Support Malaysia’s Democratic Movement

Director's Comment: Turning our back on democratic reformers, women and minority rights in autocratic and theoretic Arab and Muslim countries is not only antithesis to everything America stands for, but is also a foreign policy blunder. Embracing and supporting dictators for short-term interests have brought us to a situation that is potentially harmful to our life, liberty, and democratic system. It is time for the Obama Administration to reconsider its appeasement of Arab and Muslim autocratic regimes whose policies and institutions produce, finance, and provide safe heaven for extremists.

Democratic Malaysia will serve the best interest of its diverse population, the Muslim people, and the international community. The West cannot win the war of ideas without drying the swamps that breed and nurture extremists. The U.S. government may secure a short-term benefit by supporting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of Malaysia, but at what cost. Mr. Najib, like his predecessor, Prime Minister Mahathir, is accused of using smear and character assassination tactics to discredit an ardent advocate of democracy, Mr. Anwar Ibrahim. Accusing anyone of sodomy in the Muslim World is a political death sentence and according to the attached article, Mr. Najib like his predecessor, Mr. Mahathir, is accusing Mr. Ibrahim of having sex with another male. President Obama’s Administration should not fall for these types of politics which have troubling implications for the people of Malaysia and beyond.


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