THERE will always be critics — loud, certain, and self-righteous — whenever nations gather to talk peace, trade, or cooperation. And this week, as ASEAN leaders meet in Kuala Lumpur, the noise has been particularly loud.
Much of it directed at the fact that Malaysia is hosting US President Donald Trump — a man whose policies, especially his administration’s support of Israel, have been condemned by most around the world as enabling the tragedy in Gaza.
I understand that anger. I share the anger, and the horror at the suffering of the Palestinian people. It is incomprehensible yet real. But outrage alone, however justified, is not a policy.
Shouting from outside the room may make one feel righteous, but it saves no lives. It feeds no family. It builds no bridge toward peace - if not followed through with pragmatic action.
Real leadership requires the courage to walk into rooms filled with those we disagree with — sometimes even those we dislike — because only then can we hope to influence outcomes. It is easy to grandstand for applause; it is much harder to engage for results.
Engagement Is Not Endorsement
Hosting President Trump is not an endorsement of every decision made by Washington. It is a recognition of reality — that the United States remains a global power whose actions shape much of the world’s politics, economy, and security. If we truly wish to speak for the voiceless and protect the vulnerable, then our moral duty is to engage, not isolate.
Diplomacy is not about purity. It is about progress. Every peace agreement, every trade pact, every ceasefire ever achieved — began with two sides who could barely stand the sight of each other deciding, however reluctantly, to talk.
The Pragmatism of Leadership
What Malaysia has achieved this week is no small feat. Under Malaysia's and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's pragmatic and principled leadership, Kuala Lumpur has managed to bring together multiple global leaders — men and women from vastly different ideologies, religions, and political systems — to sit in the same room, at the same table, to talk.
That is diplomacy in its purest form: creating space for dialogue where division might otherwise thrive. To unite such diverse voices under one roof is not a coincidence; it is the product of Malaysia’s credibility, balance, and moral clarity. It is proof that when we engage with sincerity and purpose, even the most opposing forces will listen.
Malaysia’s Quiet Role
What few critics acknowledge is that Malaysia’s leadership has already demonstrated the power of engagement. Our government quietly facilitated dialogue between two neighbouring nations teetering on the edge of conflict. Those talks have now resulted in an agreement that prevents bloodshed and restores stability in our region.
That is diplomacy at its best — unseen by cameras, uncelebrated by the crowd, but deeply consequential for the lives of millions. And it happened because Malaysia chose to engage, not condemn from afar.
What Malaysia Represents
In hosting this ASEAN summit, Malaysia is doing what it has always done best — bringing people together. We are a nation born of diversity, sustained by dialogue. Our very existence proves that disagreement need not lead to division.
This summit is not just about trade or security. It is about reasserting what Southeast Asia stands for: balance, pragmatism, and moral clarity grounded in action, not emotion.
Malaysia’s global standing grows not from slogans, but from substance. Every handshake, every meeting, every small bridge we build strengthens our credibility — and that, in turn, strengthens our economy, our people, and our ability to influence global affairs.
The Only Way Forward
To those who condemn engagement: understand that isolation achieves nothing. Anger without action is vanity. We can mourn the innocent and still meet the powerful. We can oppose injustice and still sit at the same table as those who perpetuate it — because that is the only table where we can demand change.
If Malaysia truly wishes to help the Palestinians, to prevent wars in our region, to ensure prosperity for our citizens — then we must continue to be in every room that matters. Not because we agree with everyone in it, but because without us there, the conversation will go on without our voice — and the world will be poorer by it. – October 26, 2025
Datuk Dr Vinod Sekhar is the publisher of the Vibes and Chairman of the Petra Group
