DIFFERENCES of opinion is healthy and should be respected but it should not lead to people taking extreme positions which are not supported by facts or reality, said International Movement for a Just World (JUST) president Chandra Muzaffar.
He was responding to accusations that Malaysia was on the verge of becoming a failed state, as the country’s economy was in shambles with COVID-19 infections spiking.
“One example is the reckless description of Malaysia being a failed state in a foreign journal, which was quickly echoed by a handful of unthinking Malaysians, including some veteran journalists and former politicians.
“It has become political science jargon, largely through its misuse,” he told FocusM.
Two weeks ago, Bloomberg columnist Daniel Moss referred to Malaysia as fast becoming a failed state due to political instability and poor management of COVID-19, with many currently waving white flags to seek aid.
Two Cabinet Ministers, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Datuk Redzuan Yusof dismissed the claims saying that the Government machinery was still functioning as usual, adding various aid is being delivered to those affected by the pandemic.
However, several Opposition leaders and key personalities have warned that Malaysia will regress further if Perikatan Nasional’s infighting does not cease soon.
On that note, Chandra said that right from the start, the “failed state” accusation was levelled against those with different ideological standing, using certain features which are more or less widely accepted.
“The inability to exercise territorial jurisdiction effectively, enforce law and order and provide for the necessities of life over a long period of time are some of the characteristics of a failed state.
“And by no stretch of the imagination is Malaysia in that state,” he stressed.
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Chandra urged all parties to avoid embracing extreme stands, adding that a healthy discourse on how to contain COVID-19 would only come if everyone was willing to listen and learn from one another.
He added that being inclusive was key to finding solutions, with strict adherence to science and respect for empirical evidence.
On related matter, Chandra cautioned the public from believing everything expounded by foreign media outlets, adding some of their discourses were meant to undermine certain societies.
“Look what happened to Cuba on July 11. By taking advantage of its society’s economic difficulties, the US used its stooges and proxies in the country to incite riots, hoping to create enough instability to collapse its government.
“However, the Cuban government and its people thwarted the diabolical move!
“If you look at Cuba, not only has it managed to contain COVID-19 reasonably well, it had also manufactured two vaccines on its own and exported them to poor countries in Latin America and Africa,” he noted.
Acknowledging that the reality in Malaysia was different, Chandra stated that there were some parallels between both nations, with our Government constantly being criticised by the same media establishment from the West.
“While some of the criticisms are justified, there is also a systematic attempt to distort and exaggerate what is happening, creating an impression that there is mass dissatisfaction with the Government.
“For instance, I have asked media personnel to give me information on how widespread the white flag movement is; its geographical location, the socio-economic backgrounds of the families and individuals involved, their access (or lack of access to), state and community aid programmes and so forth.
“But they have not been able to respond accordingly,” Chandra remarked. – July 20, 2021.
