KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has rejected demands that he resign over the government’s decision to sign the reciprocal trade agreement with the United States.
The Prime Minister said Malaysia was not the only country to do so, arguing that even an economic superpower like China is negotiating with the United States over reciprocal tariffs.
"This is not about surrendering, betraying, or (subjecting the country to) a new form of colonialism.
"Some people want to ask me to step down... How many times do you want to ask me to step down? Enough already," he said during Prime Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Nov 4).
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On Monday (Nov 3), former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed that the deal was lopsided as Malaysia had lost access to other markets and allowed Washington to interfere in key sectors such as food, manufacturing, agriculture, telecommunications, defence and mining.
Anwar pointed out that China and the United States held bilateral discussions in Kuala Lumpur before their respective presidents met.
"The Chinese and US teams negotiated for three days and three nights in Kuala Lumpur before the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"So we, too, played a role and made our contribution," Anwar added.
