On behalf of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), I extend my heartfelt congratulations on the inauguration of the Mahathir administration and appointment of Darell Leiking as the minister of international trade and industry.

With the 14th general election on May 9, a change in government was seen for the first time in Malaysian history. The voter turnout exceeded 80 percent, reflecting the will of the people.

Mahathir Mohamad, who served as the fourth prime minister from 1981 to 2003, was appointed once more as the seventh. In 1981, Mahathir advocated what became known as the Look East Policy. Based on the premise that the secret to the success and development of Japan, Korea and Taiwan lay in their labor ethics and enthusiasm for learning and work, this policy called for Malaysia to incorporate these elements from the three countries to develop its own economy and society and establish an industrial foundation for the country.