LANGKAWI (June 2): Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is reviving his ‘look east’ policy with talks of possible investments when he meets his counterpart Shinzo Abe on June 10.

Dr Mahathir, who has been critical of Chinese investments with assertions of renegotiations and reviews of infrastructure contracts with China-based companies, was speaking to reporters after meeting Pakatan Harapan leaders here. He added the trip was also aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s relationship with Japan.

However, he added that they (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, I will meet PM Abe who has invited me. We are not talking abt 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 PM again.

Asked if this meant he was reigniting his famed ‘look east’ policy and (future) investments, he said “yes”.

During Dr Mahathir’s first tenure as Prime Minister, he introduced the look east policy to emulate the good economic traits of its neighbours, particularly Japan, while moving away from a dominant focus on the west.

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

Reuters reported that Dr Mahathir is also 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.