This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on June 4, 2018

LANGKAWI: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is reviving the “Look East” policy, which he had introduced in 1981, and will consider possible investments from Japan when he meets his counterpart Shinzo Abe on June 10.

Dr Mahathir, who has been critical of the terms involved in Chinese investments in Malaysia, has signalled the government’s intention to renegotiate and review infrastructure contracts with China-based companies after sweeping to power in the May 9 general election.

His trip was also aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s relationship with Japan, Dr Mahathir said on Saturday after a closed-door meeting with Pakatan Harapan leaders here.

However, he added that both premiers would “not be talking about anything substantial” but acknowledged that Japanese investments were a possibility.

Dr Mahathir said he goes to Japan every year to attend the annual International Conference on the Future of Asia, organised by Nikkei Inc’s flagship publication Nihon Keizai Shinbun.

“But since I will be there and I am the new PM (prime minister), I will meet PM Abe who has invited me. We are not talking about anything substantial. We are just strengthening our relationship with Japan, and I will speak a bit more of the Look East policy,” he said of his maiden trip overseas after becoming the prime minister for a second time.

During Dr Mahathir’s tenure as the fourth prime minister, he introduced the Look East policy to emulate the economic performance and work culture of its eastern neighbours, particularly Japan, while moving away from a dominant focus on the West.

However, he has recently been critical of Chinese investments, even considering the option to renegotiate the RM55 billion China Communications Construction Co Ltd-awarded East Coast Rail Link project, calling the contract terms “strange”.

Dr Mahathir had told Reuters that the government is reviewing the Belt and Road Initiative in Malaysia as he “does not like to see too many warships in this area because [a] warship attracts other warships”, although he had no issues with the initiative per se.