Ahead of his scheduled meeting with United States President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said his underlying hope is for Malaysia to be seen as a reliable partner in trade, investments and security matters.

Najib told a press conference today that he would also be writing an opinion piece on this, with a message to the US administration.

“We hope that US companies will view Malaysia as among the top countries for investments.

“We also want access to biotechnology companies because we need their participation in terms of investment and the transfer of technology from the US,” Najib said after chairing Barisan Nasional’s Supreme Council meeting at Umno’s headquarters in PWTC, Kuala Lumpur.

On Monday, US-daily The Washington Post published a scathing opinion editorial (op-ed), which compared similarities and differences between Najib and Trump, including that both leaders are currently wrapped up in major investigations by the US Department of Justice.

The Wall Street Journal, which came under fire from Barisan Nasional supporters for its reporting on 1MDB, had in an editorial yesterday also cautioned the Trump administration on the risks of meeting Najib.

Commenting further on the negotiations, Najib hinted that certain initiatives would be communicated to Trump, with the aim of developing a mutually beneficial relationship for both Malaysia and US.

“It will not be a one-way street,” he said.

Aside from the meeting with Trump at the White House, Najib said other key engagements scheduled for his trip beginning Sept 12 would include bilateral meetings and a meeting with US Vice-President Mike Pence.

Talk on bilateral trade arrangements

Asked whether Malaysia would consider negotiating specific trade partnerships with the US after its exit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), Najib said Malaysia was open to the idea as the present US administration was also more in favour of bilateral trade deals.

“There is a possibility for us to talk about bilateral trade arrangements.

“We will begin some initial preliminary discussions on whether this is a route that we can pursue and the kind of time frame that would entail,” he explained.

Trump is expected to welcome Najib to the White House in Washington on Sept 12.

The Malaysian Foreign Ministry has also said that Najib’s visit was organised at the invitation of Trump.

It said Malaysia and the US looked forward to celebrating the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties, and that the relations have been enhanced under Najib’s leadership to a comprehensive partnership based on shared interests.