PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is attending an Asean meeting after a 15-year absence, said Malaysia is concerned about megatrends involving the trade war between major powers.

He said the trade war will not benefit the countries concerned, nor the rest of the world.

Malaysia, as a trading nation, needs stability in the world market, and if that is undermined, naturally, the country will suffer, he said at the inaugural Asean Leaders’ Gathering in Bali, Indonesia, today.

“For this reason, we are all for settling problems, (but) not through wars of any kind, but negotiations, arbitration and resorting to the world court.

“By doing this, we spare damage to our countries when there is confrontation between us,” he said in his address at the meeting, held on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings, themed “Achieving Sustainable Development Goals and Overcoming the Development Gap Through Regional and Global Collaborative Actions”.

It was at the Asean Summit in Bali that Dr Mahathir bid farewell to the 10-member bloc when he stepped down as prime minister in 2003.

The current visit is his second to Indonesia since becoming prime minister a second time following the 14th general election.

Dr Mahathir said he wants to see Asean assume a bigger role.

“I count on my Asean colleagues to work together to achieve the sustainable development targets of our individual countries.

“I also hope to see renewed support from IMF, the World Bank and the United Nations, through its various agencies, for the region.” – Bernama, October 11, 2018.