Australia lashes out at Dr Mahathir over embassy comment

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 16 Nov 2018 2:30PM · 4 Comments

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad raised the matter of the embassy move with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on the sidelines of the Asean meeting in Singapore yesterday. Australia is mulling moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, which has sparked concern from Indonesia and Malaysia. – EPA pic, November 16, 2018.

AUSTRALIA has hit out at Dr Mahathir Mohamad, after he warned that moving its embassy in Israel would be aiding terrorism, reports Reuters.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the prime minister has a history of making anti-Jewish statements.

“The Malaysian Prime Minister has form,” the Liberal Party deputy said in a radio interview.

“He has called Jews hook-nosed people. He has questioned the number of people that have been killed in the Holocaust.”

Last month, just before a key by-election, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison raised the idea of moving the embassy and recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, just like the US did in May.

Morrison’s Liberal National government was desperate to win the seat in a constituency with a large Jewish community to keep its majority in parliament.

The proposal has sparked concern from Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Australian treasurer has accused Dr Mahathir Mohamad of being anti-Jewish after the prime minister said yesterday that moving the Australian embassy in Israel could add to terrorism. – EPA pic, November 16, 2018.

Dr Mahathir said he brought up the matter with his Australian counterpart yesterday on the sidelines of the Asean summit on in Singapore.

“I pointed out that in dealing with terrorism, one has to know the causes,” he told reporters. “Adding to the cause for terrorism is not going to be helpful.”

Indonesia, meanwhile, has warned that such a move could derail a free trade agreement with Australia.

Morrison, today, reiterated that “Australia will make its own decision when it comes to our foreign policy”.

“I think what Josh said today was filling in the history of his (Dr Mahathir’s) record on various issues over time,” he told reporters ahead of a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Darwin.

“Make no mistake. I will not have our policy dictated by those outside the country.”

This is not the first time that Australia and Malaysia have publicly clashed. In 1993, during Dr Mahathir’s first term as prime minister, his then Australian counterpart Paul Keating called him “recalcitrant” for boycotting the Asia-Pacific economic forum (APEC). – November 16, 2018.

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Comments

  • Expected. Mahatir should know his place in gobal society!!!!. You want others not to interfer in our country but you do it otherwise. Just like Zakir Naik incident you give cold shoulder to India request so expect the same from Chinna on your fat boy extradition. Chines saying "You have the 1st of the month but others will have the 15th". Do what you want unto others to do unto you. Well you are a nonagenarian , should know wisely the rules of application in life.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Oy vay, Herr Frydenberg, your Khazarian roots are showing. Tun Dr Mahathir is to be applauded for having the testicular fortitude to show the Zionist NWO Cabal his middle finger. He is among the few on this planet who dares to speak out against the insidiousness of the World Bank & its enforcement arm, the IMF. All you can do is promote fake narratives about Hitler's 6 million Jews & bow down before Mammon & Moloch like your hypocritical bedfellows in the Anglo-American-Australian Axis who are only interested in arms deals & perpetual war.

    Posted 5 years ago by Antares Maitreya · Reply

  • Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Tun is not demanding Australia not to move its embassy but merely raising his point on the matter so are you jumping up and down. He is not telling his Aussie counterpart what to do, did he? Grow up will ya nevertheless we do understand why the spark is coming from after all you are of a Jews heritage.

    Posted 5 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply

  • Who does mahathir think he is, world statesman? He should clear the mess here before opening his mouth. He is best known as racist , one track minded muslim dictator in the outside world.
    However his endeavour to save this nation from the dishonest mess left by the greedy umno bastards led by jibby has saved his image somehow. Try not to ruin it, tun.

    Posted 5 years ago by Gabriel Chelliah · Reply