Press statement by President Lula during his official visit to Malaysia

It is with great joy that I am in this beloved city, Kuala Lumpur. I hold the idea that relationships among human beings is something very much based on chemistry. When we meet someone, we either like or do not like the person at first sight.

And from the very first time I met our dear friend Anwar Ibrahim [Prime Minister of Malaysia] and we greeted one another; I was certain I was in the presence of a friend. A man who, like me, had been persecuted; a man who, like me, had been imprisoned; a man who, like me, had been the target of a concerted effort to end his political career. That happened to Your Excellency, and it happened to me. And here we are — you as Prime Minister of Malaysia and I as President of the Republic — to provoke some anger among our adversaries.

That is how things happen in the world. Brazil’s relationship with Malaysia reaches a new level as of today. I did not come here merely with the intention of selling or buying. I came to tell Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that we have the possibility to change the world — to make things better, to ensure that humanism is not defeated by algorithms; to tell the world that it needs peace, not war; to tell the world that we need free trade, not protectionism.

To tell the world that we need more food and fewer weapons. This is the purpose of my visit to Malaysia. And I want the Prime Minister to know that I take these issues very seriously.

I said yesterday in an interview, and I will say it again now: when we govern a country — I, in my Brazil, do not like to use the word “govern.” I prefer to use the word “take care.” Because our mission is to take care of the people we represent. And taking care of the people means looking after those who are most in need. Those who truly need the role of the State are the most vulnerable.

The wealthy do not need the State. Very often, the wealthy usurp and benefit from States resources that should be dedicated to the poorest people. So, I have an obsession, Prime Minister. An obsession. I say without any shame that I was born in a city where children died of hunger before reaching the age of five. And I survived. I ate a piece of bread for the first time in my life at the age of seven. And I survived. And this made me raise the issue of the world's disadvantaged — the poor who are often treated and cared for as if they were invisible. People do not want to see other poor people. It is as if they do not exist in the eyes of the world.

But there are millions, millions and millions, who are often waiting for just a single gesture. They are waiting for a small portion of each country’s budget to be dedicated to them — to solve basic problems: food, education, housing. Issues that cost so little. They cost so little, yet are treated as if it were impossible to care for the poor. I have never been able to understand this.

In the case of Brazil, when I took office in 2003, we had 54 million people suffering from hunger. By 2014, the United Nations recognized Brazil as a country off the Hunger Map. I was out of government for 15 years. And when I returned to office, once again there were 33 million people suffering from hunger. In just two and a half years, we eradicated hunger — a demonstration that it is fully possible. And I always say that the cheapest, easiest thing to do is to take care of the poor. They cost little. And often, in the budget, it seems like a lot because there are so many of them. And because there are many poor people, it appears to be a large amount in the budget. But it is little when compared to the money that goes to other things.

It is simply a matter of setting priorities. It is simply a matter of making choices. Because to govern is to make choices. To govern is to decide whom you want to govern for, which side you stand on, and with whom you will build relationships. And I always say that the easiest thing for a man governing a nation is to know where he came from and to remember where he will return. It is to never forget your origins. It is to never forget your roots. And to have no shame in the things you have done.

For a leader, walking with one’s head held high is more important than a Nobel Prize. For a leader, taking care of the humblest people is almost a biblical obligation. It is a commandment from God. Because this is why we come to govern.

And when I say that a leader must make choices, it is because we always have to decide. Every decision of a Prime Minister or a President of the Republic is to choose one side or the other — whom you will serve. And we must make choices.

And one of the choices we must make is whether we want to be a respected leader or a feared one. A respected leader can be loved by his people. A feared leader can be hated by his people. Because this is the great message that leadership must convey to the world. Who can accept the duration of the war between Ukraine and Russia? Who can accept the genocide inflicted in the Gaza Strip for such a long time? And not only the violence of gunfire, wars, and bombs, but the violence of using hunger — the desire of a child to eat — as a form of torture.

When we accept this as normal, we are not being human beings. We are something else — something that I possibly do not even know what it is. But we are not human beings when we accept this as normal.

And why does this happen? Because the multilateral institutions that were created to try to prevent these things from occurring have ceased to function. Today, the UN Security Council and the United Nations no longer work. They do not work. All the wars that have occurred in recent times were determined by people who are part of the UN Security Council — and who did not consult or obtain approval in any forum.

It was the same with the war in Iraq. Bush [George W. Bush, former President of the United States] did not consult the UN. It was the same with the invasion of Libya; the United Kingdom and France did not consult the Security Council. And it has been the same, you see, with Russia and Ukraine. Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council, yet it also did not consult the UN. And so things continue to happen, without any global governance capable of saying that it cannot be this way.

And then there is the global issue. There is the issue of climate change. Now, how can we prevent the planet from being destroyed if we know what is destroying it and do not take action to stop it? Decisions are made at a COP, but who will implement them? The Kyoto Protocol has still not been fully enforced. Many countries are not respecting the Paris Agreement. As for the COP decisions in Brazil, at COP30, I have said that it will be the COP of truth.

It will be the COP in which we will have to state whether we believe or do not believe in the information that science is giving us. Is the planet at risk or not? Are the small islands of the Atlantic and Pacific at risk or not? And this risk affects poor people living on the outskirts of major cities the most, who will be victims of climate disasters: droughts, floods, winds, and hurricanes.

And we, as political leaders, are the ones who have to make the decision: What should be done? Not each one thinking only of their own country or homeland. There comes a moment when we have to think about the planet. And that is when global governance instruments become necessary. And that is what we are lacking today. It is lacking for Malaysia, it is lacking for Brazil, and it is lacking for the world.

That is why, my dear friend, I always say that we do not choose our father. We do not choose our mother. We do not choose, you know? But we do choose our friends. And I want to tell you that you, my dear friend Anwar Ibrahim, I consider as my friend. — for your past, for your struggle, and for your tenacity in facing adversity.

I want Brazilian ministers to leave here with the certainty that today’s visit is extremely important. First, because of the Prime Minister’s friendship in inviting us to participate in ASEAN. We are the first country from Latin America to be invited to take part. This is no small matter. And it can only happen when there is a degree of trust between people. I hope that Brazil’s participation tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, on Monday, will be highly relevant.

Do not forget that my birthday is on Monday. Do not forget that you promised I would celebrate my birthday here in Malaysia. So it is important to remember.

And I would like to conclude — I did not even read my speech here because I believe the meeting between our ministers was so important. I think there is such alignment in our thinking that now it is only necessary for our people to work with great diligence so that, in the coming years, what has not happened for so many years can finally take place. It is not possible that Malaysia and Brazil have a trade flow of only six billion. It is not possible. Something is wrong, you know, in our behavior. Something is wrong in our government. Something is wrong with our businesspeople. Something is wrong. Because we need to be aware that one of the problems the world faces today is the absence of leadership. And in the absence of leadership, the worst outcomes can occur.

So, my dear fellow ministers of Malaysia and Brazil, we will leave here with a mission. And our mission is a very responsible one. We need Malaysia, and Malaysia needs Brazil. And it is up to us to take care of this. No one is as concerned about Malaysia as you are. No one is as concerned about Brazil as we are. So, we have combined our concerns. Find out what we have in common.

What can Malaysia sell to Brazil? What technology can Malaysia transfer to Brazil? What can Brazil sell to Malaysia, or transfer in terms of technology and knowledge? Even the Carioca dance, the dance from Rio, the Prime Minister can learn quite easily. He only needs to make a little space in his schedule, because a schedule full of work alone will not suffice.

So, I would like to conclude this interview by saying the following: the agreements that have been signed are indeed signed. We will return to Brazil with the certainty that no Brazilian president has visited Malaysia in the past 30 years. Thirty years. Which is unthinkable, because Malaysia has long been regarded and recognized worldwide as a place of extraordinary growth and development. And we could have come here many more times.

But there is always a first time. And I want to conclude by telling my friend, Prime Minister Ibrahim: be assured that this trip to Malaysia, and the warmth with which you have invited us, will change the history of the Brazil–Malaysia relationship.

Thank you very much.