Ambassador Jones Hosted a Reception for Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng

Ambassador Paul W. Jones, Mrs. Jones (left) and Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng. (U.S. Embassy photo)

On June 7, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia Paul W. Jones and his wife Catherine hosted a reception at their residence to honor the visit from Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng, President Obama’s sister, and representatives from the East-West Center. Ambassador Jones received more than 300 guests at his home to welcome Dr. Soetoro-Ng to Malaysia.  The reception was a pre-event for the launch of the Ann Dunham’s Legacy: A Collection of Indonesian Batik exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia on June 8, 2012. Ambassador Jones also screened a special video message from President Obama at the reception.  In the message, President Obama spoke fondly of his mother’s special connection to batik: “As an anthropologist, batik helped her understand the lives of other people – their culture, their traditions, their challenges, their hopes.” President Obama’s message spoke directly to the audience in Malaysia, underscoring the cultural significance of batik in connecting people across the world. The reception was a tremendous success and attracted substantial media attention.