Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : PARLIAMENT HOUSE, KUALA LUMPUR
Tarikh/Date : 06/01/87
Tajuk/Title : THE COMMONWEALTH SPEAKERS AND
PRESIDING OFFICERS STANDING
COMMITTEE MEETING
Mr. Chairman;
The Honourable The Presidents of the Senate;
Honourable Speakers and Deputy Speakers;
Honourable Ministers;
Your Excellencies;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome the Presidents of
the Senate, Speakers, Deputy Speakers, Presiding Officers
and other officials to Malaysia. I am honoured to be called
upon to address this gathering and to declare the meeting
open. We are happy that Kuala Lumpur has been chosen as the
venue for this meeting and it is hoped that it will not only
be successful but it will also be an enjoyable experience
for you.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
2. As I have stated on various occasions, the Commonwealth
must strive to achieve more tangible and meaningful results
for all its members. While it is true that member countries
have benefitted from programmes such as the Colombo Plan,
the Commonwealth
Scholarship and Fellowship Plan and the Commonwealth Fund
for Technical Co-operation, the changed world scenario today
demands that the Commonwealth adjusts itself to this new
environment. Inability to do so may result in the
Commonwealth losing more of its credibility and
effectiveness as an organisation set up with noble and
virtuous objectives.
3. The world we live in today and the problems we face are
both complex and numerous. The concept of justice and
fairplay, as expounded by early thinkers, have changed
considerably and taken new dimensions as new and more brash
forces make their views felt. The concept and practice of
free trade, as we the developing countries are made to
understand, have been eroded, principally by its original
advocates. Generally what was insisted upon by the rich and
powerful as the 'norms' for international behaviour and
relations and adhered to by small and weak countries, have
constantly been violated by the strong as soon as the weak
learns to benefit from these 'norms'. The economies of the
developing countries are not only at the mercy of the
industrialised giants but these economies have now been
almost destroyed by the rich nations. More, these powerful
nations have exported their vices which undermines the
efforts of the poor to better themselves.
4. All these actions by the rich nations have made the
developing countries quite disillusioned and almost
helpless. Their attempts to industrialise and export their
manufactured goods are obstructed by the walls of
protectionism -- put up by the industrialised countries not
only to protect their domestic industries but also to deny
the developing countries the right to compete in the
international consumer markets. New rules and regulations
are imposed by the rich nations from time to time to
frustrate the attempts of developing nations to gain entry
into the markets of the developed countries. Yet at the
same time the rich and the powerful subsidised the
production of their primary products which are then dumped
in the developing countries, thus displacing competing
primary products from developing countries. One cannot
help but conclude that the industrialised countries are
deliberately denying the developing nations equitable
participation in the world's trade. The Commonwealth may
symbolize the end of political imperialism but there is
reason to believe that the old imperialist nations have
found a substitute in economic imperialism.
5. There is no doubt that much of the economic ills and
problems of the world today are man-made and the result of
selfishness. Consequently the solution to these problems
requires human willingness and sincerity, particularly on
the part of the developed nations. These economic powers
must realise that as developing countries prosper they will
become better markets for the manufactured products of the
developed countries. There is no way whereby the developing
countries, even if they industrialise, are going to produce
all the manufactured goods they need. The Japanese, or even
the Koreans and Taiwanese phenomena are unique. Even they
have to buy certain products from the older developed
nations. The other developing countries are not likely to
reach their levels. Hysterical terms like Newly
Industrialising Countries or NICs should never have been
coined for they create fears which are not justified.
6. The question that comes to mind is what role can the
Commonwealth play. Certainly the Commonwealth should not be
just a comfortable old boys club. The founder members must
exhibit their belief in it's raison d'etre by not forsaking
the Commonwealth whenever it becomes embarrassing or it
obstructs their economic interest. If they do this, they
cannot really expect the newer members to go on subscribing
to the ideals and spirit of the Commonwealth. It is the
disillusionment caused by the actions of senior Commonwealth
members that have prompted Malaysia to institute a very
careful study of the Commonwealth and its membership in the
organisation.
7. From where we are, we see the Commonwealth having
everything except wealth that is common to all its members.
The wealth is in fact confined to a very few of us. We need
not go into history and recriminate. But is there any
reason why we cannot help those of us who are in dire need?
Should we ignore their cries for help simply because
economic considerations demand that we help the oppressor
against the oppressed? Should we forsake them because we
have found new friends and formed new associations?
8. One of the oddities of the Commonwealth is that the
members are expected to have a similar democratic system of
Government modelled after those of the original Commonwealth
countries. The expectation is odd because prior to
independence these countries had never experienced
democracy. They were ruled by bureaucrats who never had to
obtain a mandate from the people. The system was completely
authoritarian. Yet at the stroke of midnight these new
members are expected not only to take over the
responsibilities of Government but to practice a very
specific type of democracy developed in alien and distant
lands where the situation is as different as black is from
white.
9. The most minute deviation from this democracy would
draw the wrath of the self-appointed guardians from across
the seas. The hounds will be let loose. Sundry rebels and
charlatans will be listened to avidly as they condemn the
prevailing Governments. True, some tales of woe are real
and need sympathetic hearing. But experience should teach
us that new Governments which had successfully overthrown
old despots are not necessarily better than their
predecessors.
10. But what is happening in these self-righteous
countries? While they condemn discrimination in other
countries, they themselves practice the most blatant
discrimination. They demand rights for minorities and races
in other countries, which they are not prepared to give to
similar minorities in their own. And they continuously
instigate and encourage protest and disorder which they are
not prepared to tolerate in their own countries.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
11. If the Commonwealth is to survive and remain
meaningful, there must be a radical change in the attitude
of some of the members. Alternatively we should declare
that it is a social club of English speaking ex-colonies.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
12. In September this year, Malaysia will play host for the
third time to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
(CPA) conference. It should not be taken as a measure of
our commitment to the Commonwealth concept. We maintain an
open mind while we do our assessment of the Commonwealth.
Nevertheless, we pray and hope that we will be convinced
that the Commonwealth amounts to something -- that wealth
should indeed be shared and common. We are not asking for a
redistribution of the spoils. But we do ask that no one
take unjustified negative steps which will impoverish
further the already poor.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
13. You have a heavy schedule ahead of you. Nevertheless,
I hope you will also find some time away from your meeting
room to see a little of Kuala Lumpur, if not of Malaysia.
14. With these words I now have much pleasure in declaring
open this meeting and wish you all success in your
deliberations.
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