THE controversies surrounding the Malaysian and US administrations are likely to overshadow talks on future trade pacts between the countries.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan said while Prime Minister Najib Razak’s visit to the White House was important, there were lingering concerns over “unjustified allegations” concerning both nations.

“I hope the meeting will see more discussions on future trade agreements; a bilateral agreement, if that is what the US wants.

“It is unfortunate that the meeting will be clouded by allegations concerning our own government, as well as allegations against US President Donald Trump’s administration.

“That is unfortunate, but it is still very important to actually have it (the meeting) happen,” he said on the sidelines of a forum in Kuala Lumpur today that focuses on Malaysia’s economic ties with the US and China.

Wan Saiful said he hoped Najib would be able to persuade Trump to return to the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiating table, but acknowledged that “it is not going to be easy to do that”.

On Friday, Najib said he would seek to negotiate a bilateral trade agreement with the US, following the latter’s withdrawal from the TPP in January due to its preference for bilateral trade agreements over multilateral treaties.

Asean Advisory senior adviser Yong Hee Kong expressed hope that Trump would change his mind on the TPP.

“A lot of things are very fluid now, and Trump is known to change his mind on matters. Hopefully, the TPP can come back on again because the country has put in seven years of intense negotiations.

“It is a shame if it is not going to go ahead,” Yong told reporters.

Najib arrived in Washington yesterday with his wife, Rosmah Mansor. The visit is at the invitation of the US president to mark the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties between Malaysia and the US.

The prime minister is expected to seek US support to end the violence against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar.

However, his trip has drawn criticism from many parties over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Pakatan Harapan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail earlier said Najib should declassify the Auditor General’s Report on 1MDB before he went to the US.

She said by not publishing the report, the meeting between Najib and Trump could be seen as an effort to clear the name of “Malaysian Official 1”.

US newspaper The Wall Street Journal has also urged Trump to cancel the meeting due to similar concerns.

The US Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into funds allegedly siphoned off from 1MDB, and has sought to delay civil suits filed in the past two years to forfeit more than US$1 billion (RM4.3 billion) in real estate and other assets. – September 12, 2017.