MALAYSIA has rejected a proposal by the United States to host the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in January, said Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

The US has moved in to host the annual trade meet in January after Chile scrapped the November summit over violent anti-government protests in its capital Santiago.

Saifuddin said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had sought his views on Malaysia’s position to a possible Apec meeting in the US in January during a recent regional summit in Bangkok.

“I told him we do not think it is a good idea,” Saifuddin told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

He did not give a reason for objecting the US plan but Malaysia is slated as host next year. – November 7, 2019.