Is it time to Decenter Western Leaders Voices? A Global South Leader Speaks Up to Biden about Palestine at APEC but few heard his voice

This article covers the APEC statements, and a quick story of 30 years of Malaysia and the United States - with a nod to Leonardo DiCaprio (IYKYK). Part 1 asks who the world centers, Part 2 contains statements from APEC in relation to Palestine and Israel but persevere as Part 3, the story, gets interesting and ends with a song about our voices.

Part 1: Who are we Centering?

Last Friday, at APEC’s meeting in San Francisco, a Global South leader spoke up and appealed to Biden directly to act on Gaza.

"Stop these atrocities. Stop the killings of women and children. NOW." Anwar Ibrahim, prime minister of Malaysia

It was an impassioned speech. Not covered by the international media, nor shared by APEC. All we have is a poor recording, which you can hear in the video below, relying on the closed captions. The world has been deprived of hearing Anwar Ibrahim’s voice. A head of government who dared to challenge the president of the United States directly and publicly.?

We Asians are the masters in face saving. Don’t embarrass or publicly humiliate the boss. We are not confrontational. We are not direct. And what’s more, on a more personal note: Joe Biden (and Bill Clinton as POTUS) spoke up for Anwar Ibrahim 25 years ago - see Part 3.?

So imagine Anwar Ibrahim speaking this way. For Palestine. It’s monumental.

But you didn’t know this happened.

If a tree falls in a forest and the international media doesn’t pick it up, does anyone know?

To tell the world, we needed a clear recording.

Nadia Jalil and I asked on Twitter (sticking to this name, thank you very much) for a clearer recording because it’s a speech the whole world should hear. This was Malaysian Communications and Digital Minister, Fahmi Fadzil’s response:?

So Nadia and I tweeted APEC. It was like tweeting into a void.

This is when I got angry

How often do Global South leaders get to share a stage, or in this case, a doughnut table alongside world leaders like the President of the United States. We hear Biden, Sunak, Macron, Trudeau and Von Der Leyen all the time. Our news is dominated by voices of Western leaders, even when they aren’t very bright and spout nonsense (yes, I am referring to a few past leaders).?

When was the last time you heard an incredible speech by a leader from the Global South, other than Mia Mottley?? If you have not heard Mia Mottley, just stop reading now and google her speeches.

It’s not that Global South leaders can’t speak or have nothing to say. They have plenty to say. But the way power in the world works, even internationally, means there are fewer opportunities for them to be heard on the world stage. When they do, like APEC, they are muted. The international media focuses on the same leaders? and we hear the same non committal soundbites.?

Malaysia gets plenty of airplay on international media - BBC, New York Times, The Guardian - when we suit the Western narrative of looking conservative (Matt Healey and LGBT rights), misogynistic (Air Asia’s CEO getting a massage) or corrupt (Najib Razak and 1MDB). But when our leader calls out Western hegemony…. crickets.?

Fellow Malaysian, Chandran Nair writes in his book Dismantling Global White Privilege:

“A more representative media that sheds the shackles of global White privilege is long overdue… Westerners will be able to truly understand what is happening around the world, with a clear view of how those outside the West think, act and make decisions.”?

When he says “representative media”, he doesn’t mean just racially diverse within Western nations, but rather includes voices? from outside the West - reporters, editors, media owners.

When our voices, including those of Global South leaders are not heard equally aside Western leaders - we continue to be “othered”, seen as “less than” and this feeds into North vs South biases. We are given less time when discussing climate change, trade, geopolitics and recently, pandemics. Given that 85% of the world live in the Global South, shouldn’t we have a stronger voice? Why are the minority Western leaders voices dominating??

I am going to ask a few very basic questions for us all to reflect (shout out to books you must read besides Chandra Nair’s. The Wake Up by Michelle MiJung Kim and Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace by Janice Gassam Asare, Ph.D. ) - this is around who we are centering and who we should centre. As I write this, I am very conscious that I am centering a Western, and likely white, readership. I do this intentionally, not as a default. Being a bi-racial Malaysian-Brit, I’ve never quite had a default - I have to self interrogate - who is this for, because I have been a minority in many places. I have never had the luxury of assuming everyone is like me.

I am centering whiteness and Westernness in this article because it is whiteness and Westernness that centres itself, stamped itself as the default and expects everyone and everything else to revolve around it.?

When we look at how global and national decisions are made that impact humanity:

• Are we centering those who have power, or those who are the most marginalised?
• WHO IS TELLING THEIR STORY?
• In this case: Are Palestine voices centered in decision making??
• Or is it power centering itself?

It is why we are still stuck in the “great white saviour” mindset, and even people of the global majority are caught in: “who we must strive to be” and how we measure success. Over the past few years, there has been a collective waking up everywhere. People from Asia, Africa, Latin America, island states don't exist to be saved. You are now waking up to our brilliance. You are now learning from us. You have listened to Malaysian academy winning actress Michelle Yeoh. Now you had darn well better listen to the Malaysian prime minister!

“When we shine a light on the rich and varied world around us, we empower the whole of our humanity.” Michelle Yeoh

Part 2: APEC speeches and statements

Transcript of Anwar’s Speech

This is what Anwar said at APEC (try to watch anyway because you get a sense of how strongly he feels and how persuasive he is):

"We've been asked to condemn the aggression in Ukraine, but some remain muted in front of the atrocities inflicted on the Palestinians, particularly. It doesn't concern their sense of justice and compassion.?

Expressively, how wonderful it is if we are steadfast in upholding justice. For the lost (Palestinian) lives. And I said to you last night, I remember your role as the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations of the Caucus, your finding against my persecution and (the condemnation) against the time I was in prison is purely based on the principle of justice and human rights. That's all that we are doing.?

Stop these atrocities.?

Stop the killings of women and children.

Now!?

Because everyday (that passed) means more babies will be killed. And then (Israel) will pursue the final solution.

I'm saying this because it's important for APEC for this sort of minimum understanding and collaboration. Of trust among member countries. And if we fail, as (but) not entirely (if) we've committed in the APEC document the issue of Ukraine and Palestine, the whole world will see the choking.?

It's important for us as the international community to heal and avoid this problem from taking place.?

Mr Chairman, I rest my case and wait for your continued leadership in 2024. I've also mentioned to the President of Peru to make sure these concerns are heard as we are one in this issue.?

Thank you”.?

In the video you see an impassioned Anwar. It pans from Anwar, past Russia's representative, to Biden and Blinken.?

APEC issued the Chair’s Statement:

"With regard to the war against Ukraine, we reiterated our respective positions as expressed in other fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, which, in Resolution No. ES-11/1 dated 2 March 2022 as adopted by majority vote deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine. Most members strongly condemn the aggression against Ukraine and underscore the need to reach a just, and lasting peace based on the principles of the United Nations Charter, including the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence of Ukraine. The war in Ukraine has further aggravated the ongoing food security crisis around the world, especially in developing and least developed countries. We note with deep concern the adverse impact of the war in Ukraine and stress that it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy – constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks. In this context, the use or threat of use of nuclear weapon is inadmissible. We exchanged views on the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Leaders, including the United States, shared their respective positions. Some Leaders also shared the united messages of the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh on 11 November 2023.

Some Leaders objected to the inclusion of this language in the accompanying 2023 APEC Leaders’ Golden Gate Declaration on the basis that they do not believe that APEC is a forum to discuss geopolitical issues."

In 188 words, the Chair’s statement? condemns Russia’s aggression against Ukraine (Russia was at APEC by the way) and demanded its withdrawal from Ukraine. They exchanged views on Gaza (36 words). Israel is not mentioned.

Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, the three Muslim majority countries out of the 21 nation APEC, issued a joint statement:

“We, the Leaders of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia, welcome the 2023 APEC Leaders’ Golden Gate Declaration which reflects consensus on all economic issues of common concern.

We noted that the Chair issued a separate Chair’s Statement.

We therefore agreed to issue the following statement to give a better and fair reflection of the discussions on the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza during the 30th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

We reiterated the messages of the Resolution of the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Israeli Aggression Against the Palestinian People.

We noted with grave concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world. We underscored that conflicts can have significant consequences for the global economy. We called for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip.

We also underscored the need for an immediate, continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip.

We reaffirmed that a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means, based on the relevant United Nations resolutions including the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/ES-10/L.25 and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2712 and in accordance with international law, on the basis of the two State solution, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.”

Part 3: A 30 year story of Anwar Ibrahim and the USA

The USA has been supportive of Anwar Ibrahim for decades, even during his incarceration, in which he thanked Biden last week. I did not know Biden was chair of the Senate Foreign Relations of the Caucus at the time. But let me give you a little history. It starts - not 75 years ago - but 30 years back.

In 1993, Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohammad declared he would NOT attend APEC’s meeting in Seattle because of the USA’s cool response to Mahathir’s suggestion of an Asian trading group. Australia’s then prime minister, Paul Keating called Mahathir recalcitrant which led to:

1. ALL Malaysians finding any excuse to say recalcitrant in their everyday conversation. Hey, we didn't have Twitter or memes back then! and
2. A near trade war with Australia. Australia backed down as Malaysia was a major trading partner and upsetting Malaysia meant upsetting all its neighbours too.

In today’s light, we would look back at Mahathir, not as recalcitrant, but a decoloniser, determined to influence other Asian nations, and later Muslim nations to wean off the West and their colonisers. This must have been unnerving for the USA and the rest of the West. Dr Mahathir had challenged Margaret Thatcher in the 80s with Buy British Last while moving to a Look East policy, specifically Japan.

The USA were charmed though, by Mahathir’s deputy, Anwar Ibrahim. He received a 19 gun salute by the US military when he visited. Rumour has it, this upset Mahathir. As it was, he was already viewing his bold ambitious deputy with suspicion. During the 1997 financial crisis that hit most of Asia and sent countries like South Korea into a tailspin, Anwar who was also finance minister suggested seeking a bailout from the IMF.

Mahathir overruled him, took the Malaysian Ringgit off the currency market and pegged it to the US dollar to stop it falling further. This was a good call and saved Malaysia from greater economic grief. The country was going through rapid development and a dwindling ringgit would have halted projects. Stories of disagreements between prime minister and deputy were legendary.?

In 1998, Mahathir sacked Anwar Ibrahim, accusing him of sodomy and abuse of power. Anwar was charged in a questionable trial, where a mattress was carried in and out of court to prove his semen was on it. President Clinton at the time was facing Monica-gate, and was said to have remarked that coverage of Anwar’s trial was far more salacious of his own.

Anwar’s wife, Wan Azizah and daughter Nurul Izzah, then 18 flew to Washington DC to meet with Clinton and plead for support. The USA were "deeply worried" about the "horrifying treatment” towards Anwar. ?

Time cover after the Malaysian high court found Anwar guilty in April 1999. On the left, the famous black eye photo as he emerged from a police vehicle raising his arm in a defiant wave. He had been assaulted by the inspector general of police at the time. The eye eventually became the symbol of Parti Keadilan formed to seek justice for Anwar. The young masked man on the right symbolised a reformasi (reformation) protestor, inspired by Indonesia’s reformasi movement.

President Clinton did not attend APEC in Kuala Lumpur in September 1998 as he risked condoning Anwar’s treatment (Iraq was given as the official reason). In August, during the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, the British tried their level best to keep Queen Elizabeth away from Anwar, riding pillion on a motorbike, a red bandana round his forehead, chanting Reformasi! They had to change the church for her Sunday service.?

So the US were understandably concerned.?

They booked up an entire hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Vice President Al Gore attended in Clinton’s stead, amidst demonstrations and chants of Reformasi in front of the hotel and down the road from the law firm where I worked. It was the best way to get the international media’s attention. And they did.

“… we continue to hear calls for reform, in many languages - People Power, Dot Moi, Reformasi. We hear them today - right here, right now among the brave people of Malaysia.” US Vice President Al Gore at APEC, 1998

Al Gore spoke for the many Malaysians on the streets of KL in 1998 while challenging the host, the Malaysian government and prime minister Dr Mahathir.?

Anwar Ibrahim, in a strange twist of fate, who was the centre of Gore’s remarks, spoke not just for the US people on the streets of New York, Washington DC and other US cities in 2023, but people throughout the world, while challenging the host, the US government and president Biden.

Al Gore’s 1998 APEC remarks were carried by the international media. Western democracies wanted Anwar Ibrahim freed.

25 years later the international media are silent when their once darling confronts powerful governments - most particularly the USA who once supported him in the name of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Anwar was found guilty in April 1999 and was jailed until 2004 when he was pardoned by the King after a new prime minister, Abdullah Badawi came to power. Anwar returned to politics, with the party formed when he was first arrested - Parti Keadilan Rakyat (the People's Justice Party, or PKR), led by his wife Wan Azizah. In the 2008 elections PKR, in alliance with other opposition parties made strong gains against the ruling party, Barisan Nasional (National Alliance, known as BN). BN had been comfortably in power since independence in 1957. In 2008, Anwar was charged for sodomy again and after numerous appeals right up to the apex court, he was jailed in 2015.

By this stage, rumours of corruption by the then prime minister, Najib Razak were circling. The Sarawak Report and Malaysia's The Edge covered stories questioning Najib's integrity. The Edge had its licence suspended and UK based Sarawak Report found itself blocked for Malaysian readers. However, as we know, news becomes news when the international mainstream media get involved. The Wall Street Journal broke the story of how Najib, with the help of Penang born Jho Low (who with Najib’s step son produced The Wolf of Wall Street), had dipped his hands into sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. These funds were part of his war chest to win the 2013 general elections (also aided by Cambridge Analytica,? but that is another story).?

In 2016 the US Department of Justice announced, through its newly formed Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, to recover over $1 billion associated with an international conspiracy to launder over $3 billion funds misappropriated by 1MDB. Since then the figure said to be misappropriated is around $4.5 billion.

Among the assets recovered were a $250 million luxury yacht, EMI shares, Monet, Picasso and Basquiat paintings. Leonardo DiCaprio surrendered his Marlon Brando Oscar statuette gifted to him by Jho Low with Malaysian tax payer money. ?

In the meantime, as the 2016 US presidential election was heating up, Hillary's leaked emails included the Podesta papers, among them memos from Malaysia (opposition linked) in expectation of her becoming POTUS. The memos warned her of?Najib’s corruption and expressed dismay that Obama had upgraded Malaysia's ranking on the human trafficking watchlist to enable Malaysia’s backing of the Trans Pacific Partnership. The TTP was being pushed by Obama and was protested by the Malaysian public. Najib proudly publicised photos of him playing golf with Obama in Hawaii.

In 2018, Anwar Ibrahim was pardoned by the King and released. He threw himself back into politics. By this stage, his nemesis Mahathir, angry at Najib’s corruption, had formed a new opposition party.

If this could NOT get anymore dramatic - the two of them JOINED FORCES to battle Najib and his ruling coalition in the 2018 general elections. AND THEY WON!

Mahathir became prime minister again, with Wan Azizah as deputy. Najib and his wife were charged in Malaysia for corruption related offences. He is now serving a 12 year sentence.?

Then a game of political musical chairs as Malaysia changed its prime ministers almost as often as the United Kingdom did. The 2022 election finally saw Anwar Ibrahim win AND become prime minister. He is Malaysia's 10th prime minister: PMX in short.

So that’s how he ended up at APEC last week. Yes it took me this long to tell you this story. BUT, let’s get back to Palestine.

Malaysia and Palestine

Malaysia has long been a friend of Palestine. It has never had diplomatic relations with Israel. Israel is the only country that is barred for Malaysians in their passport. Malaysians protest quite regularly in front of the US embassy after Friday prayers, not just about Palestine, but about any US armed conflict …. I did say regular!?

After October 7th, the US Embassy issued three diplomatic notes (demarche) to Anwar requesting him to review his stand on Hamas. Anwar refused. He said “I said that we, as a policy, have a relationship with Hamas from before and this will continue.”

Some political analysts put this down to the growing Muslim conservative electorate in Malaysia. Similar to the USA, there is an ideological gap between progressive Malaysians and the more fundamentalist right.?

After Anwar returned to Malaysia from San Francisco via a freezing Anchorage (don’t ask, he tweeted a photo of him and Wan Azizah looking very cold), he appeared in Parliament on Monday to address questions like whether he agreed with a mufti’s view that Coldplay’s Malaysian concert on Wednesday night should be cancelled for their LGBT opinions. His response, a deadpan mic drop: “Coldplay supports Palestine”.

As I write this - Coldplay are playing live in Kuala Lumpur. The show did go on.

If you were expecting the song to be Coldplay's, I’m sorry. I invite you to listen to this - 25 voices from the Middle East and North Africa, sing Rajieen. Their voices reflect the heartbreak of Palestine and reverberate throughout the world. It is time for us, and most certainly the West to wake up, and listen to those who have, until now, not been heard.?

“Should I lose my voice, yours will remain” Rajieen?

It’s time to re-center the voices the world must hear. And the time is now.