▁when ▁Malays ia ▁began ▁to ▁be ▁active ▁in ▁making ▁its ▁presence ▁felt ▁in ▁the ▁international ▁ar ena , ▁having ▁secured ▁a ▁more ▁solid ▁foundation ▁and ▁confidence ▁as ▁a ▁Federation ▁of ▁Mal ay ▁States , ▁Sab ah ▁and ▁Sar aw ak . ▁There ▁were ▁many ▁vis its ▁by ▁important ▁world ▁and ▁South ▁East ▁Asian ▁leaders , ▁including ▁US ▁President ▁Ly nd on ▁B ▁Johnson , ▁West ▁German ▁President ▁Lub ke , ▁King ▁F ais al ▁of ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia , ▁Shah ▁of ▁Iran , ▁Emperor ▁Ha ile ▁Sel ass ie ▁of ▁Eth iop ia , ▁Ferdinand ▁Mar cos ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁General ▁Ne ▁Win ▁of ▁Bur ma ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁N gu yen ▁C ao ▁Ky ▁of ▁South ▁Vietnam . ▁The ▁security ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁was ▁more ▁secure ▁during ▁his ▁reign ▁as ▁the ▁Kon front asi ▁with ▁Indones ia ▁ended ▁and ▁the ▁Philippines ▁sought ▁normal ▁relations ▁( after ▁its ▁claim ▁of ▁Sab ah ) ▁with ▁Malays ia . ▁▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁health ▁reasons ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁res ign ▁as ▁Yang ▁di - P ert uan ▁Ag ong ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁but ▁was ▁persu aded ▁by ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Tun ku ▁Abd ul ▁Rah man ▁not ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁as ▁the ▁next ▁Yang ▁di - P ert uan ▁Ag ong ▁would ▁be ▁Tun ku ▁Abd ul ▁Rah man ' s ▁nep hew ▁( Tu ank u ▁Abd ul ▁Hal im ▁of ▁K ed ah ) ▁and ▁the ▁Tun ku ▁felt ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁right ▁for ▁him ▁to ▁continue ▁in ▁office