Malaysia’s decision to host U.S. President Donald Trump at the upcoming ASEAN summits reflects strategic diplomacy and pragmatic engagement, not political alignment, officials and analysts say.
00:00Malaysia's decision to host U.S. President Donald Trump at the ASEAN Summit is being framed as strategy, not political alignment.
00:09But Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim faces a careful balancing act.
00:14The visit could strain ties with China, a key political and economic partner, and risk backlash at home over Trump's support for Israel.
00:22But Institute of Strategy and International Studies Chairman Datuk Professor Dr. Faiz Abdullah says Malaysia's priority is to engage all major powers while protecting its national interests.
00:37It's not about being over-dependent. It's about the reality of what we have.
00:42In my book, I've stated very clearly, we have to balance between the need to enforce our strategic diplomacy and at the same time ensure that we are not wholly dependent on any party.
00:56Faiz added that Malaysia's role as ASEAN chair leaves little room to exclude major global powers from regional dialogue, including the United States.
01:04Malaysia is the chair of ASEAN. You're talking about the East Asia Summit. You're talking about the ASEAN-U.S. Summit.
01:14It's not that we can just raise a flag, sorry, you're not invited, we're not, because that doesn't work.
01:18I acknowledge there are serious criticisms of Trump.
01:22And let me also preface by saying that Malaysia, the Prime Minister, must take into consideration the concerns, the domestic concerns about this issue.
01:30But having said that, you cannot compromise trying to grandstand and play to the gallery of populism and sacrifice your long-term strategic foreign policy.
01:43Dr. Faiz was speaking at the launch of his new book, Strategic Shifts, Preparing Malaysia for a Turbulent Future, last week.
01:51Also present was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dato' Sri Muhammad Hassan, who underscored the importance of adaptability in Malaysia's foreign and domestic policy.
02:00What does strategic autonomy mean for a country like Malaysia?
02:07Can we remain non-aligned when the space is, when the space to do so is shrinking?
02:14Externally, this call for a foreign policy that is both principled and flexible.
02:19Principled in holding on to our core values and national interests, yet flexible enough to adapt to shifting realities.
02:32Domestically, it requires political will to push through reforms that will prepare our institutions, our economy, and our people to what lies ahead.
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