MALAYSIA'S MIDDLE CLASS JOINS THE GLOBAL UPRISING TURNING PALESTINE CONFLICT INTO THE WEST'S NEW VIETNAM WAR

MALAYSIA'S MIDDLE CLASS JOINS THE GLOBAL UPRISING TURNING PALESTINE CONFLICT INTO THE WEST'S NEW VIETNAM WAR

Written by Wong Choon Mei, PoliticsNow!

KUALA LUMPUR (politicsnowmy) - Malaysia is the latest country where the middle class are using their clout as consumers and voters to press superpower, the US, for change in attitude towards the Palestine-Israel conflict.

In an exclusive interview with PoliticsNow!, Tian Chua who is a former Member of Parliament and a well-known social activist pointed to the global trend, where even in the US itself, hundreds of students had walked out during the Harvard's annual graduation in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians.

"The economic power held by the middle class in developing countries has become an important weapon to negotiate for a better future," said Tian, the spokesman for Palestine Solidarity Secretariat, told PoliticsNow! 

"So I'm quite impressed with what has happened among Malaysians. Malaysia is very much a middle class society now. In fact, it is the middle classes now leading the awareness campaign."

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Tian's Palestine Solidarity Secretariat is a homegrown pressure group formed to unite the different races in the Southeast Asian nation to rally behind the Palestinian people as violence, bloodshed and some claim genocide escalates in the strife-torn West Asian state.

"We want to transcend political ideology, transcend religion and ethnicity. That's our first mission so that everyone can be at at par together and also to educate the public about what is actually going on and why we are taking a solidarity stand with the Palestinians," said Tian.

"Today we have seen this has turned into a global movement. We look at campuses around the world and there's a new awareness. In fact, someone has called it a new Vietnam War for the West." 

"Secondly, we also want to bring out the issues. A lot of people have in this country have a misconception that this is a Muslim only issues or this is an issue that is only restricted to the Islamic faith. But they are less aware that Palestine is actually multi religion. There are also people there who suffer regardless of religion."

In Malaysia, the boycotts initiated by the Muslim-led political parties against franchises such as Starbucks and Kentucky Fried Chicken have been the most severe. Both operators, while owned by local investors, have appealed to their patrons - warning that if prolonged, they may have to close down outlets and layoff crew and staff, who ironically are mostly Muslims, but it has been to no avail.

"If you look back to the apartheid South Africa, part of the momentum that had been created is the boycott of South Africa which eventually brought about the liberation of the South Africans. So boycotts have effective as a tool," said Tian.

"I personally have very skeptical of people saying boycotts will affect the economy. I'm not saying it will not affect the company, but overall, for the domestic economy, it's still the same."

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Agree or not with him that perhaps the end justifies the means, Tian also pointed to the latest controversy that has hit Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration - the takeover of strategic national air infrastructure assets by a group linked to BlackRock, reported to be the world’s biggest asset manager with huge investments in US arms and weaponry supplies to Israel.

BlackRock's New York-based unit GIP is in the consortium of four, which includes two Malaysian government-linked funds, mounting the RM18.4 billion bid for Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad and stands to be the biggest winner holding 25% control if the deal is rammed through.

The takeover plan has triggered outrage among Muslims as well as non-Muslims in the country, and the clamor for Anwar to drop the deal is still escalating.

Group of graduates walk out of Harvard commencement chanting 'Free, free Palestine'

"It is not good enough to go to international forums and shout but when it comes to business, you prolong the conflict. The movement has to grow beyond humanitarian aid and into policy agenda. We have to monitor our own governments and ensure that they do what they say."

"You know some of the western countries have exposed their own hypocrisy, their own double standards when it comes to this issue. 

"But now the young people are voting, the young people are rising up. And I believe that in 20 years' time, those people who participated in the Harvard, in Cambridge protests, they will be the leaders of the world. 

"So the Malaysian young people must also take up the challenge and be assertive on this issue - the future belongs to them. 

"You know, the young people in Malaysia and also in Europe, South America, they have this new awareness and we hope that when they become leaders one day, they'll be able to shape the world. For a better place, for more lasting peace."

Written by Wong Choon Mei, PoliticsNow!

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