SEA Headlines

Morning Star - China blames Philippines for clash of two vessels in the South China Sea

Bernama - PM ANWAR HAS EXPRESSED MALAYSIA'S WISH TO JOIN BRICS TO THE PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL

This was inevitable I think.

Reuters - Vietnam to host Putin in nod to old ties, risking ire of West

CNA - Thailand to be first Southeast Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage

VNA - Vietnam, China bolster stable, sustainable ties

Bernama - CHINA-MALAYSIA TIES AKIN TO 'CONTINUOUS RAILWAY TRACK WITH PROMISING FUTURE' - LI QIANG

The Star - Oil spill incident: Singapore expands cleanup effort to more areas, including eastern end of island

China Daily - ASEAN SG speaks of future relations with China

Fortune - Indonesia’s $5 billion deal with Tesla is only part of its all-in strategy on nickel mining

This is different from my usual posts. It is an open letter from one of the only Marxist formulations in my country. I think it succinctly addresses a lot of the local arguments that are of interesting rhetorical value and in which I assume a lot of the people here are not often exposed to, especially when Western media often likes to picture Malaysia as Pro-Hamas and Pro-Palestine.

Note: It is common to refer to people by their first names in formal settings because a majority of the ethnic groups here have no concept of a family name. This is true for Indonesia and Brunei as well.

Palestine is more important

I take note of Tengku Zafrul’s defence of BlackRock, which has strong links to Israel, arguing that it has major shares in Apple, WhatsApp and Facebook. I take note of Defence Minister Khaled Nordin defending the inclusion of Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems, both complicit in Israel’s military dominance, in the recent Defence Service Asia (DSA) 2024 expo held in Kuala Lumpur with the argument that Malaysia is a free trading nation. I take note of Anwar’s urge of caution against not participating in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (Rimpac), a US-led maritime military exercise which includes the participation of the Israeli army.

But one thing remains. Palestine is more important.

Zafrul should understand that the deep roots of BlackRock in all major cultural mechanisms of the world is a cause for concern, not submission. Khaled should understand that giving space for those actively involved in the cleansing of innocent souls to put up a booth in our nation’s capitol is indirect endorsement of their practices. Anwar, so vocal with his support for Palestine when a microphone is in his hand, should understand participating in any US-led military exercise, especially with the direct involvement of Israel, makes his supposed support ring hollow. None of these have to do with global participation or the United Nations, whose highest court ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah.

We understand that this capitalist government alongside every other capitalist government we have had bends the knee willingly to the US and it’s allies no matter how many lives are lost. We understand the need for free trade and the intricacies of navigating an unfree world with the conglomerate of NATO nations bullying others willingly. We understand that taking any material step to disrupt the lives of the US, Israel and their military industrial complex is an immense risk for our nation.

Having said all of that, Palestine is more important.

We know this government wants to make political gains against Perikatan Nasional, so every Palestine protest by them is labelled a political ploy. We know Perikatan are also only using this issue for clout, using the issue to further divide Malaysians on the basis of race and religion. We know the mudslinging on both parts is to distract from the real issues people like BDS Malaysia and Gegar are pushing.

We acknowledge all of that. But Palestine is more important.

Have some perspective. There is a genocide happening. There are pictures of children being dismembered. There are videos of bombs raining down on innocent Palestinians. Bombs made by whom, funded by whom? And at this time when the world is divesting, when people around the globe are protesting and day-by-day, though the bombs keep raining down, the will of the Palestinian people remains unbroken. When victory approaches as each material step is taken by those who claim to be allies of Palestine. When necessary military action is taken by all who can over the land Israel occupies. Is it at this time we want to play the card of free trade, global citizenship and national security?

It is time to take some risks. Begin withdrawing from all of the above actions. Send back the US ambassador until the conflict is over. Take some risks because, to us, Palestine is more important. To you?

SEA Headlines

Been a busy week, dealing with Eid preparations and all.

CNA - Analysis: Why more than half of ASEAN states are set to miss Ukraine’s peace summit in Switzerland

The Manila Times - The question of Asean centrality

Viet Nam News - Việt Nam, Cuba intensify solidarity, cooperation

Nikkei Asia - U.S. tops China as ASEAN's largest export destination

Show

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SCMP - As China ties deepen, Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim says geopolitics is no zero-sum game

Anwar did not dispute that the overlapping [South China Sea] claims were an issue between the two partners, but stressed that the West had an “obsession, the tendency to exaggerate the problem”.

Anwar called for settling South China Sea disputes through bilateral engagements and discussions within Asean, rather than third-party intervention, especially to quell the latest tensions between Beijing and the Philippines.

“It is important to impress on the Philippines, on the Chinese, that we are here. We must be prepared and able to manage our own affairs,” he said, adding that Malaysia would push this point upon assuming the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year.

VietnamPlus - Malaysia calls on ASEAN countries to push to connect railway network

The Business Times - South-east Asian economies no longer tethered to Fed’s decisions

The Bangkok Post - Is Asean ready to abandon coal?

Reuters - Prabowo adviser denies plans to raise Indonesia's debt to 50% of GDP

Neoliberalism still reigns supreme.

The China Academy - China’s Modernization: Lost in Translation

“a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind” fails to convey its intended meaning in Chinese, according to Professor Li Xiguang, who has served at both the Washington Post and Xinhua News Agency. Li lamented that all emerging countries, including China, suffer from the constraints of translation on the power of their narratives.

One of the most important aspects for constructing the China’s narrative of Zhongguoshi Xiandaihua (中国式现代化) is the translation of its keys concepts. Current translations are not only inaccurate but also misleading for international readers. Here are some examples:

Zhongguoshi xiandaihua (中国式现代化) [lit. Chinese style modernization] : “a Chinese path to modernization”. The translation missed the keyword “Chinese style”.

Renlei wenming xinxingtai (人类文明新形态) [lit. Human civilization new form/state]: “a new form of human advancement”. The translation missed the word “civilization”.

Renlei mingyun gongtongti (人类命运共同体) [lit. Community of Human Destiny]: “community of shared future for mankind”. The addition of the word “shared” in the English translation suggests a perceived difficulty for countries or peoples of diverse backgrounds to jointly build a “community of human destiny”.

Why can’t Renlei mingyun gongtongti be translated as “a mankind community of different value systems”?

As rightfully pointed out by scholars such as Professor Ejaz Akram from Pakistan, Zhongguoshi xiandaihua is the first modernization attempt in human history that is not associated with the West. Since the West ushered in modernity, it has been promoting its own set of value standards, which is a product of its unique European historical setting, as the universal standards for all of humanity. The Western style of civilization is based on inequality rooted in dichotomies of Christians versus barbarians and “modern Western society” versus “traditional non-Western society”.

The Western-style civilization, in terms of the production and dissemination of knowledge, has regarded non-Western knowledge as alternative, ignorant and barbaric. Consequently, the West has been engaging in a thorough intellectual cleansing of non-Western knowledge as Western modernity swept across the world. Nowadays, China’s prestigious universities have to establish Guoxueyuan, or Schools of Traditional Chinese knowledge, to preserve traditional culture. This only shows how unpopular they are in Chinese universities. To the contrary, we never see Western universities establish any “school of traditional knowledge” because their current knowledge system is steeped in their values and their traditional knowledge.

When Chinese universities set up institutions such as Guoxueyuan, the implication is that since we now have a designated place for traditional knowledge, it should stay out of the way in other disciplines. As a result, humanities and social sciences such as communication, business, law, political science, etc. can comfortably copy disciplinary structures and standards of their Western counterparts.

Utilizing its extensive influence in the existing body of knowledge on modernity, the West deems itself the judge of civilizations, even casting judgement on the longstanding Chinese civilization. This mindset is embraced by China’s academia to the the extent that they think China’s modernization can only be legitimized if it fits into the Western discourse of modernity.

However, such approach is essentially an attempt to “reason” with the Western within their own linear logical framework, a system which the West holds the right of interpretation. The confinement of our own thoughts and language by Western narratives and ideas would ultimately render China’s position indefensible.

In this sense, key concepts in Chinese politics, including those stemming from its unique experience striving for modernization, should be translated within the context of China. For instance, the meaning of the Chinese term for human rights (人权 renquan) extends far beyond “right to vote” and “right to ballot”. Therefore, the best translation for the Chinese term should simply be its pinyin: renquan, highlighting the fundamental differences between Chinese and Western paths to realizing human rights. The same approach should also be applied when translating key concepts such as ziyou (freedom) and minzhu (democracy).

Phonetic translation of key Chinese concepts, instead of direct appropriation of the existing English words, enables China narratives rooted in its cultural roots, which will facilitate better communication of China’s original ideas on the world stage. It will not only promote the construction of China’s narratives, but also enrich the language and the body of knowledge for all humankind, capable of supporting the order of Renlei mingyun gongtongti.

SEA Headlines

VietnamPlus - MATERNAL, CHILD HEALTH CARE – EVIDENCE OF ENSURING HUMAN RIGHTS IN VIETNAM

Notice how human rights are interpreted differently here.

China Daily - Malaysia-China relations: An exemplar for ASEAN countries

Reuters - Freeport Indonesia raises output target, awaits new export permit

SCMP - US-Thailand ties: strategic recalculations amid Bangkok’s tilt towards China and new geopolitical realities

CSIS - Palm Oil Powerhouses: Why the EU’s Deforestation-Free Regulation Does Not Work in Southeast Asia

VNExpress - Southeast Asian tourists make beeline for China as visa rules eased

WSWS - Ukrainian president berates China at Singapore security conference

Bloomberg - Competing US-China Defense Tactics Dominate Singapore Forum

China accuses US of seeking to build an Asian version of NATO

SEATO 2.0 baby

SCMP - China’s growing influence shapes talks at Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue, with spotlight on rules-based order

And East Timor’s President Ramos-Horta said there needed to be better communication between military and political leaders to quickly de-escalate potential crises such as possible miscalculations on the Korean peninsula or in the South China Sea.

“Ideally, in a romantic world, the South China Sea should be a zone of peace and prosperity,” he said. “Crisis consultation on the code of conduct in the South China Sea should be intensified with active dialogue and bilateral negotiation.”

It seems that the West has always been the original morality police and its accusations are merely confessions.

50 years of Malaysia-China relations: headlines

On May 31st, 2024, Malaysia and China will celebrate 50 years of successful relations. The written essay is still WIP so in the meantime I compiled headlines and quotes from across Malaysian and Chinese media highlighting the celebration.

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Xinhua - Interview: "Shared chemistry" helps build Malaysia-China relationship, says Malaysia's party leader

"It's more than just trade ties. It's more than economic linkages. It's an appreciation that we speak to common ideals, common aspirations and a shared future for the betterment of not just economy and GDP per capita alone, but the betterment of people-to-people connection," she said.

Bernama - Malaysia-China to mark golden jubilee, boost trade, diplomatic relations via MOUs — Zafrul

The Star - Chinese nationals who came, saw and conquered BM [Bahasa Malaysia, “Malaysian” or Malay, the national language]

“I feel close to the people here,” he said, attributing it to the similarity in culture with the Chinese community and the shared religion with the Malays.

“I never felt like a stranger or an outcast. Here, I feel like a Malaysian,” he said.

As for the 50 years of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, Cui said he is proud of the close relationship between the countries.

“We are the direct beneficiaries because of the good ties. When Malaysians know that we are from China, there is so much warmth,” he said.

The Star - 50 years of enduring Malaysia-China friendship

But unlike previous Malaysian PMs and other world leaders, Anwar has always looked beyond economic and strategic opportunities.

His trips to China, from day one, have been about Chinese values and philosophy, especially the Confucian mind, and the positive commonalities with Islam.

…But his sentiment was reserved for Admiral Zheng He, or Cheng Ho as most Malaysians know him. Zheng He sailed to over 30 nations in Asia and Africa during his time. He made seven stops in Melaka, in the early 1400s. His ship was five times the size of the ship which Christopher Columbus used to cross the Atlantic.

Said Anwar: "There was a great difference between Zheng He and the others. He did not conquer the nations he visited. He sought friendship instead

…For the first time, [the academic] wrote, a Malaysian leader had displayed such a "highly appreciative outlook towards a Chinese culture and civilisational heritage’’ and had a life-long passion for Confucian-Islamic dialogue and efforts.

Malaysia became the first Asean nation to establish diplomatic relations with China at a time when China was in isolation.

As Tan Sri Nazir Razak put it, the handshake between the late Chairman Mao Zedong and the late PM Tun Abdul Razak was arguably "the most important diplomatic handshake in Malaysia’s history”.

SCMP - The Chinese eunuch who beat admiral Zheng He to Malacca, and the exchanges that followed between its rulers and China

Malacca in present-day Malaysia was once a sultanate ruling over an extensive territory. As such it had regular exchanges with China’s Ming dynasty court

With Portuguese invading, China, as Malacca’s protector, called on vassals to go to its defence in its hour of need, but in vain. Thus did colonial rule begin

CHINA DAILY - Ambassador: China-Malaysia relations at their peak

Xinhua - Chinese premier meets Malaysia's deputy PM

New Strait Times - Public university branch in China will strengthen Malaysia-China relations, says senator

There are a lot of events and other news articles on this but I'll stop here. The point I am trying to showcase here is that the basis Malaysia-China of relations are much more holistic than just economics. It is about history, culture and civilisation - something that Amerika lacks and will never understand.

SEA Headlines

Global Times - US hypes over ‘military base’ in Southeast Asia aim to turn China into a ‘threat’

SCMP - Malaysia’s Anwar under pressure to ditch airport [privatization] deal with BlackRock entity over Israel arms links

VietnamPlus - Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy gains Russian scholars’ interest

The Bangkok Post - Q1 GDP grows 1.5% y/y, above forecast

Vastly below the growth of the rest of the ASEAN-5.

Xinhua - China-ASEAN economic, trade prospects remain bright -- experts

VietnamPlus- Vietnam's foreign policy, defence strategy introduced in Venezuela

Random site - China and ASEAN countries are rapidly rising in the global university rankings

The rankings suggest that Asian countries, led by China, will become more dominant in academic research in the next decade, potentially changing the global landscape of higher education and science.

VietNam News - Gov't defines electronic money, Bitcoin not included

The Strait Times - MAS [Monetary Authority of Singapore], China’s central bank plan further collaboration in green finance

I think we are mostly in agreement here. I don’t see the need to continue the conversation.

Also what country's communist party are you talking about if you don't mind me asking? That sounds wild

It’s the Communist Party of Malaya. Be warned though, the history of the party is incredibly sad from start to finish. Sad in a “it could be so much more” kind of way, that is.

Other leftists didn't give support, but Tudeh did and their suppression in the early 80s is not their fault

There are conflicting viewpoints on this from what I have read. I am not an expert in Iranian affairs so I’ll leave it to the historians and the Iranian people to sort out the details.

And to be clear op is wrong and we shouldn't be celebrating Raisi dying. This benefits no one but the enemies of the Palestine and the global south

That’s the point I was trying to make. This obsession and fixation of other countries’ political histories without humility and understanding of the global dynamics at play.

I could write a long essay about the communist party in my own country whose first leader was a triple agent of both the japanese imperialists and british colonizers. This nuance, although accurate, is irrelevant when discussing 21st century politics. There’s a reason why I never mentioned it in my previous comments covering southeast asian history.

The Tudeh party had relevance, back in 70s and 80s but not now. It really is a joke to discuss it now, like Iran is singlehandedly upholding the global capitalist system, and also when many muslims in the Global South deeply respect Iran and their president.

From what I see, many of Iran’s ills are directly because of Western sanctions and interventions. Not to mention the very tangible, material gains that the Iranian revolution had facilitated up to the present day, internally, and externally through the Axis of Resistance.

Why discuss something in public that will just play into anti-communist, or in this case imperialist, propaganda? Why distract ourselves from the important issue of US imperialism? What did Iran do to capture the heart of so many “well-meaning” westerners that they froth at their mouth at a slight mention of Iran?

But he was deeply right wing

Define “deeply right wing”.

Did you know Iran has a public holiday celebrating the nationalization of their oil industry from UK/US imperialists?

Do you know that the Iranian constitution protects the welfare of it’s citizens and guarantees free healthcare and education?

and murdered communists during the Revolution.

Because communists can never make any major mistakes, could never host opportunists and collaborators, could never become divorced from the masses, especially in the Islamic world.

I implore people who perpetuate the perception that Iran as “deeply right wing” take this logic to it’s final conclusions - by that standard, which Islamic country is not “deeply right wing”?

May aswell sentence every Islamic country as backward rightwing shitholes. Since apparently the Iranian Revolution - one of the most progressive Islamic mass movements in modern history - is right wing.

We muslims, instead, need to listen to the Communists who could not even organise the members of their own book club, let alone the masses!

No dialectics, just aesthetics - with an inbuilt victim complex to boot.

(Note I realise after typing this comment it seems I am being very antagonistic to the OP in particular, but I am not. It’s just a trend and sentiment I noticed that permeates a lot of discourse surrounding Iran and communism in the Islamic world more generally that I feel like needs to be addressed. I hold no ill-will to OP or anyone in particular that has fallen into Western propaganda.)

SEA Headlines

Rare 2nd post in a week

MIDA - MIDA and LONGi Driving the Solar Ecosystem Forward at The Solar Synergistics Conference 2024

China paving the way for the green transition in other Global South countries.

I wonder why the USITC is continuing their investigation of alleged “unfair trade practices” in Southeast Asian countries in solar production and export.

The Manila Times - 2nd China-ASEAN Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition Triumphs in Jakarta Finale

Another example of the robust people to people exchanges that form the basis of good diplomacy.

VietnamPlus - VIETNAMESE FAMILY VALUE SYSTEM REMAINS STRONG IN NEW ERA

The family, a unique social institution, has a significant role as the core of a nation. Through many historical periods, the Vietnamese culture has built a sustainable and standardised family value system.

An interesting exposition on the CPV’s interpretation of the family after the Doi Moi reforms.

CNA - ASEAN delegation meets Myanmar army chief in Nay Pyi Taw

An ASEAN delegation has met Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw to discuss pressing issues, including a return to participation in the regional bloc. This is the biggest mission to visit Myanmar since shuttle diplomacy --conducted under former chair Cambodia -- two years ago. Myanmar state media reported discussions about aid distribution and the conditions Myanmar must meet before it can rejoin ASEAN meetings. Currently, Myanmar's army chief and foreign minister are still banned from attending regional meetings. Leong Wai Kit reports.

SCMP - Indonesian diaspora welcomes dual citizenship plans but questions ‘political will’ to implement

SCMP - Will a US missile system in the Philippines make northern Luzon a ‘high value target’ for China?

Global Times - Lawrence Wong sworn in as Singapore's new PM, expected to 'continue balanced foreign policy approach'

Lol

USITC VOTES TO CONTINUE INVESTIGATIONS ON FERROSILICON FROM BRAZIL, KAZAKHSTAN, MALAYSIA, AND RUSSIA

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of ferrosilicon from Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Russia that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the governments of Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Russia.

Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue its investigations of imports of ferrosilicon from Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Russia, with its preliminary countervailing duty determinations due on or about June 21, 2024, and its preliminary antidumping duty determinations due on or about September 4, 2024.

The Commission’s public report Ferrosilicon from Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Russia (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-712-715 and 731-TA-1679-1682 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 5506, May 2024) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

In another article,

“The onslaught of dumped imports from these countries over the last three years has caused serious harm to the U.S. industry, its workers, and the communities in which we operate,” said Marco Levi, Chief Executive Officer of Ferroglobe PLC. “A successful outcome in these cases will allow us to get back to work on a level playing field.”

Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Russia making Amerikkkan lives worse:

“American producers can compete with anyone in the world, as long as we’re all playing by the same rules,” said Chris Cobb, CCMA’s plant manager. “Bringing these cases allows us to protect our colleagues, employees, and communities. Fortunately, our country’s trade laws are set up to support fair trade. On behalf of our employees, customers, and colleagues, we look forward to seeing those laws enforced and those who violate our laws held accountable.” -

SEA Headlines

VietnamPlus - ASEAN Secretary-General commends Vietnam’s contributions to community building efforts

VoV - Vietnam becomes fastest growing digital economy in ASEAN: HSBC

Hindustan Times - Next round of talks for India-Asean trade pact review in July

CSIS - The Latest On Southeast Asia: U.S. Tech Investments in ASEAN

Bloomberg - Malaysia's Johor Eyes Shenzhen-Style Hub With Singapore, Report Says

AP - Thailand’s prime minister wants to outlaw cannabis, 2 years after it was decriminalized

The Bangkok Post - First 5G Factory in Southeast Asia Launched

Bloomberg - Indonesia Won’t Take Sides in US-China Row, Prabowo Tells TV

Bernama - CHINA-ASEAN R&D CENTRE ESTABLISHMENT PROPOSED FOR MALAYSIA

Nikkei Asia - China's Confucius Institutes flourish in ASEAN after West's freeze-out

CNA - China and Cambodia to begin annual military exercise to strengthen cooperation, fight terrorism

The Star - PM Anwar meets Hamas leaders in Qatar, reaffirms Malaysia's commitment to stopping war on Gaza

I wonder why Malaysia didn't try harder to hold on to singapore.

It was because of the political economy of Malaya at that time, bear in mind that Malaya only constituted modern-day peninsular Malaysia, with Eastern Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) and the Strait Settlements (Singapore, Melaka and Penang) being under seperate British administrations.

The indirect rule practiced by the British in Malaya, meant that there was a largely indigenous feudal-monarchical class between the colonizers and the proletariat and peasants. Fast forward nearing independence day, the Malay-Muslim feudal classes in Malaya foresaw that they were going to take over an economy mainly owned by foreigners - namely, British colonialists and the Chinese and Indian middle classes. To guarantee further control of the country, they wanted Chinese-majority Singapore to be excluded from the federation. Sarawak and Sabah were then included to tip the demographic balance in the comprador Malay-Muslim class' favour. Back in those days the indigenous population only held a plural majority with no group having over 50% in Malaya and the Strait Settlements combined.

It was the progressive left forces that were for unification. With British help, reactionary forces defeated the Left Forces, which included not only (Chinese) Communist elements but Islamic Socialist, anti-colonial movements, and militant labour unions, the banner of internationalism vis-a-vis Singapore/Malaysia federation was defeated.

It should be known that the People's Action Party in Singapore, started as a social democratic party, which eventually betrayed the left-wing in their party (ie. the Communists) and then finally broke away from Malaysia. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement for both ruling classes in both societies. Singapore can weaponise it's city-state stature to become the economic centre of Southeast Asia like Hong Kong, while Malaysia's comprador Malay-Muslim feudal class was able to retain control of a backward racialised colonial political economy.

Furthermore, Malaysia under their first prime minister was Western allied. It was in the middle of the cold war under the throes of Western red scare propaganda depicting Chinese people as foreign communist agents. My 2nd part of the article I am writing will cover this more but the People's Republic of China had the foresight and took advantage of this situation to normalize relationships with Malaysia in 1974, which helped mend a lot of the Red Scare terror that the British implanted in Malaysia for decades. The same can't be said about the latent anti-Malay-Muslim rhetoric found in Singapore.

Another thing that was different was unlike Singapore, who can tout to graduate from the Third to First World, Malaysia never was able to escape from the Third World. A vast peasant population and large urban proletariat eventually meant that it would drift further left geopolitically on the world scale, while Singapore remained stuck in a badly put 1960s time capsule. This benefitted Singapore in some regards, it wouldn't have to deal with the difficult urban-rural and racialised contradictions found in present day Malaysia, but it also meant on a world-scale it was and continue to be geopolitically reactionary, in which the economic development of less populated Singapore was made at the expense of the more populated Southeast Asian periphery.

The Economist - In South-East Asia, the war in Gaza is roiling emotions

Far more than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war in Gaza is rattling public opinion in three key South-East Asian countries: Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. The first two have Muslim-majority populations, and Singapore, largely ethnic-Chinese, has a Muslim minority of 16%. As on campuses in America and in street protests in Europe, the sympathies among those who are concerned about the conflict—and who in Singapore include many young non-Muslims—are for Palestinians suffering from Israel’s heavy-handed prosecution of the war.

Strong feelings have thus made the war a political challenge in ways that are connected, but also vary from country to country. Malaysia’s prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, is by far the most strident leader in South-East Asia in support of the Palestinians. Mr Anwar has decried what he says was Western pressure to condemn Hamas, the hardline group ruling Gaza that started the war with a brutal raid on Israel.

While Palestine maintains an official embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Hamas can boast an unofficial one. Mr Anwar’s government has banned Israeli ships from docking. Politicians join rallies against the West’s backing of Israel.

Mr Anwar’s stance is no surprise. He has long espoused Palestinian independence. Malaysia itself has refused to recognise Israel. Meanwhile his chief challenge comes from PAS, an ultra-conservative Islamic group and the largest party in parliament. He cannot afford to let pas outflank him on religious issues, or he loses power.

comes from PAS, an ultra-conservative Islamic group

If PAS is ultra-conservative then every single Western political party is ultra-ultra-ultra-ultra-ultra-conservative.

For now Mr Anwar sees little downside in his pro-Palestinian, anti-American stance. His government, keen on Western investment, says it is open for business. Yet more stridency may make investors wonder. As it is, Malaysia’s religiously tolerant ethnic minorities are growing more uncomfortable with the increased religiosity that the Gaza war has helped feed.

The government has drank the neoliberal Kool-Aid of foreign investments, yes, but seemingly these Western companies continue to keep coming despite the geopolitical positions of the country.

These fake concern for investments acting like the West and particularly the US are their biggest investors when that is not even the case for majority of ASEAN anymore.

In Indonesia feelings also run high. Yet the rhetoric among political leaders is relatively restrained. True, the government of Joko Widodo has condemned Israel’s imminent offensive on Rafah, Hamas’s last stronghold. And, in a recent opinion piece for The Economist that was widely cheered back home, the president-elect, Prabowo Subianto, condemned the West for caring more about Ukrainians’ fate than Palestinians’. Yet that is tame stuff compared with Mr Anwar: unlike Malaysia’s denial of Israel, Mr Prabowo calls for talks and a two-state solution. What factors explain the difference? Indonesia’s ties with Israel are closer than the elites like to let on.

Malaysian official foreign policy stance is still the two-state solution, although that has been obviously not mentioned in the context of the Zionist Regime’s relentless assault against the Palestinian people.

They include purchases of Israeli tech and weaponry. Before the war, secret talks looked likely to establish ties between the two countries, starting with reciprocal trade offices. Although Mr Prabowo denies Islamists’ claims that he is chummy with Israel, he is in little danger of being outflanked by hardliners, having absorbed key Muslim political groupings in his coalition. Domestic considerations count.

This is mostly true and Israeli-Indonesian relations will be mostly off the books by most accounts.

Any public relations, including normalization, despite Western sources stating otherwise, is near impossible. It’s not as likely as they otherwise try to picture.

Squeezed between Indonesia and Malaysia, Singapore has close security ties with Israel—two small states encircled by danger. Yet Gaza greatly complicates the relationship, on account of domestic feeling. As Lawrence Wong, the incoming prime minister, told The Economist this week, even though the war in Ukraine carries economic consequences for Singapore, at an emotional level it resonates little.

encircled by danger

Yeah the two states are similar in their racism against Muslims, with their founders being White supremacists and having disdain of Islam and indigenous people. Surprisingly, they have close relations, I know.

By contrast, though Gaza has had negligible economic effect, it has had “a much higher level of resonance”, given the plight of Palestinians. The concern is that communal tensions might surface in ways that strain Singapore’s famed social and religious harmony. That, says the government, is why pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been banned. Christians, who are generally pro-Israel and account for 19% of the population, would demand their own protests, thereby bringing religious discord into the open. The government also fears that Malaysian stridency could cross the bridge that joins the two countries and foster extremism in Singapore.

communal tensions

A common phrase echoed by the Singaporean establishment to justify their continual interference and authoritarian measures of silencing dissent.

The racial undertones are also perfectly clear to those that aren’t blind. Who are the instigators in the picture they are trying to portray? With whom are they trying to gaud into being against?

This “surrounded by nefarious and scheming Muslims” rhetoric has been the hallmark of Singapore’s post independence psyche because it precisely justifies its own existence.

It is patently false since Malaysia has a larger Chinese population than Singapore’s total population. It ignores the fact that by declaring independence it put the Chinese in neighbouring Malaysia in jeopardy. This is why I say Singapore’s independence has been selfish. It was done to maintain the rule and capital accumulation of the colonial-era anglophone Singaporean bourgeoisie who would lose many of its privileges under a partnership with Malaysia.

This post-hoc justification is nothing but that, fluff that ironically, despite what they say, actually inflames racial and communal divisions more.

Bringing up the 19% Christian population is nothing but a diversionary tactic that ignores the realities of the mass support for Palestine. The Singaporean government simply doesn’t take the step forward because it would anger their monopoly-Capital overlords based in London and New York. It would challenge the long-standing justifications of their existence and bring about a truly progressive and international outlook that they truly despise.

The necessary response, Mr Wong says, is “to go out [and] explain to our people the positions that Singapore has taken”. That includes condemning Israel’s heavy hand, urging for a ceasefire and a two-state solution and providing aid to beleaguered Palestinians. Those steps are surely right in themselves. But in South-East Asia, when dealing with a distant war, never ignore factors that are close-to-hand.

Singapore’s position is closer to that of her European parents, which remains unsurprising as they have been colonised economically and spiritually. Singapore continues to contribute to the “accumulation of waste”, as coined by Ali Kadri, contributing to Israeli’s defense industry to defend against a mythical invasion from those dastardly Muslims.

followup to my previous comment thread

Comparing Chinese versus Amerikan diplomacy

Sanctions imposed last year on four Malaysia-based companies accused of helping Iran’s production of drones have been impactful, a top US Treasury official said today.

Brian Nelson, the department’s under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, also said that the sanctions were still in place.

He said they were aimed at “encouraging behaviour change”, and that once the department saw such change, the companies involved would be struck off the list.

Nelson said sanctions would see money in US accounts or accounts with a US correspondent blocked or frozen, thereby preventing these companies from accessing funds.

“And it’s very disruptive to your ability to do business that is cross-border because it is very, very difficult to avoid a touch point with the US financial system,” he said in an interview with several media outlets.

Nelson said that sanctions were a powerful tool, and that the department had found them effective in the context of disrupting activities meant to drive profit or provide capital.

MODS!!!!? DISRUPTING THE FREE MARKET?? MARKET DISTORTING PRACTICE??? MOOOODS!!

“From that perspective, we think, of course, that they are impactful.

“But I think the more impactful thing at the end of the day is the partnership with jurisdictions and the capacity to make anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism ‘regimes’ more resilient.”

…Washington recently imposed further sanctions targeting Iran, including over Iranian drones used by Russia in the war in Ukraine, as the US seeks to increase pressure on Tehran after its attack on Israel.

Nelson is in Malaysia to advance the Treasury’s work in countering terrorist financing and revenue generation for Iran and its proxies.

but Malaysia does not recognise Hamas or Iran as terrorist organizations?

It’s literally the meme

Reuters previously reported that there had been an uptick in money moving to Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, through the Malaysian financial system.

Malaysian Islamic Finance helping the mujahideen fight against their oppressors. Mashallah.

He is also in the country to discuss ways to disrupt Russia’s ability to sustain its war in Ukraine.

Malaysia has conveyed to the US that Kuala Lumpur does not recognize sanctions imposed by individual nations, a minister said Thursday.

The US talking about sanctions:

“I emphasized that we will only recognize sanctions if they are imposed by the United Nations Security Council,” the Southeast Asian nation’s Interior Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.

“The delegation from the US respected our stance,” said the minister.

Saifuddin added that Kuala Lumpur was committed to combating terrorism financing with a “clear strategic plan in place to tackle illicit funding and money laundering.”

However, Saifuddin said Malaysia’s policies and strategies “comply with international standards.”

Washington also said Iran's capacity to move its oil was due to service providers based in Malaysia.

The minister, however, said his meeting with Nelson was “productive” and that Malaysia was “always open to engaging with the US.”

Productive = nothing happened

“always open to engaging” or Amerika will conduct financial warfare to crash the economy again

Compare this to how Chinese and Malaysian officials speak to eachother

Xinhua - Strength of China-Malaysia ties built on common values: Malaysian official

"In partnership with China, Malaysia is leading the way in promoting renewable energy. Both countries are heavily investing in clean technologies including solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. Our joint efforts aim to lead the global transition to sustainable energy," he said.

"Our relations have grown from strength to strength over these past 50 years in not just covering diplomatic and political ties but also business partnerships, tourism, education and cultural ties and exchanges," he said.

…For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said the comprehensive and practical cooperation is the essential driving force upgrading China-Malaysia relations in all fields.

"China is now focusing on developing new quality productive forces which will provide Malaysia more cooperation opportunities in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, digital economy, green development, new energy vehicles and other newly emerging industries. Fruits from the above cooperation will surely bring benefits to both peoples in a profound way," he said.

I wonder which country is a 5000 year old literary civilization and which one is a deformed culture-less genocidal state.

I’ll just leave this comment I made a few months back when both Lemmygrad and Hexbear had a cross-instance struggle session about this topic.

There are things that I could have phrased more elegantly, but I think overall the meaning still carries through.

deleted by creator

BenarNews (US Funded Media) - US officials to discuss with Malaysia ‘potential impact’ of Iran sanctions’ violations

Treasury Department says it’s concerned about Washington-sanctioned Iranian oil being moved from ship to ship in Southeast Asian waters.

A U.S. Treasury delegation will discuss the consequences of allowing transshipments of Washington-sanctioned Iranian oil in meetings with government officials here this week, amid longtime allegations by Western news and research firms that Malaysia permits Iran to use its waters for ship-to-ship petroleum transfers.

Western news

YOU YOURSELF ARE WESTERN NEWS?

…The American officials who arrived in Kuala Lumpur late on Monday will engage in blunt discussions with their Malaysian counterparts, U.S. Ambassador Edgard Kagan said on the sidelines of Asia’s largest defense show.

“You brown orientals need to listen to the White Man and stop trading with the Islamofascist Terrorists”

“We are confident that the Malaysian government understands the U.S. position with regard to transshipment of oil that has been sanctioned, and understands the potential impact that this could have,” Kagan said in response to a question about whether Washington sees Malaysia as a transshipment hub for Iranian oil.

These Crakkkers need to STFU. Keep swinging buddy, it’ll just encourage further decoupling from the West.

He did not elaborate on what he meant by “potential impact,” which could mean anything from sanctions on Malaysia to an emboldened Iran potentially causing more trouble for Washington.

Sanctions deny people or companies access to assets within the United States and prevent American citizens or financial institutions from doing business with them.

Don’t know how that concerns people in Southeast Asia but okay

“We look forward to candid and frank discussions that are going to be done very much from our standpoint in the spirit of working together to address a common problem,” Kagan said.

Go ahead and sanction. I don’t think the numerous American companies based in Malaysia are gonna react too kindly to the political machinations of the warmongers affecting their bottomline.

common problem

It clearly ain’t a problem for the numerous local businesses benefiting from trade with Iran.

In December, the U.S Treasury Department imposed sanctions on four Malaysia-based companies it accused of helping Iran’s production of drones. Washington accuses Iran of supplying deadly drones to what it says are terrorist proxies in the Middle East, and to Russia for use in Ukraine.

Only four? The companies in Malaysia need to step up their game.

On Friday, the Treasury Department said that two of its top officials would visit Malaysia and Singapore on May 6-9 to advance its work in countering what it called terror financing by Iran and its proxies, and the implementation of sanctions against Russia.

Only Singapore has imposed sanctions on Russia. The USA is not in the position to dictate how an independent country wants to handle their own trade and diplomatic relations. Fuck off

“In Malaysia, Under Secretary Nelson and General Counsel MacBride will discuss the United States’ efforts to disrupt terrorist financing, including through fundraising for fraudulent charities and illicit oil sales, while ensuring that U.S. sanctions and other financial measures do not impede the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

efforts to disrupt terrorist financing, including fundraising for fraudulent charities

We should ban the New Endowment for Democracy to be in line with the stated objectives.

humanitarian aid

Such as “lethal aid” for Israel mayhaps?

BenarNews contacted the Prime Minister’s Office and the foreign ministry for comment on the U.S. officials’ visit and Kagan’s comments, but did not immediately hear back.

I don’t think they care to respond to US propaganda outlets.

Both the issues – sanctions against Russia and Iran – have seen the East and the West divided in their responses.

No shit.

…Malaysia has taken a stance supporting Iran, which launched drones and fired missiles at Israel on April 13. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described Iran’s actions as a “legitimate act” in response to Israel’s “barbarous” attack on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.

This is the opinion of the Global Majority.

‘I will not accept any threats’ …He said in November that Malaysia would maintain ties with Hamas and not be cowed by the threat of “unilateral” sanctions for doing so in the face of a proposed U.S. law to sanction the group’s supporters.  He was responding to the Nov. 1 passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of the Hamas and Other Palestinian Terrorist Groups International Financing Prevention Act. It has yet to be passed by the Senate. “I will not accept any threats, including this,” Anwar said in Parliament back then.  “This action is unilateral and not valid because we, as members of the United Nations, only recognize decisions made by the United Nations Security Council.”

I have covered this before but I’ll repeat again: Anwar faces internal opposition from more radical Islamic political factions that are staunchly pro-Palestine and Anti-Zionist. Even if he wasn’t himself a believer of a modernist Islam, it would be political suicide if he did not take a stance for Hamas.

The government’s position is entirely in line with the opinion of the vast majority in Malaysia.

In December, Malaysia banned Israeli shipping company ZIM, vessels flying the Israeli flag and those headed there from docking at its ports, saying the move was a response to the Jewish state’s actions in Gaza.

Is the article trying to imply hypocrisy here? Lmao.

Washington ups the pressure Still, allegations about Malaysia’s support for Iran evasion of U.S.  sanctions have been made for years, and long before the latest crisis in the Middle East.  More recently, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (USEIA), in September, noted that China’s oil imports from Malaysia in the first half of 2023 rose to 1 million barrels a day – a figure that exceeded total production in Malaysia.

Actually maybe Malaysia increased production imo I think we are rushing too much on our conclusions.

USEIA pointed to a May 2021 article from the Washington-based Middle East Institute’s website  to explain this discrepancy. The article was titled “Iranian sanctions evasion and the Gulf’s complex oil trade,” and cited news sources like Bloomberg and Reuters as well. “With a heavy discount on Iran’s high-risk, illegal oil exports, buyers in China are purchasing so much that oil tankers are ‘clogging up’ ports in the country,” the article said, referring to a Bloomberg News story for the information about the choked ports.

Thank you China, very cool.

The Treasury officials’ visit to Malaysia comes less than two weeks after President Joe Biden signed a national security package that included the “21st Century Peace through Strength Act,” which extends the statute of limitations for violations of sanctions to 10 years.

“Peace through Strength Act” sounds like satire

In a recent article for The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, research assistant Rebecca Redlich wrote that “Kuala Lumpur is once again displaying its willingness to facilitate Iran’s illicit activity.”

It’s the free market at work baby. The invisible hand supports Iran and Hamas, what can I say?

“The United States has repeatedly sought to curb Kuala Lumpur’s growing ties with Iran by sanctioning various Malaysia-based entities,” she said in her article dated April 24.

Ya’ll repeating what the colonizers did 300 years ago and think no one here will see the ploy for what it is.

“U.S. officials have focused most of their outreach and punitive actions on areas where Malaysian decisions directly threaten U.S. objectives, such as facilitating illicit Iranian oil sales and creating a permissive environment for sanctions evasion.”

So much for the free and open trade and markets.

Again - why should Malaysia care if what they do threaten US objectives? Should a Global South country not advocate for and do stuff that is in their best interests?

Death to Amerikkka