Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured that he did not waver from Malaysia’s stance of supporting Gaza when he spoke to United States President Donald Trump.
Anwar said he made full use of his time with Trump when he was in “The Beast”, as Cadillac One, the American leader’s limousine, is also known.
00:00Dr. Sri, I wonder if you can share with us what you and President Trump talked about during your ride from the TAMAC to KLCC and did he promise us anything on semiconductor tariffs, the sectoral tariffs, anything on that?
00:16Well, I would say that, well, I did, on the lighter note, mention to him because when he invited me, I said, you know, because the security and the protocol guys doesn't seem to look happy.
00:35Then he said, you know, get Prime Minister Anwar in. So I went in. And then, of course, I need to know more about the car. So that takes a few minutes.
00:47But, of course, I make full use of the opportunity to engage and to present Trump's credit. He is also a good listener in his private engagements.
01:00He gives some views. I politely disagree on some issues. I mean, he wants to know, of course, about relations with the neighbours, particularly with China, and why he invited Brazil and South Africa. And I engage.
01:16And on the tariffs, of course, I sit 19% still high for us. But then he has now imposed a zero tariff on the major, our major facility, including our major export, semiconductor for now.
01:35So I, of course, I thank him for that. Then I spent some time discussing Gaza. He knew about, you know, even my meeting with past Hamas leaders.
01:48And I explained to him why. I was in Doha. I know one or two of them. I decided to meet them and strongly urge them to support the peace initiative by the Arab neighbours, OIC.
02:03That was it. Subsequently, one of them was killed in this Israeli attack in Iran.
02:13And I said, whilst I do support, and I think no one can dispute the fact that he was quite determined to ensure that this peace in Gaza stopped the continued killings.
02:29But I said, you know, if you talk about a lasting peace, a durable peace, that must be comprehensive.
02:36But, of course, his answer is that, you know, this is the first phase. We are working with it, working on it.
02:42He said, do I know Witkoff? I said, I met him. We are taking it very seriously. He must not fail. It's a problem.
02:52So, I think I was in a fortunate position because, firstly, he allowed me to have that four-eyed with him in private, in confidence.
03:06And I must confess that he listens very attentively to our views, and some, you know, contrary to some of his earlier assertions.
03:23So, I mean, what people expect me to do? What do you expect me to do?
03:27I think I did my best to represent the voice of conscience, what Malaysians want us to do.
03:37Now, if there's no opportunity, had he not been here, there will not be an opportunity.
03:47But at least there's a voice that he has to listen, you know.
03:50And we repeated that in the formal session, bilateral Malaysia and United States with President Donald Trump and within ASEAN.
03:59Naturally, I've got to be more guarded, right?
04:02I mean, this is any diplomatic encounters like that.
04:07I wouldn't be as, you know.
04:09I did spend, I mean, take it from me, Melissa, that I did my best to appeal to him to say that, look, the peace initiative must be comprehensive, must be durable, must be fair, ultimately.
04:32You see, and, of course, there are many things he said in private, which is, to me, enlightening, and, of course, I was happy to hear that.
04:44But then, these are, you know, private conversations between leaders, and you have to respect that.
04:49You start leaking phone calls like we did in the past, nobody will talk to you.
04:55Or you're leaking private conversations, they will not be done.
04:58So I'm just informing things that I think is something which is permissible.
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