Deputy Foreign Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican (BN-Kepala Batas) told the Dewan Rakyat today that Malaysia’s relationship with China began in 1974 and this has significantly benefited both countries.

Taking a stroll down memory lane, Reezal said back when China was a “closed economy”, the country’s growth was unimpressive but Malaysian businessmen took a leap of faith by investing in the country.

He then listed sugar tycoon Robert Kuok as an example, saying that the business magnate was the first Malaysian entrepreneur to help China expand its trading sector.

“This has provided a great impact (to the ties between Malaysia and China).

“When China rose to be one of the superpowers in the past 10 years, Malaysia was made a priority for recognising China when the rest of the world didn’t.

“So, don’t think that we are the only one who sees China as important. China, too, acknowledges us.”

He was responding to a question posed by Sim Tong Him (DAP-Kota Melaka) who asked if there was a change in the country’s foreign policy following the historical bilateral agreements worth RM144 billion entered into between China and Malaysia.

Charles Santiago (DAP-Klang), who was also in the Dewan, then asked whether the prime minister was indirectly telling the United States to “mind its own business” through the deal.

“What the prime minister (Najib Razak) has said, was that we will not bow down to any country, or any external pressure trying to dictate who we can be friends with and who we can have diplomatic ties with,” Reezal said in response.

Some critics have alleged that the deal was Najib’s attempt to bail out state-owned 1MDB.

Parti Amanah Negara’s Strategic Director Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, on the other hand, told FMT that Najib’s foreign policy has tilted towards China, at the expense of its ties with the US, following the US’ Department Of Justice civil forfeiture action against several people, including his stepson Riza Aziz.