Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	:  
Tarikh/Date 	: 	15/03/95 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE SENATE HOUSE, 
			CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY 


 
    I am greatly  honoured  to  be  able  to  address  this
distinguished   audience   of   academics,  dignitaries  and
students at the Senate  House  of  this  famous  university.
When  I was told that I will be given the honour to speak at
this old and prestigious university, no indication was  made
as  to  suitable subjects.   You must therefore excuse me if
the subject chosen is not quite right.  I hope you will bear
with  me  if   I   sound   unnecessarily   contentious   and
argumentative.
2.      Because I am a Malay and an Asian, because the Asian
values  debate  has  so  often  been   over-simplified   and
misunderstood,  because  there  is a need for greater mutual
understanding and regard among the peoples of this world and
because I am speaking before an important  audience  in  the
West,  I  have  chosen  to  speak  on Asian values.   Let me
however argue for  mutual  respect.    Let  me  urge  mutual
enrichment.
3.         Let  me  begin  by  offending  the  many  Western
universalists who  insist  that  there  are  only  universal
values,  that there is no such thing as `Asian values', that
Asia  is  too  diverse  to  have  common  values  and   that
proponents  of  `Asian  values'  are doing nothing more than
justifying authoritarianism,  dictatorship  and  uncivilised
behaviour.
4.    There are many, of course,  who believe that the world
has seen such a convergence  of  cultures  and  values  that
there  is  no  longer  any  value  in talking about `Western
values', `Eastern values' and so on.    What  I  have  found
striking  in recent years -- especially after the end of the
Cold War and the  so-called  `end  of  history'  --  is  the
aggressiveness  of this line of thinking and the intolerance
for those who beg to differ.
5.   The demise of communism and the discrediting of  Fabian
socialism  have  not  impressed the Western universalists on
the need to be a little circumspect, on the need to be  less
insistent  that the West is always right.  They still insist
that what is right for them is right for the world.
6.    There is no denying that over  the  last  few  hundred
years,  especially  over  the  last  half century, there has
developed enormous areas  in  which  the  degree  of  common
values  and  attitudes  is  remarkable  and  stunning -- and
historically unprecedented.  Yet it seems equally clear that
there are great areas of difference.  There are major  areas
of  potential friction.  And there are some areas of serious
political discord.
7.   You will be surprised the number of times I  have  been
reminded  by  the  French  people  that when I speak of `the
West', I should not confuse `the West' or identify  it  with
the Anglo-Saxon world or the Anglo-Saxon way.  Italians have
told  me  the same.   Swedes have told me this.  Even I have
often told myself this.
8.   I often wonder, therefore,  why there is such ferocious
emotional denial of  cultural  pluralism  and  such  intense
intellectual  denial  of  the  obvious -- although I have my
suspicions.  9.             Asia is of course a much  bigger
continent  than Europe.   The diversity of its civilisations
is  much  greater  and  older.    For  every  generalisation
however,  some exceptions can be found.  And yet, there is a
body of common values and beliefs that most of  us  in  Asia
hold on to in order to guide our way in the world.
10.    With regard to East Asia, David Hitchcock, the former
Director for East Asian and Pacific Affairs  of  the  United
States  Information Agency, has actually conducted the first
ever quantitative survey comparing East Asian  and  American
values.
11.  Last year he asked Americans and East Asians (Japanese,
Thais,    Chinese,    Koreans,   Malaysians,   Singaporeans,
Indonesians and Filipinos) to choose  six `societal  values'
and  five  `personal values' which they regarded as core and
critical.  The results were published a few months ago in  a
publication  called  Asian Values and the United States: How
Much Conflict?
12.   The survey found that the  six  societal  values  most
valued  by  the  East Asians were:  first, having an orderly
society;  second,  societal  harmony;  third,  ensuring  the
accountability  of  public  officials; fourth, being open to
new ideas; fifth, freedom of expression; and sixth,  respect
for  authority.    On the other hand, the six most important
for  the  Americans  polled  were:  freedom  of  expression,
personal freedom, the rights of the individual, open debate,
thinking for oneself and sixth, the accountability of public
officials.      Interestingly   slightly  more  East  Asians
emphasised  the  importance  of  `new  ideas'   and   public
accountability than did Americans.
13.      Despite   Hitchcock's   interest   in   discovering
commonalities between East Asians and  Americans,  he  found
fundamental differences also with regard to personal values.
14.    The  five most important personal values stressed  by
the  Americans  polled   were:   self   reliance,   personal
achievement,  hard  work,  achieving  success  in  life, and
fifth, helping others.   Whereas the  sixth  most  important
core  value  stressed  by  the  East  Asians  -- `fulfilling
obligations to others' -- was stressed by 39 percent of  the
East  Asians,  only  19  percent  of  the  Americans  polled
emphasised this.    Whereas  59  percent  of  the  Americans
stressed  `achieving  success  in  life',  half as many East
Asians did so.    Whereas  59  percent  of  the    Americans
stressed `personal achievement', only 33 percent of the East
Asian  did so.  On the other hand, whereas 69 percent of the
East Asians emphasised respect for learning, only 15 percent
of the Americans did.  Whereas 48 percent of the East Asians
stressed self discipline, only 22 percent of  the  Americans
did.
15.    I  do  not  know  how  accurately this American study
reflects reality.  But Hitchcock gives  figures  to  support
the  intuitive assumptions of most East Asians and those who
really know East Asia.
16.  I do know that these values are sometimes more honoured
in their breach than in their practice.  I do know that many
of these `Asian values' were  once  also  `Western  values'.
Some  are a function of our stage of development and will be
challenged and discarded as we move forward.
17.  I hope that my exposition on Asian values  so  far  has
not   by   any   stretch   of   the   imagination  justified
dictatorship, authoritarianism,  anti-democratic  practices,
the suppression of human rights, the denial of democracy.  I
hope  that  my  arguments  also  do  not  in any way justify
torture, the exploitation of child labour,  the  suppression
of women and the wanton destruction of the environment.
18.    Having  offended the universalists, the most militant
of whom are congregated in the West, let me now be permitted
to offend the authoritarians, so many of whom  are  said  to
congregate in `the East'.
19.    The  first  thing that might usefully be said is that
atrocity anywhere must not  be  tolerated.    It  should  be
punished.  No one should be allowed to hide behind the cloak
of cultural relativism.
20.    Secondly,  many  Asian  values  should  obviously  be
destroyed.
21.  In many parts of Asia, there is  excessive  materialism
and  in  many  parts,  there  is excessive anti-materialism;
there  is  extremist  spiritualism,  or  what   passes   for
spiritualism.
22.   In some societies, there is the ethic of fatalism.  In
others,  the  dominance  of  contentment,   smugness,   even
arrogance.    Feudalism  is still very much alive so that in
some Asian democracies and even Communist states  leadership
is  inherited and confined to neo-royal families, or the new
aristocracy.   In far too many  Asian  countries,  there  is
excessive  deference  to  authority.    There  is social and
psychological authoritarianism.
23.  The record of Asia with regard to fundamental economic,
social and cultural rights has too often been as bad as  the
Asian record on fundamental civil and political rights.
24.   Inequality, the repression of women and the weak.  The
economic, political, intellectual and social  disempowerment
of  millions.    A  deep psychological sense of inferiority.
The lack of self confidence and the  sense  of  self  worth.
Uncaring  societies that have not an iota of love and regard
for  God's   living   creatures,   for   the   infirm,   the
disadvantaged,  the  handicapped,  the  physical environment
which man holds only in trust.
25.           Undiluted adherence to tradition, superstition
and magic.  Deep and widespread corruption and tolerance  of
corruption  -- equally deep and widespread.  The list is too
long to even enumerate.
26.  A third point is equally obvious.  If `Asian' does  not
mean  `good'  exclusively,  `Western'  does  not  mean `bad'
exclusively either.   Asia's  process of learning  from  the
best  in  the  West  is far from complete.   There  are many
Western values, found in the best Western  societies,  which
we should adopt or internalise more deeply.
27.   I remember in my country's own history, that we had to
do a lot of persuading before we were granted the  right  to
have elections and to vote.  It was we, Malaysians, who were
denied  democracy  and many of our human rights.  But in the
end the  powers  that  be  relented  and  retreated  without
scorching  the  earth  which  doing  so.    We took over our
country largely intact.   Our neighbours  did  not  fare  so
well.
28.   When Malaya became independent in 1957, our per capita
income was lower than that of Haiti.  Haiti did not take the
path of democracy.   We did.   Haiti today  is  the  poorest
country  in  all of the Americas.  We now have a standard of
living higher than any major economy in the  Americas,  save
only for the United States and Canada.
29.    We  could  not  have  achieved  what we have achieved
without democracy.   Let me  reiterate  this  point  because
there  are  so many young Malaysians in the audience.  Never
forget.  We could not have done it without democracy.   This
is why, for example, a resolute commitment to  democracy  is
such a central pillar in Malaysia's 2020 Vision.
30.    We  could  not  have  achieved  what we have achieved
without Malaysian democracy,  which  owes  more  to  British
democracy than American democracy.  I suspect that given the
excesses  of some democratic practices, we would have become
one   of   those   countries    where    incessant    street
demonstrations,  strikes  and  frequent  violent  changes of
Government  have  resulted  in  near  anarchy  and  economic
regression.    When  people  speak of democracy, they assume
that  democracy  must  mean  their  country's  special   and
particular  brand  of democratic institutions and practices.
Other forms must be undemocratic or less  democratic.    Yet
even   among   the  champions,  concepts  and  practices  of
democracy differ widely.
31.  Obviously, it is often  difficult  to  distinguish  the
democrat from the anti-democrat, the honest leader trying to
do an honest day's work and the dishonest politician who has
his  own agenda.   But there is a need to be fair to and not
to demonise those in less than ideal  circumstances  who  do
not want gridlock democracy, weak and cowardly democracy and
democratic  practices  and  forms  that  over-emphasise  the
individual and neglect the community, that  glorify  combat,
that  foster  unbridled  conflict,  that  guarantee  against
harmony, consensus and cohesion, that  threaten  to  destroy
order  and  democracy itself, and that engender the prospect
of total chaos.
32.  Unfortunately, many who pass judgement do not have  the
time  to  even master the basics, still less the complicated
picture.  There are many who have passed judgement on me who
believe that my name is `Mohamad'.  There are those who have
passed judgement on Malaysia who do not  even  know  how  to
pronounce  the  name  of my country, and indeed where in the
world it is.
33.   I have said a  few  things  on  Asian  values  and  on
cultural pluralism.  Let me now say a few words about mutual
respect and mutual enrichment.
34.           Before I insist that `the West' must have more
respect  for other values and other cultures, let me concede
that we outside `the West' also need a balanced  perspective
on  `the  West'.    If  it was ridiculous for so many of our
elites to once believe that everything that was good was  in
the West and everything that was in the West was good, it is
equally  ridiculous  to  now believe that everything that is
bad is in the West and everything that is  in  the  West  is
bad.
35.    Mutual  regard is simply that.   There is much in the
West that commands respect.
36.  At the same time, it is right and it is time that  Asia
too is accorded the regard and the respect that is its due.
37.    Mutual  respect  demands an acceptance that those who
have a different view are not necessarily misguided or evil.
Mutual respect demands a minimum level of  humility  on  all
sides.    The  countries  of  the West have a right to their
preferences.    But  they  have  no  right  to   ram   their
preferences down anyone's throat.
38.    In  a  recent speech at the "Europe/East Asia Summit"
organised by the World Economic Forum, I half jokingly  said
that  in  their more exuberant moments, there are many Asian
leaders who think they can  solve  the  problem  of  Serbian
atrocities  in  Bosnia,  the  Basque  problem and the income
inequalities between northern and southern Italy.
39.  In many Western societies there are massive problems of
drug addiction.  There are teachers afraid of their  pupils.
There  is chronic vandalism.  There are some societies where
there are more illegitimate  babies  than  legitimate  ones.
There are countries where large numbers in their thirties or
even  forties  have  never  worked for a single day of their
lives.   There are places  where  an  unemployed  person  is
better  off  not  working than if he found a job.  There are
some democracies where political leaders are  afraid  to  do
what they know is right, for one reason or another.  And the
people  and  their  leaders  live  in fear, fear of the free
media which they so loudly proclaim as inviolable.    Indeed
they  are  quite literally oppressed by their own media, the
way people  in  feudal  societies  are  oppressed  by  their
rulers,  knowing  their unfortunate situation but not daring
to raise their voices against an established institution, to
curb its excesses if not to revolt against it.
40.   Many Asian leaders, in  their  moments  of  levity,  I
hasten  to  add,  believe that they have the answers to such
problems.  If some European countries want  their  help  and
advice,  I  said,  "I  am sure they would be willing to give
such help and advice."  But so far, it has not  entered  the
mind  of  any  Asian  leader  to  threaten  sanctions if any
European country fails to put its house in order.  No  Asian
parliament  I  am  aware  of  has passed a single resolution
calling on its government to take steps  should  a  European
country not reform itself.
41.  If any Asian leader were to so threaten or if any Asian
parliament  were  to  so  act, the West would regard them as
mad.  The West would regard the whole idea as preposterous.
42.  If it is preposterous and  mad  for  Asian  leaders  to
threaten  sanctions  when  Europeans  fail  to measure up to
their  standards  and  norms,  could  it  not  be  a  little
preposterous   for  Europeans  to  threaten  sanctions  when
non-evil and non-uncivilised Asian  countries  prefer  their
own standards and norms and not Europe's?
43.  To this and many other questions I asked, I did not get
a  response.    All  I  received  was  a  public admonition.
Although what I said about Europe might be  true,  came  the
rebuttal,  it  was  `unacceptable', I repeat `unacceptable'.
It was not `unwise' not  `injudicious',  but  `unacceptable'
that I should have publicly mentioned some of the ills found
in   Europe.    A  European  press  correspondent  asked  me
afterwards whether I thought that the European  participants
at  the  Forum came to be lectured to by me.  The free press
which lectures all the time to the world obviously  did  not
think I have a right to free speech.
44.  The famous political scientist, Samuel Huntington ended
his equally famous essay, `The Clash of Civilisations', with
the  call for the civilisations to co-exist.  I call not for
co-existence but for mutual cultural enrichment.
45.  We in Asia have learnt a great deal from the West.   We
will  be  unnecessarily  constraining  our full potential if
this process were now to be stopped.   At the same  time  we
have to learn a great deal from `the East', from the rest of
Asia,  from  Africa  and  Latin America -- and from the best
that our own histories and cultures have to offer.
46.  I believe that Europe too may find some value  in  this
message  of  enriching  each other, of mutual enrichment, of
rejuvenation and of self discovery.  Asian values are  Asian
values;  European values are European values.  The twain can
meet and from the meeting there might be some  understanding
and  appreciation  of  the  wisdom  of each, and hopefully a
wedding of the good and rejection of what is  bad  or  evil,
God willing.  Let us all admit that no one has a monopoly of
wisdom.