Copyright bbc
Internationally, Anwar has been more successful. As prime minister, he has a deft balancing act ahead to make sure the emerging, economy he is in charge of doesn't get caught between the US and China. He had also invited China's leader Xi Jinping to the summit. Xi had made an official visit to Malaysia in April, after a 12-year gap, but he skipped this week's summit. But Trump's presence was no small thing for South East Asian economies that rely on the US market. It meant other countries, like Thailand and Vietnam, could also discuss details and gain assurances on tariffs - which they would count as a win, for now. Anwar has been very active on the diplomatic front. Within his first year as PM, he visited all Asean countries, apart from Myanmar, where a civil war has been raging since the army seized power in 2021. It has been one of Asean's most intractable challenges - while Anwar has been praised for speaking up more on the issue, little has changed on the ground, partly because China has the most influence over the military junta. Still, Professor Chin believes Anwar has "moved the needle a little" in restoring Asean's relevance. His role in the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire also boosted Anwar's standing, but these diplomatic wins mean little to ordinary Malaysians.
