KL security at its tightest ever seen for President Obama's visit

Last Updated: 7:05am, Apr 24, 2014

  

Nation

by fz.com

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  Obama expected to travel in his presidential limousine, The Beast.

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PETALING JAYA (April 24): Security in the capital will be at its highest ever this weekend with road closures in major parts of the city, an extremely heightened police presence and even a no-fly zone enforced to ensure the safety of US president, Barack Obama.

It is learnt that Kuala Lumpur will virtually be under a complete security lockdown during the president's visit.

The US commander-in-chief is scheduled to arrive at the RMAF base in Subang on board Air Force One late Saturday afternoon, after which he is expected to attend a state dinner.

Following the state dinner, the president is scheduled to visit the National Mosque and hold summit talks with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak the next day.

After his meeting with Najib, the president is scheduled to visit the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre before delivering a speech at a town hall meeting with young leaders from 10 Southeast Asian nations at Universiti Malaya.

He is also expected to attend a meeting with civil society leaders here.

Obama will leave for the Philippines on Monday, which is his last destination during his Asian trip. He will return to Washington on Tuesday.

This is the first presidential visit since President Lyndon Johnson's in 1966.

According to US Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, there was hope that Obama's trip to Malaysia would "elevate US-Malaysian relations to a new stage."

First lady Michelle Obama will not be accompanying her husband on this trip. According to Rhodes, "She tends to focus, again, on her responsibilities not just as first lady, but as a mother."

Though there were earlier speculations that Obama would also meet Opposition leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, US national security advisor, Susan Rice has been reported as saying that such a meeting was unlikely.

It is learnt that personnel from the US Secret Service have been in the country over the last two to three weeks to ensure all the routes, venues and hotel where the president will be staying are secure.

During his visit here, Obama is expected to travel in his presidential limousine which the Secret Service refers to as "The Beast".

 

 fz