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Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : BANGKOK
Tarikh/Date : 03/03/96
Tajuk/Title : THE ASIA BUSINESS LEADERS: THE
BANGKOK DIALOGUE
SHAPING A BETTER WORLD: ASIA AND EUROPE
AS EQUAL PARTNERS
Once upon a time, not so long ago, Asia was
merely a place to be exploited by the Europeans. In
a Euro-Centric world, `East Asia' was the Far East,
distant, mysterious and hopeless. Yet today, we
meet immediately after the first meeting in world
history between East Asia and Western Europe. Ten
years ago, or even five years ago, this would have
been unthinkable. Today we meet almost as equals;
almost because some of us in Asia are still overawed
by the West. We still feel colonised or defeated.
And indeed we are justified in feeling so, for new
forms of colonisation, including thought
colonisation, have replaced physical occupation and
the gunboat. The control of the international media
by the West renders independent thinking impossible.
2. Perhaps this is a rather strong statement to
make. But then for the past 100 years or so
European thoughts and values embodied in various
ideologies had dominated the world. Socialism,
Capitalism, Communism and various mutations of these
originated in Europe as a result of the political,
economic and social problems faced by Europeans.
3. But having taken root in European societies,
these ideologies were exported to the rest of the
world, including the East. Because the imperial
powers were largely capitalist free-marketeers,
resentment by the subject peoples or those
threatened by Europeans rendered communism and
socialism, with their egalitarian principles, very
attractive. On the other hand, the Communist
imperialism of the USSR tolerated no other ideology
or system.
4. And so most of the countries colonised or
dominated by the capitalist free-marketeers and the
Communist opted for or were forced to become
Socialist and Communist. By the middle of the 20th
century Western or European thoughts dominated the
whole world. Even the religions of the world, which
mostly originated from the East, had to explain
their teachings in terms of Western thoughts and
ideas, about the equality, fraternity and liberty of
the human soul. Not to conform to these ideas would
make even religions less than acceptable to the
dominant cultural values of the world.
5. And so when it is said that Western control of
the international media renders independent thinking
almost impossible, it is really not too far fetched.
6. When society accepts a certain set of values
and regards these as universal, then to deviate
would be heretical. At any given time, it is safer
to conform than to reject or deviate. But then
values change, cultures change and even ideologies
change with time. Today Socialism and Communism are
no longer the ideologies that anyone would fight and
die for. Indeed they are almost totally
discredited.
7. We know now how Socialism and Communism
destroyed the economies of prosperous nations and
impoverish and even made slaves of the people.
There was not even equality of poverty. Some
Socialists and Communists were privileged and rich,
while the majority languished in poverty. The
egalitarian society these ideologies promised never
really materialised. Worse still, the citizens of
Socialist and Communist states were almost without
exception poorer than the workers in the capitalist
free-market countries.
8. And so after three-quarters of a century the
people who conceived the Socialist and Communist
theories and practised them decided that these
ideologies were wrong and they should be discarded.
It was all a big mistake. The massacres and the
brutalities perpetrated were all a waste. The
indoctrination and the thought control had not
brought about a worthwhile culture and value system.
9. We need not discuss why the greatest Communist
country and the many Socialist fellow travellers
gave up their beliefs. What is important is that
Western thinking was faulty, western intellectuals
had made the wrong analysis of what ails their
societies and had prescribed the wrong remedies.
The cost had been high but more important is the
fact that these Western intellectuals were totally
wrong.
10. Now if they could be wrong at such great cost
before, can they not be wrong again? Can we believe
that the present Western thinkers are absolutely
right? Is it not possible that they may again be
wrong, at least to some extent; to some degree?
11. Eastern people are more concerned about
spiritual things. Westerners are more concerned
about material things. Capitalism, Socialism and
Communism are all materialistic ideologies. The
basic idea is that if you have material well-being,
you must be happy. And if the material things are
distributed equally, then all must be equally happy.
12. The obsession with equality permeates all
European or Western thinking. This is truly
laudable. It is just and it is fair. But when it
comes to certain things, it falls far short of
justice or fairness.
13. It is fine for everyone to be equal before the
law. We can uphold that, although in practice the
equality is far from the ideal. For example a rich
criminal with the best lawyers can actually get away
with murder while a poor suspect with an assigned
third rate lawyer may not be able to prove his
innocence, even though he is perfectly innocent.
The equality is only apparent but far from being
truly equal.
14. But when it comes to international relations
the big powers are more equal than the others. A
poor country may have equal rights to apply sanction
against a rich country but in fact it cannot do so.
Again the equality is not real or meaningful. It is
merely lip-service. In practice the poor country
will always be denied equality.
15. But equality is always emphasised in trade.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is urged to
create level playing fields, i.e. equal conditions
for everyone in international trade and investments.
If the weaker economies agree to open up their
country to unrestricted foreign investments, then
they can have equally attractive conditions for
their own investments in the rich countries.
16. Thus foreign direct investments should not be
conditional but be absolutely unrestricted. Their
products should be allowed to compete freely in the
local market against products of national companies.
Frankly, Malaysia would not be able to go into the
automobile industry at all but for differential tax
treatment. If Malaysia does not produce its own
cars, imagine the drain on foreign exchange as it is
forced to buy either imported cars or cars produced
locally by the powerful, technologically advanced,
cash-rich Japanese and Western countries. The
deficit in the balance of payment would be
horrendous.
17. In fact but for the right and the ability to
regulate the economy in favour of locals in certain
areas, while allowing and even providing incentives
for foreign investments in other areas, it is
doubtful that Malaysia would be as prosperous as it
is today. If the Malaysian market is seen as
attractive today it is because of the judicious use
of the regulatory powers of the Government to
encourage locals and also to provide incentives for
direct foreign investments. Without these powers to
give unequal treatment, it is likely that Malaysia
will become another basket case dependent on aid and
the generosity of others.
18. If a basket case is expected to accord the same
treatment to itself as it does to the rich and the
powerful, it will lose every time and all the time.
A level playing field is fair when the contestants
are of the same built, but it is totally unfair when
midgets are pitted against giants.
19. Yet at the GATT, the WTO, the ILO and other
fora, the stress of the powerful is on unqualified
equality. Workers in under-developed or developing
countries must be given the same pay as those in
developed countries. Vast sums of money must be
expended on environmental protection in the
developing countries as are supposedly expended in
developed countries for this purpose. Workers
should stage strikes regularly as evidence that they
are free etc. etc.
20. Failure to do all these would result in anti-
dumping measures or countervailing duties or just
plain economic arm-twisting. It does not occur to
the rich and the powerful that equality can also be
achieved by their lowering their inflated wages,
benefits and entitlements.
21. Equality is great but sometimes equal treatment
results in aggravating the disparities between the
parties concerned. On the other hand
discrimination, favoured treatment and affirmative
action are more likely to result in equality and
justice.
22. A classic case of double standards about
equality is the treatment accorded to the mooted
East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC). The EAEC is
proposed as a forum for East Asian countries,
developed and developing, to discuss mutual economic
problems and to help the development of the less
developed members.
23. But some East Asian countries were actually
instructed by Western countries, which had already
formed their own trade blocs, that they should
reject this forum. Clearly, what is right for the
Western countries is not right for Eastern
countries. Equality is not the great principle that
the Western countries make it out to be. Equality
is only good if it results in economic and other
gains for the West, but if it is perceived to be a
threat to them, then equality should not be
advocated.
24. And so for years now the East Asian countries
have not been allowed to talk to each other. The
East Asia-Europe meeting just held barely managed to
get the participation of the East Asian countries as
a loose group, though not all. But already there
have been indications that in future such meetings
should include non-East Asians as well.
25. Asians are often accused of being racist. But
what is one to make of this objection against Asians
talking to each other when the objectors themselves
have done more than that, formed trade blocs,
cartels and have in fact taken unilateral action to
block specific East Asian goods from their markets
without even giving a fair hearing?
26. Freedom is another sacred cow which everyone
must worship. Asian countries are forever being
accused of not giving freedom to their own peoples.
27. What about the freedom of independent Asian
countries? If they are not allowed to form their
own association, then can they be really free? What
is the difference between the Russian action to
force the Czechoslovak Republic or Hungary to stay
within the Communist bloc and the denial of the
freedom of association of East Asian countries? At
least, Russian imperialism has been curtailed. Can
one say the same of other hegemonic powers? Or will
double standards prevail with freedom as it prevails
with equality?
28. East Asia is set for a renaissance. The
process that began with the Japanese economic
miracle has now spread to North East and South East
Asia. The prosperity of nations should contribute
to the development of other nations. Malaysia
prospered because of Japanese investments largely.
Japan would not have invested in Malaysia and in
other countries if it had not itself prospered.
29. Today South East Asian countries have already
begun to invest in other developing countries,
helping them to create jobs and to develop. At the
same time they, the South East Asian countries, have
become good markets for the developed countries.
Obviously, it is a win-win situation which beggaring
your neighbour will not result in.
30. It is not an accident that the countries of the
Association of South East Asian Nations have almost
uniformly prospered. They have learnt from each
other the right formula for development. They have
all opened up their countries to foreign direct
investment. In Africa and Latin America where
socialist ideas were spread, nationalisation and
rejection of foreign investment have, without
exception, undermined their economies. Socialistic
centrally-planned economies are to be found in East
Asia too. But ASEAN has acted as a counterbalance
and today, even if Communist and Socialist
ideologies are still upheld by some, the free market
economy, as pursued by ASEAN, has become universally
accepted.
31. If the EAEC is given free rein, the free market
system will be truly propagated. The weaker
economies in the regions will
benefit. East Asia will prosper and will act as
supplementary engines of growth for the rest of the
world.
32. The EAEC is an idea whose time has come. It
can speed up the rebirth of East Asia. A
rejuvenated East Asia practising the free market
system will eventually lay to rest the last vestiges
of Communist and Socialist economic theories, if not
ideologies. If indeed the Europeans and the North
Americans believe in the free market and the
associated democratic system, the best thing they
can do is to support the formation of the EAEC.
33. Blocking it or being suspicious of it or
diluting it with non-East Asians will only slow down
the march to East Asian prosperity. It may cause
bitterness and it will antagonise countries which
really want to be friendly with the West.
34. The East-Asia Europe meeting just held is a
good beginning. It will help dispel the unwarranted
fears of a resurgent East Asia. East Asia wants
fair trade as much as the European Union. If we
differ in our views, it is because we are looking
from our own viewpoints; from our own stage of
development. But some discussions can help to
dispel suspicions on the part of both parties.
35. The East-Asia Europe meeting is an example of
near-equality. Not only is the playing field level,
but the contestants too are fairly evenly matched.
No one can bully or be bullied. Only good can come
from this dialogue. When East Asia is fully reborn,
it will not be a bitter East Asia wanting to get its
own back on the nations which tried to delay or
prevent its renaissance. East Asia will remember
who helped and will contribute when required.
36. Let there be no Boston Tea Party. Let there be
full or meaningful representation. Let there be
democracy in the management of world trade. Let us
remember that poor nations and poor regions help no
one, not the prosperous nor the impoverished.Prosper
thy neighbours and thou shall prosper thyself.
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