During the long morning of covering the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), media personnel experienced a heartwarming episode when Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão personally handed out candy to reporter as a gesture of goodwill.
This high-level meeting, which took place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., gathered leaders from Southeast Asia and GCC countries to discuss strategic issues.
After the summit concluded, the leaders headed to an official luncheon, while media personnel remained outside the conference hall, waiting for the latest updates or impromptu interview opportunities.
It was at this moment that Xanana did something surprising. He walked up to the waiting media personnel with a smile, handed out candy, and briefly said: “Here, you’ve been waiting so long.”
This thoughtful gesture instantly brought smiles to the weary reporters, with laughter echoing through the scene as they praised the national leader. After all, most would not expect such interaction in a formal setting.
Ilya Iskandar, a 26-year-old reporter from the "New Straits Times," told "Bernama" that such a small act might be insignificant, but it holds great meaning.
“The focus isn’t on the candy, but on being recognized. In occasions like this, you rarely encounter such interaction.”