Malaysia’s Mahathir: ‘I asked Trump to resign to save the US’
- Comments made in response to proposed Israel-Palestine peace deal were not levelled at the American people, the PM told a dialogue of French firms
- He also announced a revised economic growth forecast of 4.5 per cent, citing ‘challenging times’ as the reason for the reduction from an earlier estimate
“I asked him to resign to save America,” Mahathir said after a dialogue with French firms on Monday, according to The Star newspaper.
“This deal will only bring more conflict to the region, and will antagonise billions of people around the world,” Mahathir said at the third conference of The League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds on Saturday.
In response, the US embassy to Malaysia said the remarks were not in the constructive spirit that served as a long-standing foundation between the two countries.
“With good fiscal discipline, our budget deficit will narrow to 3.2 per cent this year. We are committed to provide a stable business environment for investors. We will be business friendly,” he said.
Mahathir also said French companies should continue to invest in Malaysia as the government was focused on creating a stable economy and a friendly business environment for investors, as well as targeting good fiscal discipline and transparency.
“We are also committed to removing corruption and launching institutional reforms,” he said at the business dialogue, according to The Star report.
To ensure Malaysia remains business-friendly, the Malaysia Incorporated policy that aims to foster close cooperation between the government and private sector will be revived, Mahathir said.
“The development of education is a priority to ensure we produce the right Malaysian talent needed for the 21st century or the digital age,” he said.
“We also welcome expatriates and foreign talent into Malaysia and we remain very generous with the various employment and resident passes for high-skilled and specialised foreign talent.”
Future infrastructure improvements will also benefit any foreign companies looking to invest in the country, Mahathir added.
“In short, Malaysia is very much open for business, he said, telling the audience of French firms that “the world is changing and a new order is emerging which Malaysia and France have a lot to gain by working together.”
Beware Trump’s ‘deal of the century’, warns Hamas chief in Malaysia
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng on Friday said his ministry was seeking feedback from other ministries and would present the stimulus plan to cabinet once completed.
“[The virus outbreak] will definitely have an effect, but we need to look at it over the entire year,” Lim said.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg and Reuters
