Malaysia is preparing to host the Asean Summit, a gathering meant to showcase Southeast Asia’s unity, resilience, and shared vision for peace. Yet one development threatens to overshadow this spirit: the planned attendance of US President Donald J. Trump.
This is no ordinary diplomatic visit. To welcome Trump with open arms would be to legitimise a leader whose policies and rhetoric have actively enabled genocide and emboldened impunity. Malaysia, with its longstanding moral leadership on Palestine and justice, cannot afford to betray its principles. Asean, too, risks losing credibility if it allows itself to become a stage for Trump’s divisive politics.
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