Mahathir calls on Asians to resist Western domination

Mahathir calls on Asians to resist Western domination

By David Chew

JAKARTA (JP): Earlier last month, Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad severely criticized the United States for making
what he felt were baseless claims against his country on a number
of controversial issues.

On March 3, following his return to Kuala Lumpur from
Bangkok where he attended the Asia-Europe meeting, Mahathir
dismissed U.S. claims that Malaysia operated as a money
laundering conduit for illegal drug trafficking between Southeast
Asia and America. A week later, the tough-talking premier hit
back at the U.S. 20th Annual Human Rights Report which criticized
Malaysia for failing to meet U.S. human rights standards.

These two salvos are part of a larger pattern of Mahathir's
frequently reported anti-Western tirades, in which he also took
digs at Britain and Australia over statements their leaders made
on earlier issues relating to Malaysia.

These tirades can be better explained against the wider
backdrop of Mahathir's concept of nationalism on which he dwelt
at some length in his book The Challenge.

Mahathir talks about the ongoing struggle for domination
between the West (Europeans) and the East (Asians) which has
historical roots. He explains that traditionally Europeans had
subjugated and colonized Asians, citing the conquests of
Alexander the Great, the Romans and later the British, Americans
and others.

But sometimes Asians also hit back successfully, as Genghis
Khan and Moslem rulers did in conquering parts of Europe when
they were powerful.

Mahathir contends that while discipline and superior
technology had enabled the West to dominate the East in earlier
eras, their decline in moral values, manifested by drug addiction
this century, has led to a steady erosion of their dynamism. The
tide has since turned, now favoring the East with their
conservative values such as diligence. The East should therefore
cash in on this emerging trend.

He points out that while Western Europe and North America had
been economic, political and cultural powerhouses in the past,
their role is increasingly being taken over by Asian countries
like Japan, South Korea and China. The focus of economic,
political and cultural activities is expected to shift from
America and Europe to the Asia-Pacific region in the next
century.

But the West is not taking this turn of events lying down.
Where they could use force a century ago to beat Asians into
submission, they now resort to economic measures such as cartels
and trade blocs like the European Community and North America
Free Trade Association to maintain their superiority over Asians.

Mahathir has singled out the U.S. as the leader of the West
which still believes in treating Asians as inferiors. He feels
that U.S. criticisms of Asian countries in general and Malaysia
in particular are not justified. They are based on warped
perceptions rather than rational logic.

In criticizing Asian countries on a number of issues where
U.S. interests are affected, Washington gives the impression that
it is playing the role of an international policeman who can do
no wrong. If often threatens withdrawal trade privileges to
persuade Asian countries to toe its line of thinking.

In showing instances where U.S. criticism of Malaysia lacks
logic, Mahathir cited President Clinton praising Malaysia for its
cooperation with the U.S. in fighting global drug production and
trafficking; then Washington blacklisted Malaysia, claiming it to
be a transit point for the export of drugs from Southeast Asia to
America.

Mahathir contended that if indeed U.S.-bound drugs passed
through Malaysia, America itself was also responsible as it
serves as a lucrative market for drugs.

It was also wrong for the U.S. to blame others for human
rights violations when it did not practice what it preached.
Mahathir cited the O.J. Simpson trial as a case where the process
of justice had been thrown into grave doubt.

"Because he (Simpson) had good lawyers, he was released... not
only the judge took part in the process of justice but also the
media which played a role in influencing the minds of the people. Is
this justice? This goes to show that there is no justice there and
that human rights were clearly violated," he said.

The gist of Mahathir's arguments, which did not go down well
with many Americans, was that America should keep its own house
in order and practice what it preaches first before telling
others what to do.

Many western countries, including the U.S., are experiencing
economic slowdowns which lead to job cuts, forcing many of their
nationals to seek employment in Asian countries with booming
economies like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and others.

On the whole, Mahathir may have put up a convincing array of
arguments to persuade Asian countries that western superiority
was a thing of the past. An Asian nationalist, Mahathir would
prefer Japan to take the lead in asserting Eastern superiority
over the West, particularly in the field of trade and economics.

What he has in mind for Japan is the leadership of his proposed
East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC), which reflects his rejection of
the U.S. domination of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC). He feels that Japan has not only the economic muscle, but
also a historical tradition in being the first Asian country to
defeat a European power like Tsarist Russia in the Russo-Japanese
War of 1904-1905.

Once Japan assumes this position, everything can fall nicely
into place. Before long, it may be possible for other Asian
countries to rid themselves of their traditional subservience to
the West.

But it appears to be easier said than done. Even Dr.
Mahathir himself concedes that it can be quite hard for Asians
under decades of western colonialism to shed a mentality which
acknowledges western superiority.

In the case of Japan's proposed leadership role, the stumbling
block appears to be Tokyo's close rapport with Washington,
whether in trade, politics, security or culture. These stem from
post World War II developments -- and appear unshaken despite
whatever differences between the two countries in recent times.

Much as Japan may want to play a leading role in the EAEC,
it is constantly reminded by the U.S. not to shirk its
responsibilities to APEC. Which partly explains why Japan appears
to be cool towards Dr. Mahathir's overtures to join the EAEC, a
move depicted by the U.S. as an attempt to split APEC into Asian
and European trade blocs.

Many Asian countries, including Malaysia, still depend on
the U.S. for economic progress. It cannot be denied that much of
their prosperity has been due to such American aid plans as the
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) where their exports to
the U.S. were either tax-exempt or subjected to low taxes.

Malaysia is the U.S.'s 13th largest trading partner, while
the U.S. is Malaysia's second largest, and largest foreign
investor. U.S.-Malaysia bilateral trade exceeds US$20 billion
annually in Malaysia's favor.

Given this favorable trade scenario which Malaysia enjoys
vis-a-vis the U.S., the country may be quite vulnerable to arm-
twisting by the U.S. Already, certain quarters in Malaysia are
nervous about the U.S. notice to withdraw Malaysia's GSP status
by January 1997.

U.S. authorities like to cite grounds such as Malaysia
having graduated to the status of countries like Korea, Hong
Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, which have also ceased to be GSP
beneficiaries. But many Malaysian leaders feel that any
withdrawal of the country's GSP status has more to do with Dr.
Mahathir's vociferous criticisms of the U.S. and other non-
economic reasons such as the country's alleged human rights
violations.

Thus it may take a long time before Dr. Mahathir's call for
Asian countries to stand up to the West, particularly the U.S.,
in every sense of the word, becomes a reality.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Singapore.