Malaysian Prime Minister concerned about China and the US
(Baonghean.vn) - The Malaysian Prime Minister said in an interview that the country is facing an increasingly aggressive China and the impact of US President Donald Trump's trade war.
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| Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Photo: AP |
In an interview at his office in Putrajaya, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir said Malaysia was facing major foreign policy challenges as it grapples with an increasingly aggressive China and the impact of US President Donald Trump's trade war.
On relations with China, Prime Minister Mahathir has been more cautious than his predecessor Najib. “We have always been friendly with China,” Mahathir said. “There is a saying that ‘the strong will get what they want, and the weak will yield what they have to yield’.”
Referring to Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea, Mr. Mahathir said, “We cannot go to war with them.” The Malaysian Prime Minister explained: “They are more powerful, and we cannot fight them, so how can we benefit from their prosperity and power? That is what we are looking at. We have to accept the reality of the situation.”
He also accused China of seeking to “spread influence using its currency”, and stressed that while China-backed mega-projects were welcome in Malaysia, he did not want the government or businesses to rely on borrowing from China.
Prime Minister Mahathir's second major foreign policy concern is another Pacific power: the United States.
“The trade war is not good for the world. He (Trump) has asked for unacceptable things,” Mahathir said, adding that the trade war would hurt everyone.Malaysia’s security concerns extend beyond Chinese warships in the South China Sea. Like many of its neighbors, Kuala Lumpur is also facing a growing threat from Islamist terrorism, fueled by returning militants from the Middle East and the proliferation of groups affiliated with the Islamic State (IS).
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| Former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is embroiled in the 1MDB scandal. Photo: Getty |
On domestic issues, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who won a landslide victory earlier this year at the age of 92, said he had “inherited” a bad government with rampant corruption and few trustworthy officials.
“From the outside we see the destruction, but we cannot imagine how big the destruction is. Most of the top officials in the government are corrupt. I have to work with some people who are suspected of corruption. It is a difficult job, if you do not work with colleagues you trust, you do not know whether what you want them to do will actually be done,” Mr. Mohamad shared.According to the 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) report published by Transparency International, Malaysia is currently ranked 62nd out of 180 countries. Along with widespread corruption and the scandal of the State Investment Fund (1MDB) of former Prime Minister Najib Razak./.
