Political positions of Mahathir Mohamad explained

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's political views have shifted during his lengthy career. Support for "Asian values," liberal Islam and Malay nationalism have long been part of Mahathir's political ideals. He has long been a critic of the foreign policy of the United States and other Western nations. Mahathirism has had an influence over subsequent Malaysian administrations.[1]

Overview

During the 1980s, he was a supporter of Third-Worldism, while during other periods he has been a proponent of "Asian values" and globalization.[2]

Mahathir is a vocal critic of neoliberalism and the Western world.[3] [4] In 2011, Mahathir suggested that the September 11 attacks might have been staged by the United States government.[5] [6] Mahathir condemned the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1997, suggesting it be revised to place greater importance on economic growth over civil liberties.[7]

A Muslim thinker, he holds Islamic political views. In 2002, he characterised himself as a Islamic fundamentalist. Mahathir is generally respected in developing and Islamic countries, particularly due to his oversight of Malaysia's economic growth and his support of liberal Muslim values.[8]

He has been described as anti-royalist by Libération, owing to his efforts to oppose immunity for members of Malaysia's monarchies.[9]

Malay nationalism

Mahathir has been described as a proponent of Malay nationalism. In The Malay Dilemma, he argued that the Malay race had been marginalised, and voiced his support for affirmative action policies for them.[10] Upon his first resignation, he expressed his disappointment at the progress made towards his "principle task" of supporting the Malay race. In 2021, Mahathir said he did not believe in "Ketuanan Melayu", calling it a "fantasy", and said instead that he believed in "Bangsa Malaysia".[11]

Environment

Mahathir has advocated for a balance between environmental protection and natural resource use for economic growth.[12] He referred to the outcomes of the Earth Summit as "eco-imperialism", arguing that Global North countries put an undue burden on Global South countries for environmental degradation.[13]

Allegations of antisemitism

A strident critic of Israel, Mahathir has been accused of antisemitism throughout his political life.[14] In The Malay Dilemma, he wrote that "Jews are not merely hook-nosed, but understand money instinctively".[15] In August 1983, Mahathir claimed in a speech that Jews control the international media.[16] In March 1994, he banned the screening of Schindler's List on the grounds that he viewed it as anti-German, pro-Jewish propaganda. During the collapse of the ringgit and the economic crisis in 1997, he made a series of remarks blaming Jews, in particular George Soros, a Jewish "agenda", and "an international Jewish conspiracy" attempting to destroy the economies of Muslim countries.[17] [18]

During an Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit held in Kuala Lumpur in 2003, he accused Jews of "ruling the world by proxy" and getting "others to fight and die for them".[19] [20] His speech was denounced by President George W. Bush.[21] In 2012, he claimed he was "glad to be labelled antisemitic".[22] In a 2018 BBC interview he repeated similar statements, as well as disputing the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust.[23] In 2019, when asked why he had previously claimed that Jews are "inclined towards money" he responded that he had Jewish friends, and that "they are not like the other Jews, that's why they are my friends."[24] Mahathir has defended his comments about Jews as an exercise of free speech, and by claiming that "the Jews do a lot of wrong things which force us to pass comment."[25] [26] [27]

LGBT rights

Mahathir opposes an expansion of LGBT rights in Malaysia.[28] [29] In 2001, Mahathir said that any homosexual ministers from the United Kingdom would be barred from entering Malaysia.[30] During an October 2018 lecture to university students in Bangkok, Mahathir contrasted Malaysian values with those of Western nations and cited "the institution of marriage [and] the family" in his opposition to LGBT.

Foreign affairs

In 2020, Mahathir expressed support for Joe Biden in the 2020 United States presidential election, saying that the re-election of Donald Trump would be a "disaster".[31]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Dosch . Jörn . 2014 . Mahathirism and Its Legacy in Malaysia's Foreign Policy . European Journal of East Asian Studies . 13 . 1 . 5–32 . 10.1163/15700615-01301003 . 44162324 . 1568-0584.
  2. Book: Schottmann, Sven . Mahathir's Islam: Mahathir Mohamad on Religion and Modernity in Malaysia . 2018 . University of Hawai'i Press . 978-0-8248-4674-9 . j.ctvvn4z8 . 15 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221115163815/https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvvn4z8 . 15 November 2022 . live.
  3. Web site: 19 August 2022 . Malaysia's Mahathir says US seeking to provoke war in Taiwan . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220829161943/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-2022-midterm-elections-biden-taiwan-nato-96f52741ce6e9e6a2cdcfce5fd459ad8 . 29 August 2022 . 29 August 2022 . Associated Press.
  4. News: 31 January 2007 . Mahathir to launch war crimes tribunal . The Star (Associated Press) . dead . 14 January 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080612065755/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2007%2F1%2F31%2Fnation%2F20070131173214&sec=nation . 12 June 2008.
  5. News: Roslan Rahman . 11 September 2011 . Malaysia's Mahathir: 9/11 not work of Muslims . AFP News . live . 10 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141109114620/https://my.news.yahoo.com/malaysias-mahathir-9-11-not-muslims-045737526.html . 9 November 2014.
  6. Web site: AR . Zurairi . 9 March 2015 . In Dr M's 'New World Order' meet, academics claim war on terror 'big US lie' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210924060323/https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2015/03/09/in-dr-ms-new-world-order-meet-academics-claim-war-on-terror-big-us-lie/855701 . 24 September 2021 . 24 September 2021 . . en.
  7. News: . 2 August 1997 . Madeleine Albright Sings Out . . live . 15 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104181455/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/02/opinion/madeleine-albright-sings-out.html . 4 January 2018.
  8. News: Bowring, Philip . 23 September 1998 . Twin Shocks Will Leave Their Mark on Malaysia . International Herald Tribune . dead . 14 January 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080611121810/http://www.iht.com/articles/1998/09/23/edbow.t_0.php . 11 June 2008.
  9. Web site: Defranoux . Laurence . Abdication surprise du roi de Malaisie . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221115165633/https://www.liberation.fr/planete/2019/01/06/abdication-surprise-du-roi-de-malaisie_1701288/ . 15 November 2022 . 15 November 2022 . Libération . fr.
  10. News: 8 May 2018 . Mahathir Mohamad: The man who dominated Malaysian politics . en-GB . . live . 15 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221122132932/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44028023 . 22 November 2022.
  11. Web site: 12 December 2021 . I don't believe in 'Ketuanan Melayu' fantasy, says Dr M . . 15 November 2022 . 12 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211212114214/https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/12/12/i-dont-believe-in-ketuanan-melayu-fantasy-says-dr-m/ . live .
  12. Web site: . 2019-09-27 . Mahathir highlights Malaysia's conservation efforts . 2023-09-02 . Malaysiakini.
  13. Mohamed . Mahathir bin . April 1999 . The Green Flag of Eco-Imperialism . New Perspectives Quarterly . en . 16 . 2 . 8–9 . 10.1111/0893-7850.00214.
  14. Web site: Global Anti-Semitism Still Potent . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180512112804/https://www.adl.org/news/op-ed/global-anti-semitism-still-potent . 12 May 2018 . 11 May 2018 . .
  15. Web site: Sugarman . Daniel . 17 January 2019 . Oxford Union criticised for inviting antisemitic Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to speak . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190125020442/https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/oxford-union-criticised-for-inviting-antisemitic-malaysian-prime-minister-mahathir-mohamad-to-speak-1.478744 . 25 January 2019 . 24 January 2019 . The Jewish Chronicle.
  16. Yegar . Moshe . 2006 . Malaysia: Anti-Semitism Without Jews . live . . 18 . 3/4 . 81–97 . 0792-335X . 25834698 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211204152312/https://www.jstor.org/stable/25834698 . 4 December 2021 . 4 December 2021.
  17. News: Mydans . Seth . 16 October 1997 . Malaysian Premier Sees Jews Behind Nation's Money Crisis . en-US . . live . 4 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211204151154/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/16/world/malaysian-premier-sees-jews-behind-nation-s-money-crisis.html . 4 December 2021 . 0362-4331.
  18. News: 24 October 2003 . Mahathir's dark side . . London . live . 5 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180421180307/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/3597972/Mahathirs-dark-side.html . 21 April 2018.
  19. News: Mahathir attack on Jews condemned. Ressa. Maria. 17 October 2003. CNN International. 9 December 2020. 18 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070218103928/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/16/oic.mahathir/. live.
  20. News: 21 October 2003 . Views on Jews By Malaysian: His Own Words . The New York Times . The Associated Press . live . 11 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180512113255/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/21/world/views-on-jews-by-malaysian-his-own-words.html . 12 May 2018.
  21. News: 21 October 2003 . Bush rebukes Malaysia leader over remarks about Jews . CNN . live . 11 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160318091827/http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/20/rice.mahathir/index.html . 18 March 2016.
  22. Web site: Dr M says glad to be called 'Antisemitic'. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120926220654/http://antisemitism.org.il/article/74691/dr-m-says-glad-be-called-%E2%80%98antisemitic%E2%80%99. 26 September 2012. 29 September 2012. CFCA.
  23. News: Cambridge Union audience laughs at anti-Semitic 'joke' by Malaysian prime minister. 18 June 2019. The Telegraph. 24 October 2019. en-GB. 0307-1235. https://web.archive.org/web/20191024133349/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/17/cambridge-union-audience-laughs-anti-semitic-joke-malaysian/. 24 October 2019. live.
  24. Web site: 17 June 2019. Malaysia PM tells Cambridge Union his Jewish friends are 'not like other Jews'. 7 November 2021. The Independent. Zamira. Rahim. en. 7 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211107013237/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mahathir-mohamed-anti-semitic-cambridge-union-jewish-malaysia-a8962246.html. live.
  25. Web site: Cortellessa. Eric. A defiant Malaysian PM defends his anti-Semitism in the name of free speech. 16 February 2021. The Times of Israel. 26 September 2017. en-US. 26 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190926224725/https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-defiant-malaysian-pm-defends-his-anti-semitism-in-the-name-of-free-speech/. live.
  26. Web site: Lin. Koh Jun. 25 September 2019. In speech at Columbia, Mahathir cites free speech for anti-Semitic remarks. 16 February 2021. Malaysiakini. en. 26 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190926225023/https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/493315. live.
  27. Web site: Malaysia PM questioned why Jews 'resent' being called 'hook-nosed'. 7 November 2021. The Jewish Chronicle. 18 June 2019. Lee. Harpin. 7 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211107013237/https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/prime-minister-of-malaysia-questioned-why-jews-resent-being-called-hook-nosed-cambridge-union-1.485530. live.
  28. Web site: 26 October 2018 . Mahathir claims LGBT rights are 'Western values' not fit for Malaysia . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190606163319/https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2170274/mahathir-mohamad-claims-lgbt-rights-are-western-values-will . 6 June 2019 . 29 May 2019 . South China Morning Post . en.
  29. Web site: 25 October 2018 . Malaisie: le premier ministre rejette les revendications LGBT . 15 November 2022 . LEFIGARO . fr . 15 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221115144840/https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2018/10/25/97001-20181025FILWWW00195-malaisie-le-premier-ministre-contre-les-revendications-lgbt.php . live .
  30. News: 1 November 2001 . Gay ministers barred, Malaysia tells UK . en-GB . . 5 May 2023 . 2 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170802140647/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1632012.stm . live .
  31. Web site: 2020-06-13 . Mahathir backs Biden, says US re-electing Trump would be disaster . 2023-09-26 . South China Morning Post . en.

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