KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said his golf game with US President Barack Obama during a visit to Washington last year did not yield the expected political benefits, a news report said Tuesday.
Mr Najib drew flak at home for playing golf with Mr Obama in December while large portions of peninsular Malaysia were flooded by the monsoon.
"I did it because I thought it is a very positive way in which we can develop a personal relationship with the US president ... I did it for my people," news website Malaysiakini quoted him as telling Malaysian students in New York on Monday.
"Unfortunately the timing was wrong. I didn't get any political dividends," he added, to the laughter of his audience.
Malaysiakini said it got a recording of Mr Najib's speech during the meeting with the students.
The 62-year-old leader is in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly and related meetings.