Bill O'Reilly sparks backlash for dismissing Malaysia's economy during Xi Jinping’s visit
“The Malays aren’t gonna buy your stuff. They don’t have any money,” he said with a chuckle.
DANIAL HAKIM
SHAH ALAM – Conservative American political commentator Bill O’Reilly has sparked outrage after dismissing Malaysia's economic significance during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia, labelling the country "too poor to contribute meaningfully" to China's trade agenda.
O’Reilly made the remarks in a YouTube video responding to Xi’s visit to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, amid escalating trade tensions between the United States and China.
“Alright, let’s update you on the tariffs,” O’Reilly began. “Chinese President Xi Jinping is going to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Hey, President Xi, let me break it to you—those folks have no money. They can’t help you. They’re not going to buy your stuff. Because they don’t have any money.”
He further questioned the strategic value of Xi’s trip:
“Maybe he’s trying to sneak in Chinese goods under the Vietnamese label, but that’s going to be easily exposed. So, I don’t even know what this is. If China loses the US market... it’s hosed. It’s just screwed.”
O’Reilly’s most inflammatory comment came when he singled out Malaysians by ethnicity:
“The Malays aren’t gonna buy your stuff. They don’t have any money,” he said with a chuckle.
The sweeping generalisations drew swift backlash online, particularly from Malaysians who pointed to the country’s economic resilience and growth.
It was reported that Malaysia’s GDP grew by 5.1 per cent in Q4 2024, up from 3.6 per cent in 2023, reaching RM1.93 trillion.
Gross national income per capita rose 3.6 per cent to RM54,894. Trade with China remained robust, growing 4.7 per cent year-on-year in January 2025 to RM41.43 billion, with imports from China up 9.4 per cent to RM28.11 billion.
China continues to be Malaysia’s largest trading partner, accounting for 17.1 per cent of total trade.
In 2022, 61 per cent of Malaysia’s cross-border e-commerce transactions were with China.
Xi’s visit to Malaysia – his first in over 12 years – marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The visit saw the signing of 31 Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), agreements, and diplomatic notes, highlighting a strong and ongoing economic partnership.
Xi’s Southeast Asia tour is widely viewed as part of China’s broader strategy to strengthen regional alliances amid increasing pressure from Washington, particularly in light of US tariffs first imposed under President Donald Trump.
O’Reilly, a former Fox News host, is no stranger to controversy. He previously anchored The O’Reilly Factor before parting ways with the network amid multiple sexual misconduct lawsuits.
His latest remarks form part of a broader pattern of skepticism among US conservatives toward Southeast Asia’s economic role.
In a separate interview with NewsNation's Chris Cuomo, O’Reilly also criticised Harvard University’s leadership, alleging bias against conservative viewpoints and calling today’s campus climate “hostile” to students on the right.
“It was a liberal culture (in the 90s) but other points of view were accepted. We all got along swell,” he said.
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