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Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has returned to the international spotlight, offering his familiar critique of the United States in a recent TIME magazine interview. https://newswav.com/A2505_qRptLb?s=A_JQ9So8G&language=en
He took aim at American foreign policy, condemned Donald Trump’s remarks on global affairs, and called out Washington’s role in the ongoing Gaza crisis. https://newswav.com/A2505_qRptLb?s=A_JQ9So8G&language=en
As always, his comments made for compelling reading — sharp, provocative, and unfiltered.
To his credit, Mahathir rightly highlights the contradictions in US foreign policy. The disparity between America’s transactional approach to Ukraine and its unwavering support for Israel has drawn global criticism. https://newswav.com/A2505_qRptLb?s=A_JQ9So8G&language=en
Mahathir’s frustration over what he describes as complicity in Gaza’s suffering is a sentiment shared by many across the Global South.
However, his remarks reveal a worldview anchored in the anti-colonial struggles of the last century — one that often frames international politics through a simple East-versus-West lens.
While criticising Western interventionism, Mahathir extends a notably sympathetic view towards China, portraying its rise as natural and inevitable. He dismisses concerns about Beijing’s growing influence as Western insecurity and labels US support for Taiwan as unnecessary provocation. https://newswav.com/A2505_qRptLb?s=A_JQ9So8G&language=en
Yet this perspective overlooks the complex realities faced by nations within the region, including Malaysia.
The South China Sea disputes, for example, are not solely about US-China rivalry but involve multiple Southeast Asian nations with legitimate territorial claims and security concerns. https://newswav.com/A2505_qRptLb?s=A_JQ9So8G&language=en
By framing the issue as a contest between superpowers, Mahathir risks sidelining the interests of smaller nations striving to maintain their sovereignty and regional stability.
It’s a narrative familiar to those who have followed his long career: one that positions the West as perpetually overreaching and Asian powers as rightful challengers to global imbalance.
While this critique once resonated powerfully in post-colonial Asia, today’s multipolar world is far more complicated.
Global influence is no longer concentrated in a single capital, and regional dynamics have evolved beyond Cold War binaries.
Mahathir remains an influential voice in Southeast Asia, admired for his outspokenness and enduring relevance. But as international affairs grow increasingly complex, selective critiques and old scripts risk simplifying realities that demand more balanced, principled engagement.
In today’s world, leadership requires acknowledging multiple perspectives — and recognising that power, wherever it resides, must be held to account.
Mihar Dias is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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