An aide to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has defended the invitation extended to Donald Trump for the Asean Summit next month, saying rejecting the attendance of the US president is “not the solution”.
This comes after PAS leaders questioned Malaysia’s rationale for inviting Trump to the summit and revealed that the Islamic party was considering a protest against the US leader’s attendance.
“The principles of diplomacy demand that we speak the truth face-to-face, not avoid it.
“By doing so, Malaysia not only affirms solidarity with Gaza but also demonstrates wisdom as a host nation – courageous, principled, and mature in diplomacy,” Anwar‘s senior press secretary Tunku Nashrul Abaidah said in a broadcast on Facebook.
Nashrul also said Malaysia was determined to ensure that the summit would not be consumed solely by geopolitical issues but would also advance a shared agenda.
Such shared agenda include strengthening economic cooperation, attracting strategic investments, expanding trade, and accelerating regional integration as a global economic force.
“Asean must speak with one voice and seize opportunities with all dialogue partners – not only the US but also China, Japan, Korea, Australia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council,” Nashrul said.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had yesterday described Malaysia’s justification for inviting Trump to the summit as weak and unreasonable.
Describing Trump as a “great devil”, Hadi said Trump’s administration had repeatedly vetoed United Nations Security Council resolutions to hold Israel accountable for its actions and had supplied “banned weapons” now being used in Gaza.
Malaysiakini quoted PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan as saying today that his party was planning to hold a demonstration to oppose the Republican leader’s attendance at the Asean Summit, but no date or venue for the protest had been decided.
Nashrul stressed that Trump’s presence alongside other world leaders in Kuala Lumpur was part of the diplomatic mandate entrusted to Malaysia.
“This is not about recognition of the policies of any leader, but recognition of Asean as a whole and Malaysia’s leadership as chair,” he said.
Urimai deputy chairman David Marshel had suggested that PAS should instead push for a meeting with Trump, saying that mass protests would pale in comparison with engaging the US president directly to push for an end to the killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
