Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to invite Donald Trump to the ASEAN summit sparks debate

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has defended his decision to invite U.S. President Donald J. Trump to the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur next month, saying the visit is an opportunity to advance trade and regional cooperation even as critics and civil-society groups urge caution over the move.

Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to invite Donald Trump to the ASEAN summit sparks debate — trade, diplomacy and Gaza on the agenda

Anwar told reporters and posted on social media that Malaysia “awaits” President Trump’s attendance and that Kuala Lumpur intends to use the high-profile diplomatic platform to press for regional concerns — including continuing to voice support for the Palestinian people and drawing international attention to the situation in Gaza. He framed the invitation as pragmatic and commercially focused, pointing to expected economic benefits for Malaysia and ASEAN.

Trade and a reciprocal trade pact in the offing

One immediate and tangible outcome being prepared around the summit is the possible signing of a reciprocal trade agreement between Malaysia and the United States, which Malaysian trade officials say both leaders — Anwar and Trump — are expected to witness. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer had signalled Washington’s desire for the pact to be finalised during Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN, a development Kuala Lumpur says would help stabilise planning for businesses on both sides.

The trade push comes against a backdrop of recent U.S. tariff measures that have affected Malaysian exports; Malaysian officials have been negotiating tariff exemptions and adjustments with Washington, and the summit visit is being cast by the government as a diplomatic channel to lock in better terms.

Domestic backlash and calls to rescind the invite

Not everyone in Malaysia agrees with the government’s approach. Former prime minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and other critics have publicly urged Anwar to rescind the invitation, arguing that President Trump’s polarising global record and policies — particularly among pro-Palestinian constituencies and human-rights advocates — make his attendance inappropriate for an ASEAN platform. Pro-Palestine activists have likewise signalled plans for demonstrations and public campaigns ahead of the summit.

Anwar has rebuked such critics, saying they misunderstand Malaysia’s broader goal: to leverage the summit to attract investment, expand trade, and ensure ASEAN’s voice is heard on critical geopolitical matters — while maintaining Malaysia’s principled stance on justice and humanitarian issues. He has insisted that inviting a sitting U.S. president is consistent with Malaysia’s pragmatic foreign policy and not an endorsement of all of Washington’s policies.

ASEAN’s balancing act in a fractious geopolitics

The debate around Trump’s attendance highlights a longer-running diplomatic tightrope for ASEAN: the bloc seeks to maintain neutrality between great-power rivals while maximising benefits from both Beijing and Washington. Malaysia’s chairmanship of the summit has emphasised “inclusivity and sustainability” and has pursued economic initiatives including strengthening existing trade frameworks and exploring upgrades to regional deals such as RCEP. Inviting major external powers to the summit is presented by Kuala Lumpur as part of that strategy — even as it draws scrutiny over whether ASEAN should host leaders whose policies some members and constituencies find controversial.

What to expect at the summit

Officials say the summit — scheduled for late October in Kuala Lumpur — will include bilateral talks, plenary sessions and side events where trade, maritime security, supply-chain resilience and humanitarian issues will feature prominently. With Trump’s potential attendance, bilateral and multilateral discussions are expected to be intensively covered by the international press and could produce one or more headline outcomes such as the reciprocal trade pact that Malaysian ministers say is near conclusion.

Observers note the optics: a sitting U.S. president at an ASEAN leaders’ meeting hosted by a Muslim-majority country that has been vocally critical of the Gaza situation could generate sharp media scrutiny. Malaysian officials have said they will use the chance to press for humanitarian concerns while also pursuing economic deals — a dual-track approach that supporters argue is the essence of pragmatic diplomacy.

Political calculus and public sentiment

Domestically, the episode underscores Anwar’s political calculus: as chair of ASEAN and as prime minister reliant on a diverse governing coalition, he appears willing to absorb some controversy in exchange for potential economic dividends and increased international engagement. Critics counter that short-term commercial gains should not eclipse human-rights considerations and public sentiment on foreign policy matters. Analysts say how Anwar manages public protests, civil-society pressure and the summit agenda will be closely watched as a test of his navigation between domestic politics and international diplomacy.

Bottom line

As Kuala Lumpur counts down to the summit, the invitation to President Trump has turned what is normally a regional conclave into a focal point for broader global tensions — trade and investment ambitions on one side, humanitarian and reputational concerns on the other. Malaysia’s leadership is betting that hosting the U.S. president will deliver concrete economic and diplomatic returns; opponents warn it could complicate Malaysia’s standing with domestic constituencies and parts of the international community. Either way, the ASEAN meeting in October looks set to be one of the most watched gatherings in the region this year.

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Source:

• “Malaysia PM Anwar defends inviting Trump to ASEAN Summit after Mahathir calls for it to be revoked” — Channel News Asia (CNA)
• “Anwar stands by Trump invite” — The Star (The Star)
• “Mahathir urges Anwar to withdraw Trump’s invitation to 2025 ASEAN summit” — Mothership (Mothership)
• “Anwar rebukes critics of Trump invite, stresses Gaza voice” — The Edge Malaysia (The Edge Malaysia)
• “Malaysia asks U.S. for zero tariff rate on furniture, automotive and aerospace parts” — Reuters (Reuters)
• “Malaysia PM says US tariff rate on Malaysian goods to be announced Friday” — Reuters (Reuters)
• “China’s Xi likely to skip October ASEAN leaders summit, sources say” — Reuters (Reuters)
• “Southeast Asian nations want to discuss tariffs with Trump as a unified bloc, Malaysia PM says” — AP News (AP News)

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