ISLAMABAD – Experts have welcomed visiting Malaysian Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad’s statement that Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan can pavethe way forward for development in the Muslim world. “The Islamic worldneeds a renaissance,” said Huseyin Bagci, an expert in Internationalrelations at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara.
“And Prime Minister Mahathir made a right point that these countries atleast start new projects which make Muslim world compatible and competitivein Islamic sciences, technology, defense, etc.,” Bagci said. The Malaysianpremier arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara on Wednesday evening to kickoff his four-day official visit. Corroborating words of Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan that solidarity among Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan“is necessary for the unity of the Islamic world”, Mahathir told reportersat a joint news conference Thursday that it is crucial to relieve theMuslim Ummah from being subjugated by others.
“That is why I proposed that three Muslim countries should work together.At least these three [Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan]. So that we can speakwith a louder voice in terms of many areas; defense, for example,” theMalaysian premier said. Bagci agreed saying the three countries have commonvalues in democracy, human rights and free press. “People relatively feelfree,” he said, adding: “[However], there is stagnation in Islamic world…there can be kingdoms like in the U.K. but governments come and go which isnot the case in most of the Muslim world.” He noted that Turkey, Malaysiaand Pakistan stand out from the Arab world.
“It is interesting that why Prime Minister Mahathir did not mention anyArab country,” Bagci said, referring to their dismal track record inupholding human rights. Notably, Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia are amongthe founders of the Muslim-majority D-8 group that seeks to establishstrategic relations, increased trade, and more cooperation among itsmembers. However, the group is yet to realize its potential.
On the apparent failure of D-8, Bagci blamed “too much divisions,corruption and stagnation in Islamic world”. “The new mechanism whichMahathir has suggested can bring together even Afghanistan and centralAsian states,” he said. Professor Sami A. Al-Arian, director ofIstanbul-based Center for Islam and Global Affairs, described the ongoingvisit as “historic”.
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“This visit by Prime Minister Mahathir to Turkey to meet President Erdoganis historic, as the two leaders have been repeatedly and frequentlydemocratically elected by their people,” Al-Arian said. He said that theseleaders have demonstrated over the years “political stability and economicdynamism”. According to Al-Arian, Mahathir’s visit comes at a time when theeconomic and political challenges faced by the two governments are“enormous in light of the looming global economic uncertainty as well asthe geopolitical shifts across the Middle East because of the US trade warwith China, and other regional problems”.
“The US sanctions against Iran and the latest tension with Turkey withregard to the S-400 air defense system, have resulted in having otherregional powers, such as Turkey and Malaysia, to come closer together torestructure their relations in order to stand up to the pressure beingapplied against their economy and security,” he added.
