Malaysia’s Anwar Told to Soften Israel-Hamas Rhetoric for Trump
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs that will hurt Malaysia
Nation seeking to balance ties between US, Global South
Anwar Ibrahim speaks during a pro-Palestinian rally in Kuala Lumpur, in Oct. 2023.Photographer: Samsul Said/Bloomberg
By Faris Mokhtar and Niki Koswanage
19 February 2025 at 10:43 AM SGT
Updated on
19 February 2025 at 1:44 PM SGT
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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been advised by government officials to soften his rhetoric related to the Israel-Hamas war to avoid any scrutiny or retaliation from US President Donald Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.
The concerns come as Malaysian officials become increasingly worried that Trump could hit the country’s export-driven economy with US tariffs, according to the people, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the situation. In particular, they fear the US could take further action against the Southeast Asian nation’s burgeoning semiconductor industry and a raft of AI-powered data center investments, the people said.