Have Dr Mahathir and his protestors gone too far?

At least 5,000 people protested outside the US embassy in Malaysia on Friday, and around 300 held a noisy protest outside the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur to urge Arab countries to cut off oil supplies to the US and boycott Coca-Cola, Colgate and Starbucks. [Al-Jazeera.net, 9/1/09]

Qatar-based news agency, Al-Jazeera reported that at least 5,000 people gathered outside the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur and about 500 outside the National Mosque to protest against the Israel's aggression in Gaza.

Speaking to the crowd gathered at the National Mosque was none other than former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (image) whose vigour still draws public attention despite his age. The 83 year old who publically denounced Israel's latest invasion into Gaza, recently called for a boycott of US products and its currency for being Israel's 'partner in crime'.

Mahathir, while addressing the 500-strong crowd, said Malaysians 'will not die if they do not use US products' and urged employees of American companies like McDonald's to quit their jobs.

"I hope Starbucks and McDonald's employees will stop working there," he said. [Al-Jazeera.net, 9/1/08]

He has got to be kidding us...

Sure, it's easy for him to tell Malaysians working in American companies to quit because he does not need to worry about earning a living. Try telling that to a wage-earner in McDonald's who has a family of five to feed and could barely make ends meet.

Mahathir has really got to be kidding us. Where, then, are they going to get their money? Can their idealist approach pay their bills and put food on the table? Who would hire them? Are Malaysian companies going to hire these people when giant firms are currently laying off their workforce due to global recession?

Well, as a side note, our economy is not even big enough to sustain itself and that is why we need foreign investors here. Do these people really think our economy is so mighty that we can survive on our own?

The crowd also rallied by shouting "Long live Islam, long live Palestine, destroy Israel!" and urged Arab countries to cut off oil supplies to the US.

Now, why would the Arabs do that when they are earning millions of dollars from the sale of their crude oil? The people who make such ludicrous statements fail to understand or rather, fail to realise that the Arabs need the Dollars and the Americans need their oil. It's a love-hate relationship.

The Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association, and the Muslim Restaurant Operators Association, on the other hand, is spearheading the boycott of US products by removing Coca-cola from the menu of more than 2,000 Muslim restaurants. They, along with Mahathir, suggest that Malaysians should also boycott American brands like Starbucks, Maybelline and Colgate to further their cause.

In response, Coca-Cola Malaysia spoke out against the boycott of its drinks and other US labels, saying such a move would only hurt the local economy and the local citizens.

"As everybody else, we are deeply touched by the human side of the situation in the Middle East," Kadri Taib, Coca-Cola Malaysia public affairs and communications director, said in a statement. [BBC News, 9/1/08]

Coca-Cola Malaysia, who has a plant in Shah Alam, currently employs 1,700 Malaysians and interestingly enough, 60% of whom are Muslims.

Enough said.


This article is preceded by Boycotting US products a really dumb move for Malaysia dated (5/1/09). Images are courtesy of Malaysiakini.