Latest news with #US-Asean
Malaysiakini
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Can Anwar escape hairdryer treatment at White House?
COMMENT | Last week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that he had written to US President Donald Trump, seeking his support to organise a meeting between Asean and the United States. It is unlikely that Trump will accord US-Asean status, as he prefers bilateral trade negotiations between individual countries, believing he will have better negotiating power and perhaps be easier to shout down. However, if Anwar believes it will be a repeat of the orchestrated trip by former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak in 2017, where the latter, among others, offered to help Trump "make America great again," he is mistaken. Although Najib told Parliament that he did not pay to meet Trump, it was subsequently revealed in court hearings that Grammy Award-winning rapper...
Malaysiakini
27-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysiakini
What's in store for Rafizi
Good morning. Here's what you should know today. Key Highlights What's in store for Rafizi What's been going on at Asean summit What's in store for Rafizi Rafizi Ramli may have lost the PKR deputy presidency, but the party could have duties for him in mind. The new leadership is set to convene soon to do a post-mortem on the party polls, and discuss appointed positions, including for Rafizi. In the previous PKR election, Rafizi's opponent for the deputy presidency, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, was appointed as the party secretary-general after his defeat. The Pandan MP, however, has signalled that he is not keen on taking on an appointed post. He said that his successor Nurul Izzah Anwar had alluded to such an appointment during a meeting before the party polls, but that he had rejected the offer. In the meantime, Rafizi is still serving as economic minister while the Asean summit is ongoing in what might be his swan song in office. HIGHLIGHTS What's been going on at Asean summit The two day Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur has wrapped up. Here are some highlights in brief: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wrote to US President Donald Trump to request a US-Asean meeting. Asean adopted the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, a foundation to guide development and cooperation until 2045. They also adopted the Asean Community Vision 2045, a roadmap on labour, mobility, and the economy. Gulf countries announced plans to increase trade with Asean from US130.7 billion in 2023 to US$180 billion by 2032. HIGHLIGHTS Views that matter In case you missed it
Malaysiakini
27-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysiakini
What's in store for Rafizi
Good morning. Here's what you should know today. Key Highlights What's in store for Rafizi What's been going on at Asean summit What's in store for Rafizi Rafizi Ramli may have lost the PKR deputy presidency, but the party could have duties for him in mind. The new leadership is set to convene soon to do a post-mortem on the party polls, and discuss appointed positions, including for Rafizi. In the previous PKR election, Rafizi's opponent for the deputy presidency, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, was appointed as the party secretary-general after his defeat. The Pandan MP, however, has signalled that he is not keen on taking on an appointed post. He said that his successor Nurul Izzah Anwar had alluded to such an appointment during a meeting before the party polls, but that he had rejected the offer. In the meantime, Rafizi is still serving as economic minister while the Asean summit is ongoing in what might be his swan song in office. HIGHLIGHTS What's been going on at Asean summit The two day Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur has wrapped up. Here are some highlights in brief: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wrote to US President Donald Trump to request a US-Asean meeting. Asean adopted the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, a foundation to guide development and cooperation until 2045. They also adopted the Asean Community Vision 2045, a roadmap on labour, mobility, and the economy. Gulf countries announced plans to increase trade with Asean from US130.7 billion in 2023 to US$180 billion by 2032. HIGHLIGHTS Views that matter In case you missed it
Business Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Not contradictory for individual Asean members to engage US on tariffs: PM Wong
[KUALA LUMPUR] It is not contradictory for Asean members to engage the US on its tariffs both bilaterally and collectively as a bloc, Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday (May 27). Rather, such actions are 'complementary and reinforcing', he told Singapore reporters as he wrapped up his visit to Kuala Lumpur for the 46th Asean Summit. He had been asked whether the call for a more coordinated Asean response to US President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs is contradicted by individual member states pursuing bilateral deals. PM Wong replied that the region is diverse, with individual members having varying levels of economic development, as well as different trade balances and 'issues' with the US. The US 'may very well prefer to engage countries individually, precisely because the issues are so diverse', while Asean members want the flexibility to do so too, he added. Yet, it also benefits Asean to come together as a group – and the two approaches are not mutually exclusive, nor at cross-purposes. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up Said PM Wong: 'Whether engaging as individual member states or engaging as Asean, our objective is to reduce barriers with America, to reduce trade and investment barriers. So we will continue to work on both fronts.' South-east Asian countries are among the worst-hit by Trump's tariffs, with six out of 10 member states facing import levies ranging from 32 to 49 per cent once the 90-day pause lifts in July. Asked about Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim's request to Washington for a US-Asean summit, PM Wong said: 'For now, we think that America would want to engage with individual countries, but we certainly don't rule out the US wanting to engage Asean collectively – in fact, we would like very much for America to have close links with Asean collectively.' But he noted that it is unclear what the US' 'key preoccupations and priorities are, and they have many concerns around the world to deal with'. 'At this stage, maybe Asean is not uppermost on their minds, but certainly we would like America to be engaged in the region,' he said. 'And when America is ready, we will welcome that engagement with Asean.' 'Moment of truth' for Asean Today's uncertain and turbulent global environment is, in many ways, 'a moment of truth for Asean', PM Wong warned. 'We have to either step up and carve out a clear, purposeful role for ourselves in this changed world, or Asean will lose its relevance.' He said he was glad that at the summit, Asean leaders had 'candid discussions on these new realities', with a 'renewed sense of urgency' to push for closer integration – including full implementation of earlier agreements. One outcome of the summit was the Declaration on Asean 2045. While this vision statement is an important achievement, what matters are also 'the actions that must follow', said PM Wong. 'We talked about all the things that we need to do beyond the rhetoric, all the concrete steps that we can take to advance Asean integration,' he said, adding that Singapore will work with its counterparts to advance these outcomes. Closer Asean integration and partnerships forged with other countries should also create opportunities for Singapore businesses, 'including in markets that they may not be so familiar with'. PM Wong said that the government will work to raise awareness, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises, and help link them up with foreign business counterparts. That way, companies can 'see for themselves the opportunities in these new markets' and forge deals. Timor-Leste's Asean membership Asked about Timor-Leste's membership status, PM Wong said the country has made good progress on the roadmap for its accession to Asean. 'There are still some issues to be resolved, and there are still some economic agreements to be negotiated,' he said. 'But given the progress that has been made so far, the leaders agreed at this meeting that we will try and expedite the outstanding issues (and) provide full support to Timor-Leste.' Asean looks forward to welcoming Timor-Leste as a full member by this year's October summit, and Singapore would do its part to support the process, he added. A clear mandate PM Wong's visit to the Malaysian capital is his first since the May 3 general election, in which he led the People's Action Party to secure 65.57 per cent of the vote, in a 4.34 per cent swing towards the ruling party. During and after the campaign, he had said a strong mandate would aid Singapore in the conduct of foreign policy. At the Asean Summit's plenary on Monday, Anwar congratulated PM Wong for the 'convincing victory', jokingly adding: 'Otherwise, we'll have a new member.' Asked if the election result had helped Singapore at the country's first multilateral meeting since the polls, PM Wong said the clear mandate provides the ability to engage foreign counterparts with confidence. 'If I had been re-elected but with a reduced mandate… I'm sure they would have still given some polite words,' he said. 'But I am also quite sure that at the back of their minds, they (would be) making their own internal reassessments: 'Is this someone I should continue to engage? Is it worth engaging this person? Maybe I should wait and see.'' Instead, the government can make full use of this clear mandate in the next five years 'to advance and secure Singapore's position in this changed world', he said. 'And we will certainly do our best in this endeavour.'
Malaysiakini
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Risky for Anwar to seek a meeting with Trump
YOURSAY | 'Trump might ambush Anwar like he did with Zelenskyy.' Anwar writes to Trump to request US-Asean meeting Anonymous_3f4b: When and why did Mr Madani (Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim) write to US President Donald Trump? As though Trump would read his letter. For all you know, the letter would have been dumped into the wastepaper basket even without Trump knowing it, at worst, or left to his many secretaries and officials to vet even before putting it on his desk. Mr Madani, as prime minister of this year's Asean chair, should and could have made a direct line phone/video call to Trump like his Asean counterparts Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and the like. Did he even congratulate Trump on the latter's win? By not doing so, he has not shown respect and diplomatic decorum to Trump, and likewise, we should not expect favours or diplomatic considerations from the Trump administration. But then Trump would have chastised him and given Mr Madani a piece of his mind. Unlikely that Trump will accord a US-Asean meeting soon, and if so, he would send one of his many secretaries or officials to do the talking to Mr Madani as head of the Asean chair. Another head would have been better suited to expedite the talks. Pink: Trump does not like to deal with trade blocs; he prefers to have bilateral trade negotiations between individual countries because he will have better negotiating power. This is the reason why he is belligerent towards the European Union. So, this is bound to fail. I fear Trump will insult Anwar the way he insulted Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, by showing a fake video claiming there is a genocide of white people in South Africa. What if he raised the issue of racial and religious discrimination in Malaysia in front of all the cameras for the world to see, even though it is far from the truth? That will damage Malaysia's reputation as a moderate, liberal country. He may also likely claim that Anwar's support of Hamas is anti-semitic. It is a risky proposition. Anwar may be highly regarded and respected by all at home. But to Trump, he is just the leader of a small, underdeveloped country. Just a Malaysian: It's just a formality. How do you negotiate with a 'madman' who is hell-bent on bullying his way through? He who believes power will get everything their way? It is much like our citizens who love to shout down at all minorities' concerns. Who refused to listen to different opinions and ideas, where 'my way' is the only way, or else? Now we are faced with a real bully, while our local bullies are all quiet as mice. Isn't this the time to defend race and religion? For real this time, not the wayang, chest-thumping performance at people who cannot fight back. TaaS: It used to be protests and boycotts (towards America). Now, it is like begging (to meet their president). How can the village leader possibly lead Asean when he has shown poor leadership for his country and a bad example for his party? Do you think Trump would be particularly concerned about meeting with a group of Asean countries, many of which have recorded among the highest trade deficits with the US, and making concessions? Do you think Malaysia and others can get away without removing non-tariff barriers? BesamanMucho: Did you also mention in the letter that: 1. Malaysia is a 'fiercely independent nation'; 2. I have written to the United Nations to sack Israel from the world body; 3. I have met the leaders of Hamas; I have met now deceased Hamas leaders such as Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Hassan Nasrallah; 4. I have contributed RM100 million of our people's money to Gaza; 5. I give free education to Palestinian children, while the same may not be available to other local minorities. 'Based on the above achievements, it is only right that you meet me soonest.' Apanama is back: I prefer Trump to come over (to Malaysia) for the Asean meeting. Why? So that he can ambush Anwar (on several issues). So far, Trump had ambushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (ongoing war with Russia) and Ramaphosa (over white farmers and land reforms) in the Oval Office. Therefore, Trump needs to give Anwar a 'tight slap' in front of the Asean leaders by ambushing him, playing the videos, showing proof that Anwar is supporting Hamas, as the US will not be happy with his behaviour. Trump accepts the invitation and ambushes Anwar. Just do this favour for me. Hmmm: Trump is willing to let his own most prestigious university in the world sink because of some of their students' pro-Palestine protests. What do you think he will do to someone who openly supports Hamas and even supports protests against the US, boycotts US franchises, and lets school children mimic Hamas in schools? When you are only a small fry, don't try to be a hero. Look after your own backyard first. If you want to support Hamas, do it quietly and don't drag the country down with you. The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now. These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.
