.jpg)
By Mihar Dias November 2025
Only in Malaysia can a prime minister turn the back of a commercial aircraft into an international media centre. Somewhere between Addis Ababa and Johannesburg, at about 12,192 metres altitude, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim held a media session aboard a chartered Malaysia Airlines A350-900 — not from Air Force One, but from the galley, of all places. https://www.nst.com.my/amp/news/nation/2025/11/1319666/pm-holds-press-conference-more-30000ft-sky-watch?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Reports describe the scene as chaotic: journalists scrambled down the aisle, tripped over tripods, and jostled for position while Anwar strolled to the aft galley, greeting startled passengers — business leaders, senior officials — and casually asking the crew for tea before he began. https://www.nst.com.my/amp/news/nation/2025/11/1319666/pm-holds-press-conference-more-30000ft-sky-watch?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Over the hum of the engines and the clinking of service trays, he fielded serious questions: from his political secretary’s controversy and hospital-bid support letters to the FAM naturalisation scandal. https://www.nst.com.my/amp/news/nation/2025/11/1319666/pm-holds-press-conference-more-30000ft-sky-watch?utm_source=chatgpt.com
He even indulged in an off-the-record chat, posed for selfies, and mingled with passengers — transforming the plane’s kitchen corner into a makeshift town hall.
Was it theatrical, or just resourceful? Probably both. With a tight schedule on his African tour — Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya — Anwar appears to be maximising every minute. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/11/20/anwar-leaves-ethiopia-for-south-africa-to-attend-g20-leaders039-summit?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Why wait to land when you can control the narrative mid-flight?
But the absurdity is delicious. The galley is cramped, metallic, and hardly designed for diplomacy. One bump, one spilled drink, and it could’ve descended into chaos — imagine mics flying into trays of reheated food. Critics might call it a gimmick, but you can’t deny the optics: a PM willing to address the media anywhere — even if that "anywhere" is between a rack of cutlery and a coffee cart.
There’s something unguarded about it. No red carpet, no press room, just him, the journalists, and the airplane’s very own pantry. If nothing else, it underscores his willingness to make time for transparency — even when flying at 40,000 feet.
So here’s to high-altitude diplomacy, Malaysian style. The world may be grounded, but our politics? They’re airborne.
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact creator@newswav.com.
