KUALA LUMPUR – Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad cautioned that the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) with the United States (US) poses a new colonial threat, specifically warning Malays to see it as a modern echo of the 1946 Malayan Union.
He said claims that he was merely trying to frighten the public over ART were unfounded, as his concerns were rooted in the country’s historical experience.
“In the past, we succeeded in opposing the Malayan Union that was forced upon Malaya. Today, ART comes in almost the same way, imposed on us by the US, just as the British once did,” he said when speaking at the Malay 153 Convention here on Saturday.
Dr Mahathir stressed that ART was not merely an economic agreement, but carried major implications for national sovereignty, including the potential erosion of Malay and Bumiputera rights, the weakening of the position of the Malay Rulers and the sidelining of state powers within the Federation.
“When we surrender national sovereignty, the impact is not small. The rights of the core race will be eroded and the country’s sovereignty will be undermined,” he said.
The former Umno president also claimed that there were parties among the Malays themselves who defended the interests of foreign powers and were willing to collaborate to the extent of reopening the door to recolonisation, similar to the Malayan Union era.
He reiterated that the main strength of the Malays in 1946 was unity, even though the country was then in a state of deprivation.
“If in 1946, when we were lacking in many aspects, we succeeded in opposing the Malayan Union solely because we were united, this means that only through unity can we oppose ART and defend the interests of the Malays and Bumiputera as the core race,” he said.
In his speech, Dr Mahathir also questioned assurances that the US would respect the conditions and ‘red lines’ set by Malaysia in the agreement.
“Even resolutions of the United Nations (UN), the highest organisation in the world, are violated and at times trampled upon by the US,” he said, describing such assurances as unreasonable.
He also confirmed that he had lodged a police report on Dec 2 over ART, alleging that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had no right to sign the agreement as it involved the Federation and must go through constitutional channels, including the Dewan Rakyat and the Conference of Rulers.
Previously, Dr Mahathir had claimed that ART was contrary to provisions of the Federal Constitution relating to Bumiputera rights, the position of the Malay Rulers, and the powers of state governments.
However, the government has defended ART as an opportunity to expand market access, including reducing the average tariff rate from 25 per cent to 19 per cent.