Why Mahathir Is Wrong About Invitation To Trump

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MP SPEAKS | It is unwise for former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to urge Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in his capacity as the Asean chair, to cancel the invitation extended to US President Donald Trump to attend the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur at the end of October.
In a video statement delivered in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir referred to the United States under Trump's leadership as the primary instigator behind the genocide being carried out by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza.
According to Mahathir, European countries, including Britain, which was once a strong US ally, have taken steps that are clearly not favoured by the Trump administration.
He cited the fact that "Spain and Italy have deployed their warships to the Mediterranean to protect the Global Sumud Flotilla, which also involves Malaysians working to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestine" to justify his message of boycotting Trump.
Taking into consideration the above statement, I strongly disagree with Mahathir’s approach to cancel the invitation extended to Trump based on the following reasons.
The complex nature of foreign relations
The Madani government under Anwar’s leadership has been consistently vocal in speaking up against the atrocities committed by the Zionist regime in various bilateral meetings and international forums.
At the same time, the government is being pragmatic in taking into consideration the complex nature of Malaysia’s relations with big powers in the context of the current global trade war that requires a delicate diplomacy that ensures that Malaysia and Asean’s interests are not compromised.
The invitation to Trump is based on this context.
The Asean summit can never be narrowed down to a single issue, and I believe Mahathir, who is a former prime minister, understands this well.
Arab/Muslim engagement with the US
Mahathir seems to be unaware that a multilateral summit of US leaders and eight Arab states and state members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) convened recently at United Nations Headquarters on the margins of the High-Level Week of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
What is obvious is that the Arab/Muslim leaders used the instrument of diplomacy to make it clear to the US government the implications of annexing the West Bank and the feelings of the entire region on the policies of the US and Israel.
They highlighted the unbearable situation in the Gaza Strip, including the humanitarian catastrophe and high human toll, as well as its serious consequences for the region and impact on the Muslim world as a whole.
They reiterated the common position rejecting forced-displacement and the need to allow the return of those who left.
The leaders emphasised the need to end the war and achieve an immediate ceasefire that would ensure the release of the hostages and allow the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid as the first step toward a just and lasting peace.
These statements are the grievances of the Arab Muslims and the world at large on unacceptable conditions in Gaza that bear a collective voice, which is far more effective than boycotting a particular leader.
Malaysia, being the Asean chair, could use this opportunity to present the views of certain Asean member countries that oppose Israel’s action to Trump.
Majority of US presidents supported Israel
If one looks at the history of US support for Israel, most of the US presidents supported the occupation of Palestinian land, even during Mahathir's premiership.
Mahathir, who was a prime minister during Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, and Bill Clinton’s years, never advocated a boycott of these leaders who were staunch Israeli backers. His visit to Washington during the tenure of these presidents was pragmatic, addressing bilateral economic issues.
In fact, Israel’s undisputable hegemony and ability to commit genocide in Gaza and attack Arab countries in the Middle East is due to this pro-Israeli stand of these past presidents who played a historical role in being silent in the face expansion of settlements and the blockade of Gaza.
Billions of dollars of economic aid and arms have been delivered to the Israeli government over the decades. The only difference is that Trump is far more open and blatant in supporting Israel.
Why did Mahathir not boycott these leaders during his tenure?
Therefore, Mahathir's call to boycott Trump is nothing more than a political strategy to place the Madani government in a bad light on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
The complexity of international relations that requires engagement and diplomacy, and the deliberate lack of historical insights into past American support for Israel, even during Mahathir’s time, make the whole argument of boycotting Trump unrealistic and detrimental to Malaysia's interests.
Mahathir is just trying to score political points, but is doing so at the expense of our beloved nation. - Mkini
M KULASEGARAN is Ipoh Barat MP.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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