LABUAN: Malaysia hopes to see economic relations with US improve for the better following the victory of Donald Trump in the just-concluded presidential election, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan

"When you become president you will quickly realise the US is a very important country in the world, militarily and economically.

"It has many friends all over the world including Malaysia," he told reporters after the launch of the Asian Business Conference 2016 here today.

Abdul Rahman said the 45th US president was a businessman and he would not hurt the country's economy, let alone the world.

"When he goes to White House in January next year, I believe he will have a pragmatic economic approach. I believe this guy has been thriving on open economy and liberalisation.

"He may have to look after the domestic concerns, but at the end of the day, no president of the US will be able to perform without strong open trade and market policy," he said.--BERNAMA