Dr M: US-China trade war will benefit Malaysia

Malaysia is likely to benefit from the trade war between China and the United States in terms of attracting foreign investors, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

Mahathir said policies implemented in this trade war would benefit investors who could not invest in certain countries, thus benefiting countries that were not involved.

“We (Malaysia) are not involved (in this trade war), and there is a possibility they (investors) who cannot go to certain countries, they will come here (Malaysia),” he said in a media conference in Langkawi.

The trade war between the two major countries accelerated on Wednesday when the US administration increased pressure on China for trade concessions by recommending a 25 percent higher tariff on China’s imports valued at US$200 billion.

Asked if Malaysia was ready to face the overwhelming influx of foreign investors following the trade war, Mahathir said: “(For) foreign investment, we are always ready.”

At the media conference, Mahathir also called on supporters of Pakatan Harapan not to take it easy in the by-elections to be held in Selangor despite having won in the last 14th general election.

“If they (Harapan supporters) do that, there is a possibility that Harapan will lose. That’s why we ask the voters to go out and vote,” he said.

Commenting on BN's decision to give way for PAS to contest in the Seri Setia state constituency in Selangor, he said it had proven that a pact had already taken place between these two opposition parties.

“We know for sure they are not separate parties. In front of us, they are segregated, but in actual fact, they are one party,” he said.

Earlier Mahathir, who is also Langkawi MP, officiated the Langkawi Nature Park, a nature park that featured over 80 species of fauna from within and outside the country here.

- Bernama