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have created a wave of anti-Americanism and anti-Zionism among the
Malaysians. These feelings are unfortunately reinforced by government policy
that supports anti-western institutions and ideas. For instance, while Israeli
nationals are denied entry to Malaysia, the country has welcomed Lebanese
Hizbollah and Palestinian Hamas leaders and even permitted meetings in
Malaysia. Indeed, one of the most popular books in Malaysia is Khaled Hrous’s
“Hamas: A Beginner’s Guide” published by the Islamic Book Trust in 2008. 35
Even the most educated Malaysian leaders, including those who have served at
the United Nations, do not regard suicide attacks by Palestinian, Lebanese,
Chechen, and Kashmiri groups as acts of “terrorism.” At the same time, the
highly respected former Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohomed told the leaders
of fifty-seven nations in 2003 that Jews “rule the world by proxy” and “get others
to fight and die for them.” 36 He called for a “final victory” by the world’s 1.3
billion Muslims, who, he said, “cannot be defeated by a few million Jews.” 37
Malaysia also hosts many groups allegedly supporting suffering Muslims in
conflict zones. Although they take the face of humanitarian groups, several of
these organizations—which maintain websites, disseminate propaganda, and
raise funds—are either established by or linked to insurgent and terrorist groups.
Against this backdrop, the internet is flourishing as a source for Malaysians to
express their frustrations, but also serves to expose them to radical Islamist
views. This trend is particularly evidenced by the frequent posting of Malaylanguage
material on such websites as http://abubakr1400.blogspot.com and
http://al-tawbah.com. The first of these sites, abubakr1400.blogspot.com,
highlights news about persons regarded as holy warriors. For instance, a recent
post focused on the Malaysian JI member Yazid, who was recently released from
detention. 38 Other examples of material posted since 2006 include:
35
This 192-page book is sold at RM 25. The book blurb states: “The United States calls Hamas a
terrorist organisation. Yet Hamas swept to victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections. Why did
Hamas win? This one-stop guide to Hamas tells you everything you need to know. The author, a
leading Al-Jazeera journalist and Cambridge-based scholar, analyses Hamas’s history and its
agenda. This book covers all the key issues, including Hamas's attitudes to Israel and the PLO,
religious beliefs, suicide bombings and its programme of grassroots social work within Palestine.
The reality of Hamas's victory means that the West will now have to engage with it more
seriously if there is to be peace in the Middle East.”
36
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia, Address to the Assembly of the Organization of the
Islamic Conference, Putrajaya, Malaysia, 16 October 2003.
37
Ibid.
38
This particular posting consisted of material from the New Straits Times. Several other posts on
the conditions of the holy warrior have been gathered from other secular media sources, such as
Bernama, Al Jazeera, and the Sydney Morning Herald.
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