PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has congratulated Donald Trump after the latter claimed victory in the US presidential election, calling it a “remarkable” political comeback for the former president four years after he left the White House.
Trump claimed victory after Fox News projected that he had defeated Democrat Kamala Harris, which would cap a stunning political comeback.
Trump had lost in the 2020 presidential election and was the first former US president to be convicted of criminal charges earlier this year.
“Congratulations to Trump on his remarkable political comeback and victory in the US presidential election,” said Anwar in a Facebook post.
“This new chapter brings renewed opportunities, and we’re ready to move forward with optimism, collaboration and shared purpose.
“We look forward to working closely with the incoming president to foster mutual benefit for the people of both our nations.”
Anwar also urged the US to use its “considerable influence” to help end the ongoing conflict in Palestine and Ukraine.
Noting that the US is Malaysia’s largest source of foreign investment and a vital player in the Asia-Pacific region, Anwar said he hopes that the superpower will reinvigorate its engagement with Southeast Asia when Malaysia assumes the Asean chairmanship next year.
Pundits had claimed that Trump’s political career would be ruined when his supporters attacked the US Capitol in January 2021 after he claimed the 2020 election was rigged.
In May, Trump was convicted by a jury in New York of 34 counts of doctoring business records to cover up hush money payments to pornstar Stormy Daniels to stop her from disclosing an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
While he faces other charges related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election which he lost to Joe Biden, the US Supreme Court has ruled that former presidents enjoy broad immunity from criminal prosecution.
During his election campaign, Trump had also said he would impose high tariffs on shipping goods to the US, to encourage companies to build factories in the US rather than overseas.
The Republican had vowed to introduce a 10% to 20% across-the-board tariff on imports and a 60% rate on Chinese goods. More recently, he threatened to impose a 200% levy on vehicles made in Mexico. - FMT
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