Trump`s immigration order reverberates to Indonesia, Malaysia

by Dramelin 5:30 PM 0 comments action immigration indonesia malaysia najib order policies refugees reverberates trump trumps worlds yemen

For now, Trump`s immigration order isn`t expected to directly hit political or economic ties with either country but it could bring longer-term social costs. "While Trump`s policies may not affect bilateral relations, it will certainly sway public perception, against the U.S," Arul Hadi Abdullah, Malaysia analyst at BowerGroupAsia, told CNBC in anticipation of the ban on Friday. Many expect Trump`s policies, perceived as unjust and discriminatory, could result in a decline of American soft power in Muslim-majority regions, which former U.S. leader Barack Obama attempted to carefully rebuild in the aftermath of the Bush regime. Politicians in Malaysia, where 60 percent of the 28 million-strong population is Muslim, also voiced concern about the move. Syrian refugees were indefinitely banned, while refugees from the other six countries faced a three-month hold.