[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 146 (Friday, October 17, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S12852]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNATION OF ANTI-SEMITIC STATEMENTS BY MAHATHIR MOHAMAD
Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise this evening to call the
Senate's attention to a despicable expression of hatred that occurred
in Malaysia yesterday. In his address to the opening of the 57-nation
summit of Islamic nations, Malaysia's Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir
Mohamad, urged Muslims around the world to unite against the Jews who
he says rule the world by proxy.
Dr. Mahathir is a man known for his incendiary public condemnations
of the United States, Israel, and the western world. Yesterday, his
rhetoric escalated, or should I say degenerated, to a new level of
hate. Using the foul canards Hitler and other anti-Semites have
repeated throughout history, he accused the Jewish people of gaining
control of the most powerful countries.
He said ``they, this tiny community, have become a world power,'' and
he urged the 1.3 billion Muslims throughout the world to fight this
``enemy.'' That is his definition. How was the speech received?
According to today's New York Times, it got a standing ovation from the
kings and presidents, sheiks and emirs, including key U.S. allies,
gathered in Malaysia's capital, Putrajaya. I believe these comments are
likely to encourage violence against Jewish people worldwide, and
especially in Israel.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) charter calls for
creating a favorable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between member states and other countries. But how can it
be so, if the Prime Minister's remarks aptly capture the views of the
OIC members? After all, they gave him a standing ovation. One has to
wonder if they really want to promote peace between their nations and
western democracies.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, a country with one of the world's
biggest Muslim populations, essentially expressed an open invitation
for hate crimes and terrorism. Therefore, I am introducing a resolution
that puts the Senate on record as repudiating Dr. Mohamad's loathsome
remarks to the OIC.
My resolution also asks President Bush, who will be traveling to
Southeast Asia next week, to repudiate Dr. Mohamad's vile sentiments
when the two participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 20.
I am pleased that Senator Smith, Senator Feinstein, Senator Clinton,
Senator Corzine, Senator Boxer, Senator Daschle, Senator Dodd, Senator
Schumer, Senator Hatch, Senator Murray, Senator Coleman, Senator Wyden,
Senator Brownback, Senator Reid, Senator Leahy, Senator Graham of
Florida, Senator Bayh, and Senator Chambliss are all cosponsors of my
resolution.
I believe the leaders of the Muslim world should be encouraging
mutual tolerance and understanding between people of different faiths.
Instead, Dr. Mohamad's anti-Semitic remarks will only serve to
undermine the peace and security people of all faiths seek so
earnestly.
I send a resolution to the desk and ask for its immediate
consideration. This resolution has been cleared, as I understand it, on
both sides.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 247) calling on the President to
condemn the anti-Semitic sentiments expressed by Dr. Mahathir
Mohamad, the outgoing prime minister of Malaysia.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. LAUTENBERG. I ask unanimous consent the resolution and preamble
be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no
intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 247) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 247
Whereas the outgoing prime minister of Malaysia, Dr.
Mahathir Mohamad, has become notorious over the years for his
virulent opposition to Israel;
Whereas Dr. Mahathir opened the 57-nation, October 2003
summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in
Malaysia by characterizing Israel and Jews around the world
as ``the enemy'' who ``rule the world by proxy'';
Whereas Dr. Mahathir's anti-Semitic remarks are despicable
and will serve to incite further sectarian violence; and
Whereas President George W. Bush will be traveling to
Thailand to attend the October 20-21, 2003, meeting in
Bangkok of the leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC), which Dr. Mahathir will also be attending: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) thoroughly repudiates the damaging rhetoric of the
outgoing prime minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad,
which makes peace in the Middle East and around the world
more elusive; and
(2) calls upon President George W. Bush, on behalf of the
United States, to condemn Dr. Mahathir's injurious sentiments
when the President and the prime minister meet to attend the
October 20-21, 2003, meeting in Bangkok of the leaders of
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York.
Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I thank my distinguished colleague, the
Senator from New Jersey, for introducing this resolution in such a
timely manner. I was proud to be an original cosponsor. I believe it is
essential the Senate and our Congress be on record standing against
hate and bias and discrimination, and particularly the kind of anti-
Semitism that flowed at the meeting yesterday in Malaysia.
I join with Senator Lautenberg in urging the President to raise this
directly with the Malaysian Government and with the other participants
in the APEC meeting. I appreciate the quick action of Senator
Lautenberg in ensuring our Senate could go on record while this meeting
is still occurring.
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