[COLUMNIST] PM moves the needle for Global South leadership while Doubling Down on Gaza

The official visit by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Germany last week embodies Malaysia’s reinvigorated presence on the European stage, after a prolonged hiatus. Hot on the heels of his highly successful forays to Melbourne and Canberra, it took little for the Prime Minister to once again stir the pot while eloquently espousing Malaysia’s weltanschauung.

From the get-go, Anwar trained his guns on Western countries for their insidious ambivalence in being vehemently vocal against the Russian invasion of Ukraine while maintaining a deafening silence on Israel’s atrocities in Gaza. Making it clear that he does not condone violence or killing of innocent lives, he, nevertheless, pointed out the fallacy of the Oct. 7 bogey chanted like a mantra by the Western media. In a refrain that unmistakably came from the heart, Anwar said: “You can’t just erase 60 years of atrocities…What about the settlements? What about the behaviour of the settlers now? It continues daily. What about the dispossession? Their land, their rights, their dignity, their men, their women, their children? Are these of no concern?...forgetting the thousands and thousands of thousands of victims from the Nakba of 1947-1948.”

At the Körber-Stiftung, the intellectual watering hole of Germany, the Prime Minister doubled down on his views on Gaza, saying that “we cannot proclaim ‘never again’ and yet look away from the bloodletting and butchering of tens of thousands of civilians, women, and children”.

Nevertheless, to suggest that this official visit was only marked by Anwar letting out his fury and indignation on the West would be completely off the mark. On this, Anwar, making it abundantly clear that he is neither anti-West nor anti-Semitic, was resolute on the need for a reconvergence of the East and the West. In colourfully etched expressions, Anwar deftly cited the works of literary legends like Goethe, Hafiz, Heine, Iqbal and Adonis — articulating how their words of wisdom can inspire us into the future.

They underscore the crucial role of inclusiveness in civilisational dealings as an underlying value for convergence. “The message is clear: Build bridges, not walls, for that is what the world needs now, more than ever,” said Anwar. If 18th century Goethe, the emblem of the soul of Germany, could find inspiration in the works of Hafiz, the 14th century Persian poet-mystic, then it is obvious that with today’s culture of connectedness, the only excuse for this reconvergence not to happen is suspicion and stereotypes. In this vein, Anwar inveighed against the rising tide of Islamophobia, as “becoming increasingly virulent, driven by ideological, political, and religious hostility that descends into insidious racism”, which “could very well tear at the fabric of societal cohesion”.

Hence, the Prime Minister’s call to “tear down old concepts and perceptions of ourselves and each other” and to work towards “a symbiosis of differing cultures realised via a positive, accumulative, and enlightening way” couldn’t have come sooner.

Regardless of however one may view these developments, the Prime Minister’s honest, candid and incisive remarks in Berlin and Hamburg is proof of the robust bilateral relationship with Germany, grounded in mutual respect, trust and confidence nurtured since 1957.

Diplomatically, it bears stressing that Malaysia and Germany’s position on Palestine have some commonalities. Both countries are ultimately calling for the same: the need to stop the attacks and for a two-state solution. While locating common ground is a banal part of diplomacy, it requires acumen and adeptness at times of seeming odds. In this regard, despite his propensity for audacity, Anwar has demonstrated his mastery in this field, well deserving of the accolade of being installed in the pantheon of diplomats par excellence!

Outside of what may make headlines, Europe remains a key partner to not just Malaysia, but also ASEAN. Within the EU bloc, Germany is arguably the most important of these partners.

The trade statistics, the bread and butter of any thriving bilateral relationship, elucidate just as much — Germany is our largest trading partner in the EU, and we are Germany’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. Infineon’s 5 billion Euro investment exemplifies just this, along with the plethora of investments announced throughout this visit.

In terms of bilateral relations, this visit to Germany is undoubtedly a success. The renewal of relations, reciprocity for the President’s 2023 visit, along with articulating Malaysia’s governance, economic, and sustainability initiatives places Malaysia in good stead moving forward.

With the incisive commentary on global affairs, Anwar also strategically signalled that Malaysia is ready for leadership on global issues. This primes the region and partners for Malaysia’s upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship.

Vis-à-vis the larger state of play, the Prime Minister’s maiden visit to Europe may mark a turning point not just for Malaysia, but the wider global south. For far too long has this bloc been timid and parochial, either by choice or circumstance. Regardless, today’s geostrategic environment makes this no longer tenable.

Addressing contemporary challenges such the democratic deficit of multilateral institutions, the rise of populism and blatant disregard for the rules-based order demands collective unity, solidarity and resolute determination.

With the world in a constant state of flux, ensuring the representation of the global south will be pivotal in creating a more egalitarian future. Now, more than ever, the global south must articulate their vision, interests, and positions on how to best move forward. Leaders of the global south, including prominently Anwar Ibrahim, must step up to the plate to champion this.

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*Prof Dr Faiz Abdullah is Chairman of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia.

**The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.