Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that Malaysia adopts a balanced approach in economic diplomacy, prioritising national interests, including energy security.
The leader was quoted by local media as addressing the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability’s monthly assembly on May 4 that trade negotiations with strategic partners such as Australia are conducted on a reciprocal basis, taking into account Malaysia’s need to import raw materials such as phosphate for fertiliser production, while exporting urea.
As such, he called on all parties to provide accurate facts, as this is a matter of national security and should not be treated as a political issue.
PM Anwar said Malaysia will continue to strengthen economic cooperation with key trading partners, including China and the US, despite differences in views on geopolitical issues.
He affirms that Malaysia continues to uphold the independence he refers to as ASEAN centrality.
He also stressed the need to maintain a pragmatic approach in international relations to ensure foreign investment flows are not disrupted.
In a related development, he said Malaysia still has strengths in high-value sectors such as electrical and electronics (E&E) and artificial intelligence (AI), which continue to attract global investors.
He added that multinational companies such as Intel and Amazon Web Services continue to expand their investments in the country./.
Malaysia tightens operational spending amid global uncertainties
Speaking at a press conference on April 29, Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil said ministries had received notices from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) regarding adjustments to operational spending. The move aligns with the Malaysian Government’s efforts to streamline programmes and activities as it grapples with global economic challenges stemming from Middle East tensions.
