KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will remain neutral and is prepared to face possible changes in the global economic landscape following Donald Trump’s return as United States (US) president by focusing on soft power diplomacy in dealing with the new administration, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said Malaysia should exercise caution, without leaning towards any superpower, to ensure the nation’s economic interest remains protected.
“This is something that we must look at, using soft power diplomacy -- how not to be perceived as being unduly inclined towards any party.
“I want to put Malaysia as a middle state, neither leaning to the right nor to the left, and we also want to steer ASEAN in that direction,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara today.
He was replying to a supplementary question from Tan Sri Low Kian Chuan on Malaysia’s stance as ASEAN chair next year towards putting the regional grouping on a strong footing to face possible tariff hike threats.
Recently, Trump threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs on BRICS countries if they were to replace the US dollar in international trade.
According to reports, the President-elect demanded commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new BRICS currency nor back an alternative currency to replace the greenback.
