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COMMENT | Trump doesn't deserve Malaysian hospitality
COMMENT | We Malaysians are known for our warmth and hospitality. We open our homes, share our best food, and welcome people from all nations. It is part of our culture to treat guests with generosity and respect.
But hospitality should never be extended blindly. At a time when humanity is being tested by a moral crisis, our friendliness cannot be mistaken for approval for those who trample on justice and international law.
Donald Trump, since being re-elected as US president, has shown he does not deserve Malaysia’s or Asean’s hospitality. He has wreaked havoc on the global economy through arbitrary tariffs, bullied his trading partners, and clamped down on civil rights at home.
Most damning, he continues to shield Israel’s atrocities in Gaza. He vetoes UN resolutions, blocks Palestinian representation at the UN, and even floated the outrageous idea of expelling all Gazans to make way for luxury real estate.
His unconditional support for Israel makes him complicit in crimes against humanity.
COMMENT | We Malaysians are known for our warmth and hospitality. We open our homes, share our best food, and welcome people from all nations. It is part of our culture to treat guests with generosity and respect.
But hospitality should never be extended blindly. At a time when humanity is being tested by a moral crisis, our friendliness cannot be mistaken for approval for those who trample on justice and international law.
Donald Trump, since being re-elected as US president, has shown he does not deserve Malaysia’s or Asean’s hospitality. He has wreaked havoc on the global economy through arbitrary tariffs, bullied his trading partners, and clamped down on civil rights at home.
Most damning, he continues to shield Israel’s atrocities in Gaza. He vetoes UN resolutions, blocks Palestinian representation at the UN, and even floated the outrageous idea of expelling all Gazans to make way for luxury real estate.
His unconditional support for Israel makes him complicit in crimes against humanity.
Peace, justice cannot be sacrificed
In the spirit of diplomacy, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim invited Trump to the Asean Summit in October.
Asean values cooperation with all major powers, not only for trade but also for regional stability. Yet peace and justice cannot be sacrificed for economic interest.
Trump has not just abdicated America’s global responsibilities. He has mocked international law, sabotaged UN resolutions, banned ICC judges, and most recently, blocked the Palestinian delegation from even attending the UN.
This is a blatant breach of the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement. To roll out the red carpet for Trump would be to betray our own values and history.
As we celebrate our independence, we remember the pain of colonial domination and the long road to sovereignty. Palestine today mirrors that struggle, only with bombs falling, land stolen, children starved, and voices silenced.
For us, Palestine is not a distant territory. If we cherish our independence, we must stand with all peoples still fighting for theirs.
Malaysia has always supported Palestine across governments and generations. It is a cause that unites us beyond race and religion.
Hosting Trump now would send the wrong message - that we are willing to honour a man whose hands drip with Palestinian blood. Asean, too, must not give him a stage for lies and hypocrisy.
Justice for all, not just Palestine
Malaysia should take a courageous stand to revoke Trump’s invitation. Our region must show that leaders complicit in genocide will not be honoured here. Instead, Asean should reaffirm its commitment to peace, independence, and international justice.
We must also stand with all nations scorned by Trump’s arrogance. Our solidarity is not just for Palestine, but for all oppressed peoples around the world - including US citizens themselves.
If Trump can deny Palestinian representation at the UN today, tomorrow, he could silence any small nation that dares to defy American interests. Malaysia must also resist Trump’s dangerous plans for the mass deportation of Palestinians, which would amount to ethnic cleansing.
Malaysia’s action matters greatly not just to Palestinians; our voice represents Asean, the Islamic world, and the Global South.
By refusing to host Trump, we send a clear message: no superpower, however mighty, has the right to intimidate smaller nations or to transgress international law.
For Malaysia, rejecting Trump’s presence is not only a matter of foreign policy. It is a duty to our history, to our independence, and to our commitment to justice. Hospitality is a virtue, but it should never be extended to a criminal complicit in genocide.
Trump does not deserve our welcome, and Malaysia must have the courage to say so.
This Saturday (Sept 6), civil society groups will hold a protest march against Trump’s visit, starting at 5pm from McDonald’s Bukit Bintang to KLCC. Join us in urging the government to cancel the invitation to Trump.
CHUA TIAN CHANG (Tian Chua) is part of the Secretariat for Solidarity with Palestine.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
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Actually, Trump should not be invited to anywhere by anybody outside of the US even without this ASEAN thingy. Why? The world can get nothing, zero from him, due to the following: a) he is a serial liar, lying by dozens everyday he opens his mouth b) he does not listen to anyone (except Putin, to whom he behaves like a pet puppy, licking him every chance he gets) c) he talks without facts or any research data, only his opinion that he projects as facts d) he treats everyone else (except, again, Putin) as idiots e) he divides with his approach and the world will end up in perpetual conflict and crisis f) he is an idiot who likes the sound only of his own voice even when he is talking nonsense g) he has been found guilty of crimes in his own country h) he cannot be trusted or relied on at all i) he is an ugly bully j) he contributes nothing positive to the world ... on and on The world and humanity will be far better off without his presence anywhere...
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