Protests planned in KL against Trump's presence at ASEAN Summit unlikely to derail Anwar's agenda, say analysts

JOHOR BAHRU: Protests against United States President Donald Trump’s attendance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur are unlikely to impact Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s agenda on trade and regional security, analysts told CNA. 

At least two major demonstrations are planned as ASEAN’s 2025 chair Malaysia gears up to host the summit and related meetings from Oct 26 to 28. The meetings will be attended by leaders of the 10 ASEAN member states, China’s Premier Li Qiang and Russia Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, among others.

The first protest, on Friday afternoon (Oct 24), appears to be led by Malaysia’s biggest opposition party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS). 

PAS leaders have canvassed for Malaysians to join them in marching from Menara Tabung Haji to the nearby US Embassy in downtown Kuala Lumpur to “object fiercely with Trump’s presence”, according to the party’s deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. 

The other is the “Trump You’re Not Welcome in Malaysia” protest being planned for Sunday at Ampang Park. Various civil society and political groups including BDS Malaysia, the Secretariat of Solidarity with Palestine (SSP), Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) and Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) are expected to take part. 

Protest organisers told CNA they seek to express dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s perceived pro-Israel stance in the Gaza conflict.  

While the protests are expected to draw thousands of people, analysts said they are unlikely to derail summit discussions, especially on trade.

Anwar had earlier said a key objective is for the bloc to strengthen relations with the US, particularly in trade and investment, while addressing international concerns such as the situation in Gaza and regional security efforts. 

Azmi Hassan, a geostrategist who is a senior fellow at Malaysia-based Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, said Anwar will be keen to showcase his diplomatic skills as host, and use the summit to make a “favourable trade deal” for Malaysia and fellow ASEAN members. 

"I don’t think the protests will necessarily interfere with this,” said Azmi. 

“This is about the economy and finding win-win outcomes (in regional peace security), while putting the differences he has with Trump on the Gaza issue to one side,” he added. 

Malaysia’s exports to the US face a general tariff rate of 19 per cent.

Trump has threatened semiconductor tariffs, but Malaysia currently enjoys an exemption under a US national security review. 

Trump has also threatened a 100-per-cent tariff on any branded or patented pharmaceutical products from Oct 1 unless the company builds its manufacturing plant in the US. 

A 25-per-cent tariff rate on kitchen cabinets and vanities took effect on Oct 14, and is set to increase to 50 per cent from January.

Analyst Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani echoed similar sentiments, noting that talks operate on a “government-to-government level” and are “driven by strategic and economic priorities rather than domestic political expression”.

“While the demonstrations may draw public attention, both Washington and Putrajaya understand the difference between street sentiment and state policy,” he said. 

On trade talks, Anwar said on Wednesday that deals on crucial sectors like semiconductors were set to be finalised before the start of the summit and Trump’s expected arrival on Sunday. 

“There have been discussions and negotiations in the last few months on tariff and trade-related issues, with the intention of enhancing trade and investments,” he said.

“I intend to sign some of these initial agreements and understandings with the US, and I am extremely delighted that there have been very positive developments.”

THOUSANDS EXPECTED

A PAS spokesperson said the party is targeting “10,000 people” for Friday’s event, while chairman of BDS Malaysia Mohd Nazari Ismail said he expects 2,000 people to be at Sunday’s demonstration at Ampang Park, near the KLCC convention centre where the summit is held. 

PAS acknowledged some people have lauded Trump for playing a key role in brokering the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza, but argued that the US has given “extraordinary support” to the “Zionist regime” since Trump returned to the White House. 

“An exceptional amount of foreign military aid has been channelled within just a few months of Trump’s return for this term,” PAS’ spokesperson said, referring to how the Trump administration has sold Israel weapons and military equipment. 

The Gaza ceasefire agreement, a key part of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Gaza war, went into effect on Oct 10. It remains fragile amid disputes over the pace of hostage and body exchanges and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The two-year conflict started when Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and abducting around 250 hostages. 

Israel’s devastating retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed more than 67,000 people and displaced nearly the entire population, according to Palestinian health authorities.

BDS Malaysia’s Mohd Nazari, who is also director of the Hashim Sani Centre for Palestine Studies at the University of Malaya, said Sunday’s protest is to raise awareness that Trump has been an “accomplice to Israel” in the atrocities wrought on Palestinians in Gaza. 

Tian Chua, a former Member of Parliament from Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat who is spokesperson for SSP, said SSP will be joining Sunday’s demonstration.

“We want the Trump administration to be aware pro-Zionist policies hurt the US relationship with ASEAN, especially Malaysia,” added the former lawmaker. 

The current ceasefire agreement is “very tentative” and Chua said it does not provide solutions to Palestine statehood. 

“The reason Trump shifted his position from hawkish pro-Zionist stand to a half-hearted ceasefire agreement was mainly due to global public outcry,” Chua claimed. 

Many pro-Palestine activists are of the view that Trump’s peace deal is skewed towards Israel’s interest, said political analyst James Chin.

“Many of these groups believe that the peace deal was not designed with input from Palestine and was imposed on them. So for them the deal does not work because it does not require Israel to recognise a Palestinian state,” said Chin, who is a professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania and Senior Research Associate at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Analysts said the protests are likely to be bigger than similar ones in the past few weeks on streets as well as in public spaces like malls and petrol kiosks. 

On Sep 24, protestors gathered in front of the Prime Minister’s Office and near an air force base in Selangor, pressing Anwar to retract the invitation to Trump.

There have also been pro-Palestine demonstrations staged at the Apple store at TRX Exchange in Kuala Lumpur as well as Caltex petrol stations in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang.

Azmi said this coming weekend’s demonstrations are likely to be larger in scale as they coincide with the ASEAN Summit. The groups would want to make a stronger, more unified statement by organising one single event instead of multiple ones, he said. 

“Even though the ideologies of these groups are different, the main objective is similar, to show their dissatisfaction towards Trump,” he said. 

Chin expects the Friday event to be larger given PAS’ ability to mobilise its supporters. “More eyes will be on the one organised by PAS,” he said. 

CAN ANWAR HAVE HIS CAKE AND EAT IT?

While the protest organisers said the rallies will be peaceful, Malaysia’s police chief Mohd Khalid Ismail said the authorities have encouraged them to hold the events further away from KLCC.

"We are continuously engaging with the NGOs and the parties involved to advise them not to hold the protest near KLCC, as it involves the image of our country and public safety," he told reporters on Thursday. 

Mohd Khalid said the police have proposed alternative venues including Padang Merbok, which he said was a “more appropriate and secure location”.

"Our goal is to ensure any expression or gathering is carried out peacefully and in accordance with the law," he said.

As host, Anwar will have to navigate domestic interests – a Muslim-majority population that expects him to show solidarity with Palestinians – as well as international considerations, observers said.

Asked on Wednesday about anticipated protests, Anwar said: “This is a free country. They can do it, but they cannot disrupt the organisation and the process and the security of the area.”

Security is the “utmost consideration and we will not allow any force to sabotage that process”, he added.

Abdul Hadi said it is possible for Anwar to have his cake and eat it. 

“President Trump will be largely shielded from the protests due to the planned lockdown of the capital. However, the demonstrations have been given the green light by Putrajaya for their domestic political value to Prime Minister Anwar, allowing him to reaffirm Malaysia’s stance on the Gaza issue and channel public sentiment on the matter,” said Abdul Hadi. 

“These protests go beyond the ceasefire itself. For many Malaysians, the Palestinian cause is deeply emotional and symbolic as it represents justice, and moral solidarity,” he said.