FORMER law minister Zaid Ibrahim joined former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who strongly criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for inviting United States President Donald Trump to attend the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur next month.
In a post on X, Zaid questioned why Anwar would “bring shame” to Asean and its 300 million Muslims by welcoming Trump, adding, “I can only think it’s his ego.”
“He believes he has become an international leader by standing beside the madman,” Zaid wrote, referring to Anwar’s invitation to Trump.
He said Anwar should be aware of global outrage over the actions of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he accused of genocide through the killing and starvation of Palestinian civilians.
“Very few people in this wide world feel proud to shake hands with the narcissistic Trump. Anwar is one of them. For surely he knows Trump and Netanyahu have committed genocide on a scale not seen before,” he said.
He urged Malaysian leaders to protest Trump’s visit in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Meanwhile, Mahathir urged Anwar to reconsider his invitation to Trump.
In a video posted on Facebook yesterday, Dr Mahathir said the US, together with Trump, are the main actors behind Israel’s genocide in Palestine. He also said that Malaysia, despite being a small country, must demonstrate its opposition to Israel’s brutality.
According to him, Palestinians are not only being killed by bombs and weapons, but also by famine that has been deliberately manufactured.
“We cannot remain silent. The government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must step forward to state Malaysia’s position against the brutality of Israel and the US. This is a moral responsibility for our nation. I appeal to Anwar to rescind Trump’s invitation, as he is complicit in the crimes against humanity being committed by Israel against the Palestinians,” he said.
Anwar Ibrahim has defended Malaysia’s decision to invite United States President Donald Trump to Kuala Lumpur. He said the summit provides a vital platform for Malaysia to voice concerns over Palestine and Gaza while maintaining diplomatic ties.
Anwar stressed Malaysia must be strategic, upholding truth and justice without neglecting economic interests, especially billions in semiconductor exports to the US that support thousands of Malaysian jobs. —Sept 28, 2025
Main image: New Straits Times
