Malaysian PM says Jews rule the world

Tom Storer · October-16th-2003, 04:44 AM

In a speech to the Organization of the Islamic Conference summit meeting, Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, spoke out against terrorism and declared that "we must not antagonize everyone. We must win their hearts and minds."

Unfortunately, in the same speech he opined that "the Jews rule the world by proxy" and offered the following: "They invented Socialism, Communism, human rights and democracy, so that persecuting them would appear to be wrong."

The good news is that he's retiring this month.

Mahathir: Jews rule the world
Thursday, October 16, 2003 Posted: 0821 GMT ( 4:21 PM HKT)

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (CNN) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has urged Muslims to unite against Jews who, he says, rule the world by "proxy."

Opening the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Malaysia Thursday, the veteran leader also took aim at Islam, blaming a shift towards theological interpretations of the Koran that shunned science and development.

In his speech Thursday to open the two-day summit at Putrajaya -- Malaysia's new administrative capital -- the outgoing Malaysian leader named Israel as "the enemy allied with most powerful nations."

In a blistering attack, Mahathir said Jews ruled the world and got others to fight and die for them, but added that they would not be able to defeat the world's 1.3 billion Muslims.

"We are actually very strong, 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Europeans killed six million Jews out of 12 million. But today the Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them," he said.

Mahathir called on Muslims to emulate the Jewish response to oppression, arguing the Jewish people had "survived 2,000 years of pogroms not by hitting back, but by thinking."

"They invented Socialism, Communism, human rights and democracy, so that persecuting them would appear to be wrong, so that they can enjoy equal rights with others," he said.

"With these they have gained control of the most powerful countries and they, this tiny community, have become a world power."

"We cannot fight them through brawn alone, we must use our brains also."

Malaysia, a moderate mostly Muslim nation has long been a critic of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. Under Mahathir's leadership it has also opposed the U.S. policy in the Middle East, including the backing of the Jewish state and the recent war in Iraq.

Mahathir -- who steps down this month as prime minister -- has become notorious for his controversial speeches during his 22 years as leader and has been a key proponent of a unified political stance among Muslim nations.

Mahathir said for too long Muslims have mistakenly believed Islam rejected new technology and progress.

He told the biggest gathering of Muslim leaders since the September 11 attacks in the U.S. that such interpretations, combined with the accusation that Islam promoted terrorism, were the major reasons all Muslim people were suffering "oppression and humiliation."

"Islam is not just for the 7th century AD. Times have changed. Whether we like it or not we have to change," Mahathir said. "Not our teaching ... Islam is not wrong, but the interpretations by our scholars can be wrong."

Mahathir suggested new tactics for Muslims to vent their anger and frustration over their oppression.

"Is there no other way than to ask our young people to blow themselves up and kill people and invite the massacre of more of our own people?" he asked.

"It cannot be that there is no other way ... we must not antagonize everyone. We must win their hearts and minds."

The OIC -- which comprises of 57 nations -- must act on a unified front, Mahathir said, and use its political, economic and demographic clout to reverse 50 years of "bitter defeat".

"The Koran tells us that when the enemy sues for peace we must react positively. True the treaty offered to us is not favorable. But we can negotiate. The Prophet did," he added.

"And in the end he triumphed."

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan -- who pulled out of the summit due to Security Council negotiations over a U.S. resolution on Iraq -- said that though he understand "feelings of humiliation, anger and fear" among Muslims, he condemned suicide bombing attacks and added that they were detrimental to the Islamic cause.

"These acts of terrorism, abhorred and rejected by all of you, defile and damage even the most legitimate cause," he said in his written speech, delivered at the summit by special representative of the secretary general to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi.

"They must be condemned, and must be stopped."

-- CNN Correspondent Maria Ressa contributed to this report.

walto · October-16th-2003, 06:52 AM

I thought somebody else invented human rights, but I can't think who right now. Wayne Newton, maybe?

Gary Sisco · October-16th-2003, 08:52 AM

Bullshit. Everyone knows the Irish rule the world. Or should have. Or would have. Or something.

And what if they did? They're People Of The Book, right? Sons of Abram, right? What's the problem?

Pete C · October-16th-2003, 09:03 AM

Mahatir Mohammed has always been a complex mix of progressive non-fundamentalist, democracy-oriented Islam and the kind of nutty statements he makes here, not to mention governmental policies that discriminate against Chinese and Tamil citizens.

Jazzzoline · October-16th-2003, 09:39 AM

Phew!
For a time I thought it was Bush ruling the world. What a relief!

Clay Fink · October-16th-2003, 09:58 AM

My wife's Jewish and she rules our house. Sort of the same thing. I have to say, though, that she always seems to be up to something. All those secret meetings she goes to (she calls it her "Cabal" - I thought it was a Wiccan thing), that suspicious phone call early in the morining of 9/11, the Christian baby blood in the fridge. It probably means nothing. My dad was Jewish too and he had a lot of French banker buddies. Who knows, I guesss it's all innocent, pretty much.

Clay Fink · October-16th-2003, 10:00 AM

"They invented Socialism, Communism, human rights and democracy,"

Not to mention the Hollywood film and the American popular song.

MRS · October-16th-2003, 10:01 AM

Steve Carlton rules the world.

walto · October-16th-2003, 10:22 AM

Maybe, but he didn't invent human rights. I'm pretty sure now that was Newton.

Pete C · October-16th-2003, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by walto
Maybe, but he didn't invent human rights. I'm pretty sure now that was Newton.

No, Newton invented gravity.

walto · October-16th-2003, 10:29 AM

You must be talking about Wayne's great great uncle Yitzchak.

Gentle Giant · October-16th-2003, 10:37 AM

I agree with the "by proxy" part, because Jews invented the knish, and it is the knish that will rule the world.

Clay Fink · October-16th-2003, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gentle Giant
I agree with the "by proxy" part, because Jews invented the knish, and it is the knish that will rule the world.

Fuckin' ey!!

Pete C · October-16th-2003, 11:00 AM

Tom Storer · October-16th-2003, 11:14 AM

"Baked (not fried) since 1910." 93 years? That's too long. It'll be all dry and hard by now.

Squaredancecalling Steve · October-16th-2003, 03:16 PM

Fig Newton invented sin. Or made it commercially viable, anyway.

Pete C · October-16th-2003, 04:04 PM

If I ruled the world every day would be the first day of spring.

Jazzzoline · October-16th-2003, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pete C
If I ruled the world every day would be the first day of spring.

whatcha waiting for?

Pete C · October-16th-2003, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jazzzoline
whatcha waiting for?

My mandate.

Jim Dye · October-16th-2003, 04:20 PM

"The first thing I'd like to say is
Mandate, my ass!"

-Gil Scott-Heron - 'B-Movie'

hornplayer · October-16th-2003, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael Schaumann
Steve Carlton rules the world.

Nonononononono! that would be Jerry LEWIS!!!

Tanager · October-17th-2003, 08:26 AM

Everyone in the know knows that John Tesh rules the world. Anyone not in the know who finds out has been killed so far. So don't read this post, unless you want to be killed.

Pete C · October-17th-2003, 09:03 AM

Speaking of Malaysia, my favorite Malaysian restaurant, Nyonya, just got better. The last couple of times I had lunch there they were playing great jazz instead of the insipid Chinese pop they used to play.

The folks who own and work in that place don't think Jews rule the world. They're all ethnic Chinese. In Malaysia the Chinese account for about 20% of the population, but they control about 80% of the wealth. There are laws that set aside preferences and governmental positions for native Malays (Bumiputeras).

Here's a menu from their Chinatown branch. I usually go to their Brooklyn branch.

Uli · October-17th-2003, 09:16 AM

"King Pork Buff" rulz!

walto · October-17th-2003, 09:51 AM

"Everyone in the know knows that John Tesh rules the world. Anyone not in the know who finds out has been killed so far. So don't read this post, unless you want to be killed."

So, I guess you have to know without ever finding out?

Tanager · October-17th-2003, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by walto
"Everyone in the know knows that John Tesh rules the world. Anyone not in the know who finds out has been killed so far. So don't read this post, unless you want to be killed."

So, I guess you have to know without ever finding out?

It's tough, I'll grant you.