when addressing issues affecting other nations as they do not want to be perceived as meddling in the internal affairs of other governments.

“I will do it. I admit I was going to do it anyway, now that I hear it from you I am going to do it,” Obama said during a town hall session with the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI).

The US president was asked by a Malaysian participant as to whether he would address issues concerning Malaysia’s “failed justice system” and lack of transparency to Najib.

The participant had also sought Obama’s help to speak to Najib about the independence of public institutions here, specifically the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Bank Negara Malaysia, as well as media organisations.

“I do believe that there are basic values that we all share… and one of those values is that countries work best when everybody has a voice that can be respected, where the press can report on what is happening in current affairs, people can organise politically, peacefully to try and bring about change; and that there is transparency and accountability,” Obama later said.

US President Barack Obama gestures while speaking at a meeting with students from the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative at Taylor’s University in Kuala Lumpur, November 20, 2015. — Reuters pic

The US president also pointed out that the US does meet with leaders from many countries, including those with less than satisfactory human rights records.

“There are occasions where I will meet them (leaders of various countries) even though their human rights record may not be good, but during those meetings we raise those issues,” he explained.

In its report released last month, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that Malaysia is being ruled in a culture of fear with a government that criminalises free speech and expression.

The report, titled “Creating a Culture of Fear: the Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia” listed  a number of alleged human rights transgressions purportedly committed by Putrajaya, including the use of preventive laws to arrest anti-government dissidents and civil rights activists, and the government’s handling of the Bersih 4 rally, among others.