He said Bill O’Reilly’s comments reflect the former Fox News host’s xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia.

“That’s an extreme view marked by arrogance and ignorance, assuming that his group or country is successful.

“Clearly, he has no understanding whatsoever of Asia, Asean or current developments in this region,” he told reporters after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house organised by the finance ministry here today.

In the clip shared widely on social media, O’Reilly questioned the economic value of Beijing’s outreach to these Southeast Asian nations.

“Hey, President Xi, let me just break it to you. Those folks have no money at all. They cannot help you. They are not gonna buy your stuff because they don’t have any money.

“We have the money, we buy stuff. The ‘Malays’ aren’t gonna buy your stuff. They don’t have any money,” he said, using the ethnic term to refer to all Malaysians.

Xi visited Malaysia this week as part of a regional tour, amid a trade war with the US over its tariffs.

Anwar said O’Reilly’s remarks were narrow and outdated.

“This is what we refer to in the field of social science as a trapped way of thinking – still carrying the baggage of imperialism and colonialism,” he said, urging Malaysians not to be overly concerned by such views.