Faced with furious criticism from the US and Europe over Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's assertion that Jews rule the world, Malaysia apologized yesterday for any misunderstanding and claimed that no offense was intended.
Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar struggled to contain the damage wrought by his blunt-spoken boss, who told a summit of Islamic leaders Thursday that ``Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them.''
The speech drew immediate international criticism and raised fears that it could fan violence against Jews. But it also got a standing ovation from the kings, presidents, sheiks and emirs -- including key US allies -- gathered at Malaysia's sparkling new capital, Putrajaya.
Mahathir used assertions of Jewish dominance to buttress his chief point to the summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference -- the world's biggest Muslim organization -- that Muslims needed to embrace modern knowledge and technology and overcome divisions over religious dogma that have left them weakened on the world stage.
But the statements about Jews stood out, and condemnations were swift and unambiguous from the US, the EU, Australia and Germany, which summoned Malaysia's charge d'affaires in Berlin to protest the comments as ``totally unacceptable.''
``I'm sorry that they have misunderstood the whole thing,'' said Syed Hamid. ``The intention is not to create controversy. His intention is to show that if you ponder and sit down to think, you can be very powerful.''
Mahathir declined to speak to reporters who approached him yesterday, telling them to wait until an evening news conference.
Syed Hamid said the world's Muslims were in a ``quagmire'' and feeling ``sidelined or marginalized,'' reflecting a widespread perception in the Islamic world as the war on terrorism evolved into US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and as Israel increased repression of the Palestinians.
``Please forget about anti-Semitism,'' Syed Hamid told reporters. ``The PM's message is to stop violence, which is not the answer for us to succeed in our struggle. People may not be very happy but this is the reality: the Jews are very powerful.''
FIREPOWER: On top of the torpedoes, the military would procure Kestrel II anti-tank weapons systems to replace aging license-produced M72 LAW launchers Taiwan is to receive US-made Mark 48 torpedoes and training simulators over the next three years, following delays that hampered the navy’s operational readiness, the Ministry of National Defense’s latest budget proposal showed. The navy next year would acquire four training simulator systems for the torpedoes and take receipt of 14 torpedoes in 2027 and 10 torpedoes in 2028, the ministry said in its budget for the next fiscal year. The torpedoes would almost certainly be utilized in the navy’s two upgraded Chien Lung-class submarines and the indigenously developed Hai Kun, should the attack sub successfully reach operational status. US President Donald Trump
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to start construction of its 1.4-nanometer chip manufacturing facilities at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP, 中部科學園區) as early as October, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported yesterday, citing the park administration. TSMC acquired land for the second phase of the park’s expansion in Taichung in June. Large cement, construction and facility engineering companies in central Taiwan have reportedly been receiving bids for TSMC-related projects, the report said. Supply-chain firms estimated that the business opportunities for engineering, equipment and materials supply, and back-end packaging and testing could reach as high as
ALL QUIET: The Philippine foreign secretary told senators she would not respond to questions about whether Lin Chia-lung was in the country The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that a business delegation is visiting the Philippines, but declined to say whether Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is part of the group, as Philippine lawmakers raised questions over Lin’s reported visit. The group is being led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin (黃昭欽), Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) chairman Joseph Lyu (呂桔誠) and US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) vice president Lotta Danielsson, the ministry said in a statement. However, sources speaking on condition of anonymity said that Lin is leading the delegation of 70 people. Filinvest New Clark City Innovation Park
TPP RALLY: The clashes occurred near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall on Saturday at a rally to mark the anniversary of a raid on former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je People who clashed with police at a Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) rally in Taipei on Saturday would be referred to prosecutors for investigation, said the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the National Police Agency. Taipei police had collected evidence of obstruction of public officials and coercion by “disorderly” demonstrators, as well as contraventions of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法), the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. It added that amid the “severe pushing and jostling” by some demonstrators, eight police officers were injured, including one who was sent to hospital after losing consciousness, allegedly due to heat stroke. The Taipei
RSS