KUCHING: There will be minimal impact on Malaysia with Donald Trump winning the United States presidential election.

Political analyst Datuk Prof Dr Jayum Jawan said as far as Malaysia is concerned, no significant shift will be seen.

“Malaysia is small and not so significant in the eyes of the US. After the first prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia did not play any significant role in regional politics, and was antagonistic to the west under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the 1980s or 1990s.

“However, it is good that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was among the first few to send a congratulatory message to Trump on his re-election.

“It signals that Malaysia under Anwar is ready to work with Trump on issues of mutual benefits to Malaysia and the wider Southeast Asia region,” he said in a statement.

The Fellow Academy of Sciences Malaysia also said not much should be read into the return of Trump as the 47th President  with regard to how US relations with the outside world will change.

“As in his first term, Trump’s main focus is on revitalising his country, fixing many domestic issues such as health care, the influx of illegal immigrants and the state of its economy.

“However, its foreign policies toward the world at large, especially its allies, Europe, Asia and the rest of the world, are expected to remain. Domestic concerns will drive its foreign policies,” he said.

The former 15th Distinguished Tun Abd Razak Chair at the Centre for International Studies and Department of Political Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio US, also reflected on Trump’s victory.

“In 2016, Trump won the presidency on the basis of his campaign to ‘make America great again’, and in 2024 he rode to a victorious come-back riding on the same theme,” he said.

He said while Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party campaigned on the theme ‘I have a plan’ she never revealed what exactly her plans were for the US, thus the electorate bought Trump’s recycled theme to ‘make America great again’.

He added Trump told voters that he would tighten immigration and build a border to prevent illegals from entering the US, and also promised to send back illegals, and at the same time rebuild the American economy.

“In short, that’s how Trump is going to ‘make America great again’ by focusing on domestic issues that matter the most to the American voters,” he said.

Jayum said though Kamala did not win, she is no ordinary woman as she has created history by being the first woman to be elected Vice President of the most powerful country and from a minority group as well – a feat not many will be able to follow in her footsteps.