ABIM SUPPORTS MALAYSIA'S BID TO UNITE REGIONAL COUNTRIES IN ADDRESSING TRUMP TARIFF SHOCK

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) supports Malaysia's active efforts to unite regional countries, in principle and collectively, in addressing the tariff shock triggered by United States President Donald Trump.

ABIM president Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin said that as the Chair of ASEAN this year, Malaysia can take advantage of the opportunity during the ASEAN Summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China, scheduled for the end of May, to lay the groundwork for economic cooperation with the ASEAN +3 bloc (China, Japan, and South Korea).

“The meeting between China, Japan, and South Korea in Kuala Lumpur is one of the indicators of the trust placed by major countries in Malaysia's role as a neutral and strategic dialogue platform.

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“This opens up a new spectrum, not only for ASEAN countries but also for countries from the Islamic world, the European Union (EU), and other nations, to explore new, fairer, and more balanced economic and trade opportunities,” he said in a statement today.

He made these remarks in response to a statement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who urged closer cooperation among ASEAN countries to face the economic crisis triggered by Trump.

Ahmad Fahmi said that the US decision to raise tariffs is not merely aimed at increasing trade profits but also at strengthening US political dominance on the international stage, thereby exerting pressure on the economies of other countries.

Therefore, he also called on the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), especially the Gulf countries, to capitalize on this momentum and establish a stronger foundation for economic cooperation with the ASEAN+3 bloc.

“The Islamic world must be proactive in playing a strategic role in creating a fairer global economic landscape for all,” he added.

-- BERNAMA