1. Reasons for ditching the dollar
2. Trade deals in local currencies
3. Regional cooperation

Malaysia is looking to ditch the dollar, joining the quest for survival and stability in a world where the dollar isn’t as untouchable as it used to be. BRICS started this process, and now Malaysia is looking to diversify its currency exposure.

Reasons for ditching the dollar

One of the big reasons the country is pushing away from the dollar is to keep its economy more stable. The dollar’s value can fluctuate, and when that happens, countries like Malaysia get hit hard. By using a mix of currencies, Malaysia is looking to smooth out these wild swings. When the U.S. makes changes to its monetary policies, it affects the entire world. Malaysia doesn’t want to be in a position where every ripple turns into a wave that crashes their economy.

Trade deals in local currencies

They’re also looking at cutting costs. Every time Malaysia does a trade deal in dollars, they’re paying extra because of conversion fees and other costs tied to using a foreign currency. By trading in local currencies, they’re trimming these costs. They’ve already made decisions in this direction, such as the deals they’ve struck with India, where both sides trade using their own currencies instead of dollars.

Regional cooperation

There’s a political angle too. By moving away from the dollar, Malaysia is signaling to America, “We want more control over our own money.” This is about taking back control and ensuring their monetary policies aren’t overly influenced by what’s happening in Washington. There’s also a bigger picture—regional cooperation. Malaysia is pushing for something called the Asian Monetary Fund to make it easier for Asian countries to trade with each other using their own currencies instead of the dollar. This would strengthen ties between these countries and help them rely less on Washington financially.

Malaysia is taking steps to move away from the dollar, aiming for a more stable economy and less dependency on U.S. monetary policy. Regional efforts, such as establishing the Asian Monetary Fund, could be a significant part of this strategy.