Malaysia PM Anwar defends inviting Trump to ASEAN Summit after Mahathir calls for it to be revoked
Malaysia will use the gathering of the regional bloc in late October to continue voicing concerns over the Palestinian people, including the situation in Gaza, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has defended his move to invite United States President Donald Trump to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in October, after former leader Mahathir Mohamad urged the government to withdraw the invitation over Washington’s support for Israel’s actions against the Palestinians.
In a video message posted on social media on Saturday (Sep 27), Mahathir said the US continues to supply Israel with funds, weapons and military assistance “to perpetuate the killings of Palestinians”.
He called on Anwar to revoke the ASEAN Summit invitation to Trump, saying the US president has “openly supported and enabled the crimes against humanity currently inflicted by Israel upon the Palestinian people”.
The conflict in Gaza has been grinding on, nearly two years after the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw more than 200 others taken hostage.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and displaced many more, triggering international condemnation and concern over the humanitarian toll.
Underscoring mounting international pressure on Israel, France recently joined the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal in formally recognising a Palestinian state.
Speaking at an event in Sabah on Saturday, Anwar defended the move to invite Trump to the ASEAN Summit, saying Malaysia would use the regional gathering to continue voicing concerns over the Palestinian people, including the situation in Gaza.
Anwar, who represents Malaysia as the current ASEAN chair, announced on Jul 31 that Trump would attend the regional gathering, set for Oct 26-28 in Kuala Lumpur. He said Trump had confirmed his attendance in a phone call.
“Malaysia has been outspoken in defending Palestine and Gaza, but at the same time, we utilise diplomatic channels. We are free to speak up because we are an independent and dignified nation. But we must also be wise in making friends,” said Anwar, as quoted by national news agency Bernama.
“That is why negotiations are crucial. Our voice will always uphold truth and justice, but in a wise and strategic manner.”
Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and has long been an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian cause.
The prime minister further said that broader calls to sever ties with the US overlooked Malaysia’s economic interests, particularly in high-technology exports.
“Malaysia’s semiconductor exports to the United States alone amount to billions of ringgit. Tens of thousands of Malaysians are employed in the sector. If we reject ties outright, it is the people who suffer,” he said, as quoted by Bernama.
Anwar also pointed to Malaysia’s ability to engage both Washington and Beijing as a mark of international recognition.
“A few months ago, (Chinese) President Xi Jinping visited, and next month … Trump will come. Few small nations receive such recognition. This proves the world respects Malaysia,” Bernama reported him as saying.
Anwar said in August that Xi and Trump were among at least four world leaders expected at the ASEAN Summit, which he described as the bloc’s “largest and most high-profile gathering of world leaders to date”, according to local news platform New Straits Times.
China has not confirmed Xi’s attendance at the summit. A Reuters report in late August said that Xi was unlikely to attend, citing sources.
