DPM Najib insisted that Malaysia will send a peacekeeping force to Southern Lebanon under the United Nations' (UN) auspices despite opposition from Israel. He averred that Lebanon welcomed the presence of Malaysian peacekeepers. Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar also said it was the UN and not Israel that had the final say in selecting the peacekeepers to monitor the situation in Lebanon.
Najib said he could not understand why the presence of Malaysian peacekeepers was being objected to merely for the technical reason that Malaysia has no diplomatic relations with Israel.
When reminded that Malaysia's pro-Palestinian and pro-Muslim stand could affect the impartiality of the Malaysian peacekeepers in Lebanon, he repudiated that view, saying Malaysia’s peacekeeping force had always served in a professional manner.
However, he mentioned that the UN hasn’t yet informed Malaysia when it could send its peacekeeping force to Lebanon.
KTemoc's view is that Foreign Minister Syed Hamid has expressed a technical view on the UN peace keeping force without taking into consideration the reality Israel as an affected party (additionally backed by the USA) would have a big say in the composition of the UN force. Israel has already expressed its preference for European Union troops.
I am also very cynical about the Malaysian government's over-eagerness to send our troops there. I am examining its intention vis-a-vis domestic politics.
Last month, Major (Rtd) Swami wrote in to Malaysiakini giving his views why Malaysia should not send troops to Lebanon. I gather from his letter he is a former member of the Malaysian Rangers. He said:
Your report M'sia mulls sending ME peacekeepers refers. I hope it is just plain mulling. First of all, Malaysia does not have any diplomatic ties with Israel, Most of the time, Jews and Israel are demonised in Malaysia. Just a reminder, so as to enforce my argument, someone once said ‘Jews rule the world by proxy'. Even the current PM's son-in-law has led demos against Israel.
Malaysia has had experience peacekeeping in various parts of the World, the most challenging being in the Congo and Somalia. The rest of the missions were a stroll in the park. Peacekeeping is a different ball game all together when it involves Israel.
The current United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) comprising China, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Ukraine and the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (Unsto) comprising Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the US are toothless and expensive. Note the commonality, no Muslim countries. What many seem to forget are the lads mentioned above are the ‘UN presence’ that everyone is clamouring for.
This is what would likely happen if troops from Muslim countries were deployed. An incident like the case of Jordanian peacekeepers firing at American soldiers after a dispute over Iraq whilst on a peace keeping mission in Kosovo. This is bad for the peacekeepers’ morale and anyone who is in a mood for a debate.
So far so good – Major Swami (assuming that's his real name) seemed to know what he’s talking about, up to this stage. He even referred to a disgraceful incident involving the Royal Malay Regiment in Bosnia, where two soldiers purportedly burned a Christian cross. I can’t comment on this as I am not aware of the incident.
Unfortunately he spoiled his excellent assessement of the viability of sending Malaysian soldiers to Lebanon by revealing his pro-Israel attitude further down in his letter. He said:
Throughout my military career, I have noticed that most Malay officers tend to side with the Arabs and most non-Malay officers tend to sympathise with the Israelis.
I do agree with him on this, though I have my views as to why. I’ll be blogging on this soon.
Many an argument broke out with the Malay officers saying ‘Why on earth do we support Israel?’. In my case, my argument is always that Israel has never hurt Malaysia. Why on earth would I want to support the Arabs as all the major wars fought by the Arabs against Israel were supported by then Communist Russia.
We were fighting the communists, so it is natural to root for Israel. Further, the wars fought by the Jewish state were against the Arab nations that did not want it to exist. Geographically too, why bother? They’re too far away
Unfortunately Major Swami’s views in the last two paragraphs are typically those of conservative Christians like Dr Sarah Verghis who wrote a pro-Israeli letter to Malaysiakini titled Absurd to say Israel illegal.
Notice the same good Christian anti-Communist cum pro-Israel (and thus anti-Arab) stand?
I am Dr. Sarah Verghis. I would like to clarify that I am not pro Isreali and anti communist.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am ..I am a human being, I am also a Malaysian.
My country men should have the decency to accept reality, instead of living in Utopia.. What is happening in Israel and Palestine, if we are concerned about it, we should be concerned about Tibet, Sudan and other countries where there are different types of persecution.
We should also look at our own country and tell in all honesty, how much we are persecuting the non bumiputeras in the name of NEP, in the name of destroying temples, in the name of not granting permission to build temples and churches..etc,,
Why are we practicing double standard?
It is Ok for us not to grant permission to build a church or temple and it is ok for us to destry a 100 year old temple in the heart of KL.. Yet the israeli Govt cannot defend its own territory? It can't take actions against those who took their soldiers as prisoners?
Why should Malaysian Govt send troops to gurad the border of Lebanon with Isreal, when We don't even recongnize the state of Isreal?
We should stay out of Isreal palestine conflict..
The Muslim conquest of Christian and non-Christian land has been easily forgotten by the Muslims. Thank god we finally have a US president who has the balls to see the Muslim menace for what it is..
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dr Sarah Verghis, for your views, reiterated here. You may be surprised I share many of them, though not all. I'll do justice and blog a reply to you in a new posting.
ReplyDeleteAs for Anon, you may be surprised to learn that the President of the USA is not so ballsy as you've imagined. He evaded the Vietnam draft by opting into the safe-at-home National Air Guard, thanks to his dad's connections, while 55,000 Americans, mainly blacks, perished in the SE Asian country. Even then he couldn't turn up for his National Guard duties.
His VP, Dick Cheney had been even worse, taking 5, not one, but five deferments to avoid the draft. Dick Cheney has been the most bloodthirsty of the Bush Administration, a regular warmonger who obviously doesn't mind other people's children being killed in Iraq, a fate he studiously avoided when it was his turn to show his duty to his country.
This has been the way of those chickenhawks, not only of the USA but of every country including Malaysia. For example, those calling for Malaysian soldiers to be sent to Lebanon would be the last to volunteer their own children or relatives there?
Don't let your prejudice close your eyes to reality, and please don't attribute balls to someone who didn't have them in the first place. And don't be gulled by those cowards, and let them pull wool over your eyes.
Thank you for your response..
ReplyDeleteI would assume you have the gumption to call a spade, a spade..
Do tell me, What are my rights as a non bumi in Malaysia?
I am a third generation Malaysian. Would I be considered as Malaysian as the MB Khir Toyo, who is a first generation Malaysian.
Wasn't I being threatend at the site of democracy called Parliament with a Keris by a minister?
Why do we still have NEP?
Why do I have to save every single penny or migrate, so my kids can go to University?
Why does a millionaire bumi business man gets a discount to buy a house in Malaysia?
Why can't my non bumi children study in Mara?
You can evade all you want to. But the truth is, we practice racial and religious disrimination in Malaysia, yet we are the forrunners of palestinian conflicts resolution.
If Palestnians weren't muslims, none of you would have bothered..
Why don't you stand up for Malaysians ( including orang aslis and Non bumi)first and then think of somebody else..
I am sorry, but i think we must put ourself in both direction,Israelis doesn't have any land, they got the Palestinian land by the US resolution after WWII, after that they start capturing the Palestinian land and creating the Israel nation which only recognized by US and GB at that time. The Israelis is not in situation that they are fighting to defend their nation, but most likely to eliminate the Palestinian because of their evil plan and unhumanity behavior. The same thing happen in Iraq when the the invading army graffiting the mosque with the cross and tearing the Quran. That is why M'sia have to sent their troop in Lebanon to support the other Muslim country who face a difficult time. In fact the UN peacekeeper there is not only from the Muslim country right?.
ReplyDeleteFor Dr Sarah, please don't trigger the racist flame. The reason why there is a qouta, Mara for bumi and else is because the Malays are the owner of the land. We look back why the Chinese and Indian are here?, the English bought them here as a worker, would you like to take your maid to become part of your family?, definitely not isn't it. But we still accept the others as part of Malaysia citizen. They still got subsidy for health,education,food,work,business and else. The reason why there is a quota system and others just for Bumi is to ensure the survivability of the owner of the land. So please don't bring this issue again, we live together in peace for more than 50 years,don't let this ideology damage our stability. Chinese and Indian people from what i see is not like the black people in US, they got SRJK school, free to live and to practice their religion and so on. I am a student, and I am also have a friend from different races from Chinese, Indian,Arab,Persian,Ukrainian,Russian,American and also from Tibet. My friend Chinese and Indian if their races being discriminate, I don't think they will have the opportunity to study in the University. We look in our neigbour Thailand or Indonesia, can you hear the Chinese there have the Chinese name like we have in Malaysia or even speaking mandarin among them self?, think about this again. We don't insult others believe such as what happening on Muslim minority in some places. Please don't make yourself unusable, you're the educated people, think and tells like an educated people, then we can together bring our Malaysia to glory. I am not influence by the politician or any politic influence. I am neutral, and I am thinking in academic manner.