'Father' of Malaysia savages Bush and Blair

[emad]

Mahathir brands US a rogue nation terrorising innocents and stands by claim that Jews 'rule the world by proxy'

Simon Tisdall in Kuala Lumpur
Friday May 27, 2005
The Guardian

Mahathir Mohamad, modern Malaysia's founding father and moderate Islam's self-styled champion, denounced the Bush administration yesterday as a "rogue regime" bent on terrorising innocent civilians. He also said he was disappointed that Tony Blair, who he called a "proven liar", had won re-election after joining the US invasion of Iraq.

Reflecting the rage felt across the Muslim world over abuse scandals in Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay, and continuing violence in Palestine and Iraq, Mr Mahathir said President George Bush and other US politicians were "ignorant" people who believed might made right - a return to colonial-era "old thinking".

Speaking to the Guardian at his offices in Putrajaya, near Kuala Lumpur, Mr Mahathir also claimed that the Israeli government had been given a free hand by Washington to continue to expropriate Palestinian land and entrench its control over Jerusalem. The war on terror would not end until the Middle East conflict was justly resolved, he said.

Asked whether he regretted his statement that "Jews rule the world by proxy", which caused an international furore in 2003, Mr Mahathir said he took nothing back.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1493443,00.html

[durutti]

1. One of my good friends is from Malaysia...

She just graduated from CMU in Pittsburgh. She greatly respects Mahathir for his role in the country's development, but would like free and fair elections and thinks he was in power too long.

[MisterP]

4. he's not PM anymore, though

[SteppingRazor]

2. Legitimate criticism, but a poor source

"moderate Islam's self-styled champion" or not, the level of human rights abuses under Mohamad in Malaysia was staggering.
He's also an anti-semitic douchebag, but that's neither here nor there.
He's right in this case -- Blair is a "proven liar" and under Bush the US is a rogue nation, if the definition of such a nation is one that disregards international law.
So, while I agree with the criticism, it's not as though Mahathir Mohamad is in any position to say what a just and wise leader of a nation ought to be.

[parkia00]

3. Human Rights abuses in Malaysia?

Could you explain a little more? Just curiousity, from a Malaysian.

[SteppingRazor]

5. Here ya go:

"Malaysia's human rights practice, by way of national laws and legal instruments, has steadily slid downhill since independence in 1957. This is due to several major political developments since independence and particularly because of the actions of the government led by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad since 1981. The only positive actions on the part of the state in recent years has been the endorsement of several international human rights conventions and the setting up of a national commission on human rights. These developments are summarized below."

http://www.aliran.com/hr/js1.html

And here's another, this one from Human Rights Watch:

http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/10/malaysia102903.htm

There's plenty more info out there. Beginning in 1981, when Mahathir came to power, the slow erosion of civil rights began in earnest. It's actually a pretty good model for what's been happening in America under Bush. Malaysia's Internal Security Act closely parallels the Patiot Act, for example.

[TahitiNut]

7. It seems to be the Legacy of colonialism.

The 'class' conflicts in former western colonies seem to be common in the aftermath of colonialism (aka 'global oligarchical capitalism'). Malaysia also seems to have inherited the anti-communist ideological backlash within the ethnic plurality of Malay-Chinese, many of whom are descended from emigrants fleeing the Communist takeover of China. Indigenous people appear to have suffered under the continued partitioning and segregation of ethnic groups. (Division has long been a political tactic of a 'ruling class.')

[parkia00]

8. Agreed...

there are a number of areas where I would like to see improvements. The ISA is outdated and should be revoked as it is no longer justified for the time. However a lot of westerners think that the goverment arrest people under ISA all the time for little reasons and having people simply disappear overnight never to be seen again is also unfounded. Calling human rights abuses in Malaysia as "staggering" is a little over the top in itself. The new prime minister is more moderate and one can hope his moderation spreads more. Things are getting better compared to the 1980's.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

6. "Jews 'rule the world by proxy' "

We know by this comment at least that Matathir is a nutcase.

[PATRICK]

9. remove the emotional content

of both his and your statements and there is a kernel of truth in that US and Israeli policy is coinciding on disturbing levels for restructuring the ME against Islamic nations. Which doesn't mean the Israelis won't be ultimately ruined and betrayed in trying to get their agenda across. The Iranians and the Russians and many others(Saudis) have also been playing the game to further their own agendas. Obviously someone, probably all, are going to end up duped losers in playing cards with the devil.

With so many people sucked into the Bush whirlpool it is necessary to focus on the chief enablers of the clearest crimes. Once ethnic hatreds and larger conflicts are stirred up these crooks are left rubbing their hands in their separate bunkers counting their loot.

[emad]

10. Mossad penetrated Middle East states in the 1960s/70s via

Andropov financed KGB ops. Many ID theft plants like UAE's Shaikh Zayed (RIP) and Dubai's Shaikh Rashid (also RIP) are good examples. Ditto Shah Reza Pahlavi.

Operation Gladio documents describe some of what went on.