China, Japan are Malaysia’s priorities: Anwar. But Singapore?
Democracy icon uses Hong Kong speech to confirm he will stand in a by-election that will pave the way for him to succeed Mahathir Mohamad as Malaysian prime minister
Speaking at the CLSA Investors’ Forum, the 71-year-old politician confirmed Malaysian media reports that he was about to stand in a by-election – a move that will see him return to active politics and prepare to succeed Mahathir, 93, as prime minister.
Anwar used his nearly 80-minute appearance to underline assurances from the country’s new government that it is open to business from the Chinese mainland even as big-ticket Beijing-linked infrastructure projects are cancelled.
Among them are projects worth over US$2 billion that were to have been built by the state-linked China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau. The Malaysian government this week axed the projects, having frozen work on them in July.
“For Malaysia, we take a very positive view on the need to enhance bilateral relations, regional [relations], trade and investments, and China happens to be one great economy, a great neighbour that we need to not only continue [our relationship with] but enhance this relationship,” Anwar told the forum, organised by the offshore arm of China’s biggest brokerage.