WHAT are the key takeaways from US president Donald Trump’s just concluded attendance at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia?
Let’s start with the optics. The visit was unquestionably heavy on showmanship, pomp and circumstance. Malaysian officials clearly took a page from the strategic playbook utilised to good effect by countries ranging from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia: treat the US President as an arriving hero, roll out the literal and figurative red carpet, and deploy grandiose cultural pageantry in celebration of the visit. The desired effect was apparently achieved. As Air Force One landed on the tarmac in Malaysia, a visibly delighted President Trump danced to the thundering welcome of traditional Malaysian drummers awaiting his arrival.
