Why Malaysia shouldn’t cancel Trump’s Asean Summit invitation

FMT:

Why Malaysia shouldn’t cancel Trump’s Asean Summit invitation


It is better to bring Trump in rather than keep him out as he will then get to hear first-hand the concerns of Asean nations about the situation in Gaza; it will also not harm Malaysia

I was surprised to hear former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad urging Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to cancel the invitation to US President Donald Trump to attend October’s Asean Summit.

Certainly, I can understand his emotion. He feels for the death and destruction taking place in the Gaza strip of Palestine.


He said in a video posted on Facebook on Sept 27: “Palestinians are not only being killed by bombs and weapons, but also by famine that has been deliberately manufactured.

“We cannot remain silent. The government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must step forward to state Malaysia’s position against the brutality of Israel and the US. This is a moral responsibility for our nation.”


I think all Malaysians feel for the sufferings of the Palestinians and want the death and destruction to stop. Malaysians not only want the bombings to end, they also want all parties to return to the negotiating table to seek a permanent resolution to the decades-long conflict.

I also think that Anwar’s government has stated its strong stand against Israel and the suffering of the Palestinians on numerous occasions.

In defending the invitation to Trump for the Oct 26-28 summit, Anwar said on Sept 27: “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 sovereign nation. But we must also be wise in making friends.”

In fact, Malaysian governments over the years, including Anwar’s, have sent all manner of aid to the Palestinians. Malaysian governments have probably spent more money on the Palestinians than on any other group outside the country.


Just on Sept 26, foreign minister Mohamad Hasan revealed that Malaysia had contributed more than RM70 million in financial and humanitarian assistance to Palestine since 2024. He added that Malaysia would contribute an additional RM105 million in humanitarian aid, including for Gaza’s reconstruction.


Stating that the US continued to provide Israel with funds, weapons and military assistance “to kill more Palestinians”, Mahathir said cancelling Trump’s invitation to the Asean summit would send a “clear message that he is a criminal and a child-killer”.

Mahathir is known to be combative and to castigate opponents and leaders whom he dislikes, so his choice of words against Trump is not surprising. Neither, as I said, is his stand on the Palestinian issue.

However, as someone who has been prime minister at two different time periods, and also as the longest serving prime minister of Malaysia for 22 years during his first stint, I’m surprised that he seems to have forgotten what diplomacy means.

Nations of the world rely on diplomacy to keep situations steady and free from too much chaos and conflicts. Diplomacy has not only served to avert many conflicts, it remains the best tool we have to resolve conflicts. It is also one of the best tools for improving relations between nations.

Diplomacy, in short, helps shape the world by building bridges, managing egos, untangling disputes, diffusing potentially explosive situations, and seeking a balance between competing interests. It is the art of finding common ground in a global arena of competing interests and conflicting ideologies.

The fact is, if you want to have peace in Gaza, you need diplomacy.

In urging for the cancelling of the invitation, Mahathir hopes to embarrass Trump.

If embarrassing Trump will immediately end the war in Gaza, then, sure, Anwar should do it. But we all know that this will not happen. Cancelling the invitation will not achieve peace in Gaza.

If anything, it will only infuriate Trump and his “You are the greatest president” officials.

Moreover, Mahathir should know that cancelling an invitation to Trump will sour bilateral relations, causing all Malaysians to suffer.

In 2024, Malaysia exported RM198.65 billion worth of goods such as electronic items, machinery equipment and rubber products. The US is one of Malaysia’s largest trading partners and many US firms have investments in Malaysia, and continue to invest more, benefitting locals.

Anwar noted this when he said: “Malaysia’s semiconductor exports to the US 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’ll suffer.”

Also, we have to understand that Malaysia collaborates with the US in various areas, such as counterterrorism efforts. Do we want to jeopardise these?

Anyway, Anwar cannot just cancel the invitation because it was issued as the chair of Asean; he was acting on behalf of Asean, not just Malaysia.

I’m sure Asean members would prefer to hold dialogues with Trump rather than ostracise him, for they know the benefits of diplomacy and dialogue. Many of them feel that the US plays a crucial role in regional stability.

They would not want to antagonise the US, just as they would not want to antagonise the US’s competitor China. Asean, just like Malaysia, wants to remain neutral.

Inviting Trump does not negate this neutrality. In fact, it signals an enhancement of neutrality as Asean leaders have also met China’s leaders. Remember, President Xi Jinping visited Malaysia in April.

Meeting him at the 47th Asean Summit, in fact, will allow all Asean nations to voice their concerns about the situation in Gaza so that Trump gets to hear first-hand how they feel. It affords Malaysia a platform to again state its stand on the issue. This will be far more effective than keeping Trump out.

The invitation also signals Malaysia’s choice of diplomacy over rage

Also, it is very impolite to cancel an invitation. We should always strive to make and keep friends.

Who knows, our roti canai and teh tarik may persuade Trump to take a more friendly tone, and perhaps reduce the tariffs he has imposed on our goods.