Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad believes that it is not necessary to hold an “impromptu” Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in the United States next month.
US President Donald Trump previously mooted the meeting following the cancellation of the original November 2019 summit in Santiago, Chile.
Addressing a press conference this morning, the PM commented that such meetings needed extensive preparation.
“Well, I think it is not necessary in the first place.
“Chile has actually done a good deal of work in their preparations.
“Nobody else can do one year’s work like Chile and if you have just a meeting called, an impromptu meeting called... so, that is why we decided that it was not necessary,” he said when asked about Trump’s suggestion.
Mahathir spoke to the media after launching the Apec 2020 Summit, which will take place in Malaysia.
He added that “almost everyone” in Apec had turned down the invitation to meet in January 2020.
“I hear there was an invitation extended to the Apec countries, but almost every one of us decided that it was not necessary. So we didn't go,” he said.
The 21 Apec members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.
This is the country’s second time hosting the summit after doing so in 1998, when Mahathir was in his first term as prime minister. - Mkini
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