Taiwanese companies operating in Malaysia are warning that Anwar Ibrahim's comments on Taiwan could make them think twice about investing there — bad news for Malaysia's push to attract chip money.

• Anwar suggested Taiwan is part of China and compared a possible Chinese attack to a Malaysian state trying to break away from the federation.
• Taiwan's foreign ministry condemned the remarks, and the main group representing Taiwanese businesses in Malaysia said force should never be justified as an "internal affair."
• The group pointed out Taiwan has its own elected government, courts, army, currency and passports, so the comparison does not hold up.
• Taiwan is one of Malaysia's top trading partners and has been pouring money into Malaysian chip plants, and investors weigh political risk alongside cost and talent.
• The message: Taiwanese firms are not asking Malaysia to pick a side, only to respect the status quo and the choice of Taiwan's 23 million people.

Outlook: Expect quiet pressure on Kuala Lumpur to soften its tone, with Taiwanese chip investment the leverage.