Foreign relations Mahathir Mohamad

1 foreign relations

1.1 united states
1.2 australia
1.3 singapore
1.4 bosnia-herzegovina
1.5 developing world

foreign relations

during mahathir s term, malaysia s relationship west fine despite being known outspoken critic towards it. during tenure, small disagreement united kingdom on university tuition fees sparked boycott of british goods led mahathir, in became known buy british last campaign. led search development models in asia, notably japan. beginning of famous east policy . although dispute later resolved prime minister margaret thatcher, mahathir continued emphasise asian development models on contemporary western ones. particularly criticised double standards of western nations

united states



mahathir greeting secretary of defense william cohen in kuala lumpur in 1998 during pacific dialogue conference.

mahathir has been publicly critical of foreign policy of united states , yet relations between 2 countries still positive , united states biggest source of foreign investment, , malaysia s biggest customer during mahathir s rule. furthermore, malaysian military officers continued train in under international military education , training (imet) program.

the bbc reported relations united states took turn worse in 1998, when vice-president al gore stated @ asia-pacific economic cooperation (apec) conference hosted malaysia:

democracy confers stamp of legitimacy reforms must have in order effective. , so, among nations suffering economic crises, continue hear calls democracy, calls reform, in many languages – people power, doi moi, reformasi. hear them today – right here, right – among brave people of malaysia.

gore , united states critical of trial of mahathir s former deputy anwar ibrahim, going far label show trial . news , world report called trial tawdry spectacle. also, anwar preeminent malaysian spokesperson economic policies preferred imf, included interest-rate hikes. article in malaysia today commented gore s comments constituted none-too-subtle attack on malaysia s prime minister mahathir mohamad , more on governments, including japan, resist demands further market reforms. gore s endorsement reformasi (reformation) asking (among other things) ouster of mahathir, anathema mahathir, , remarked ve never seen rude . summed malaysian expectation 1 guest should not show such discourtesy host.

however, mahathir s views firmly entrenched before event. example, before asean meeting in 1997, made speech condemning universal declaration of human rights, calling oppressive instrument united states , other countries try impose values on asians. added asians need stability , economic growth more civil liberties. these remarks did not endear him secretary of state madeleine albright, guest @ meeting.

the relationship stormy both ways. following anwar s firing , subsequent imprisonment, madeleine albright paid visit anwar s wife.

yet mahathir has not hesitated point america justification of own actions. in speaking of arbitrary detention without trial of prisoners of conscience in malaysia, said: events in united states have shown there instances special powers need used in order protect public general good.

at other end of spectrum, united states government has criticised malaysian government implementing isa, in 2001 when president george w. bush said internal security act draconian law. no country should longer have laws allow detention without trial. in 2004, however, bush reversed stance , claimed cannot classify malaysia s internal security act draconian law.

in 2003 mahathir spoke non-aligned movement in kuala lumpur, , part of speech, said:

if innocent people died in attack on afghanistan , have been dying lack of food , medical care in iraq considered collaterals, 3,000 died in new york, , 200 in bali collaterals deaths necessary operations succeed?

marie huhtala, american ambassador malaysia, responded statement: these not helpful statements standard, , m here tell washington take note of them. bound have harmful effect on relationship.

more recently, 2003 invasion of iraq caused additional friction between 2 countries; mahathir highly critical of president george w. bush acting without united nations mandate.

in spite of this, malaysia s relationship has been strong. 2003 house subcommittee hearing (serial no. 108–21) on policy towards south east asia sums despite blunt , intemperate public remarks prime minister mahathir, u.s.-malaysian cooperation has solid record in areas diverse education, trade, military relations, , counter-terrorism.

even after retirement, mahathir not hesitant criticisms of united states. in 2004, (the star, 18 october 2004), quoted having said american people are, , large, ignorant , know nothing rest of world.... yet people decide powerful man in world . in same interview, correctly predicted george w. bush s victory in 2004 united states presidential election.

australia

mahathir s relationship australia (the closest country in anglosphere malaysia, , 1 foreign policy concentrated on region), , relationship australia s political leaders, has been particularly rocky. relationships between mahathir , australia s leaders reached low point in 1993 when paul keating described mahathir recalcitrant not attending apec summit. (it thought keating s description linguistic gaffe, , had in mind intransigent .)

mahathir, along other malaysian politicians (and many other asian leaders) heavily criticised keating s successor, john howard, believed had encouraged pauline hanson, views perceived racist.

singapore

mahathir alumnus of medical college @ university of malaya @ time located in singapore under british malaya (university of malaya campus @ singapore has since been renamed national university of singapore while campus @ kuala lumpur remains university of malaya). graduated physician king edward vii medical college in 1953, during british rule.

however, relations singapore under mahathir s tenure stormy. many disputed issues raised during administration have not been resolved. many of these international issues have been raised under mahathir s premiership term, no significant headway had been made resolve them bilaterally. issues have included:

the low price of raw water paid singapore malaysia (3 malaysian cents (us$0.008) per 1000 gallons);
the proposed replacement of causeway suspension bridge improve water flow through straits of johor (later cancelled mahathir s successor, abdullah ahmad badawi);
singapore s land reclamation work, affecting shipping access port tanjung pelepas;
the use of malaysian airspace republic of singapore air force jets;
the status of pedra branca island (also known pulau batu putih ), brought international court of justice , belongs singapore;
the sovereignty of railway line crossing singapore , points of agreement regarding matter.
fully suspended trading of clob (central limit order book) counters, during 1997 asian financial crisis indefinitely freezing approximately us$4.47 billion worth of shares , affecting 172,000 investors, of them singaporeans.

on positive note:

singapore-malaysia reaches agreement in 1988 , mahathir build linggui dam on johor river , supplies raw waters water-scarce city (singapore).
lee , mahathir announced plan natural gas pipeline terengganu singapore. completed 10 years later in january 1992.

on lee kuan yew s death: mahathir wrote in blog chedet.cc titling kuan yew , . expressed sorrow , grief @ loss of lee. says cross-swords veteran singaporean leader bares no enmity differences of opinions newborn nation thrive forward. wrote lee s death, asean has lost strong leadership after lee kuan yew , president suharto.

many political analysts believes lee s passing, mahathir last old guard of southeast asia.

in april 2016, 1st anniversary of lee kuan yew s death. mahathir told media singaporeans must value lee kuan yew s contributions , sacrifices lee pivotal singapore s success today. mahathir said lee responsible turning singapore financial centre world-class port, , aviation hub. said, s achievement need recognized. mahathir again says lee has own stand not same stand of malaysia.

bosnia-herzegovina

in bosnia-herzegovina, mahathir has been noted particular significant ally of nation. visited sarajevo in june 2005 open bridge near bosmal city center signifying friendship between malaysians , bosnians.

he made three-day visit visoko see bosnian pyramid of sun in july 2006. made visit few months later.

in february 2007, 4 non-governmental organisations: sarajevo school of science , technology, congress of bosniak intellectuals, , 2 christian organisations: serb civil council , croat national council, nominated mahathir 2007 nobel peace prize work during conflict.

on 22 june 2007, made visit sarajevo group of malaysian businessmen explore investment opportunities in country.

moonrise @ heart of kuala lumpur.

on 11 november 2009, chaired closed-door meeting of leading investors @ malaysia global business forum – bosnia, attended president haris silajdžić.

developing world

among developing , islamic countries, mahathir respected, particularly malaysia s relatively high economic growth support towards liberal muslim values. leaders such kazakhstan s president nursultan nazarbayev, praised him , have been trying emulate mahathir s developmental formulae. 1 of greatest spokesmen on issues of developing world , supported bridging of north-south divide, exhorting development of islamic nations. dedicated various non-nato blocs such asean, g77, non-aligned movement, organization of islamic nations, , recently, g22 @ latest world trade organization talks @ cancún.