In January this year, India imposed new restrictions on palm oil imports from Malaysia due to Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s 2019 UN General Assembly comments on Kashmir and support for Pakistan.
In September 2019, after the abrogation of Kashmir’s special status, Mahathir slammed India in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) alleging Jammu Kashmir was “invaded and occupied”.
Mahathir’s UNGA remarks had initially drawn a strong backlash with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) saying that India “completely rejects the references made in respect of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral and inalienable part of India.”
On the first anniversary of the revocation of Article 370, that granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir, Mahathir, the former Malaysian PM took to Twitter to reiterated his previous stance and to clarify that he offered “no apology for what (he) had said,” adding that he is “sorry that it had affected our(Malaysia’s) palm oil export to India.”
“I don’t know if that is a high price to pay for speaking out against such injustices.” he tweeted.
Mahathir Mohamad’s Tweets for the Anniversary of the Revocation of Article 370 Read:
“STANDING UP FOR HUMANITY”
“I had chosen to speak out despite being aware of the potential backlash. To my mind, keeping quiet is not an option…”
In another tweet, he says “…when all the tell-tale signs were pointing towards another situation whereby a big and powerful country imposed its will with impunity on a small and defenseless nation.”
…when all the tell-tale signs were pointing towards another situation whereby a big and powerful country imposed its will with im punity on a small and defenceless nation.
— Dr Mahathir Mohamad (@chedetofficial) August 8, 2020
“What transpired since my contentious speech at the UN General Assembly in September last year only served to prove that what I had said were mild and to a certain degree, restrained.”
“I offer no apology for what I had said though I am sorry that it had affected our palm oil export to India. I don’t know if that is a high price to pay for speaking out against such injustices.” Mahathir’s tweet further read.
I offer no apology for what I had said though I am sorry that it had affected our palm oil export to India. I don’t know if that is a high price to pay for speaking out against such injustices.
— Dr Mahathir Mohamad (@chedetofficial) August 8, 2020
Mahathir ended his tweet thread with,
“Now that I am no more the Prime Minister, I take it that I can now speak without restrain and address the Kashmir issue without threats of boycotts and such.
AT THE “KASHMIR’S ONE YEAR LOCKDOWN SINCE 5TH AUGUST 2019
KUALA LUMPUR”
Now that Iam no more the Prime Minister, I take it that I can now speak without restrain and address the Kashmir issue without threats of boycotts and such.
AT THE “KASHMIR’S ONE YEAR LOCKDOWN SINCE 5TH AUGUST 2019
KUALA LUMPUR
— Dr Mahathir Mohamad (@chedetofficial) August 8, 2020
In late February this year, Mahathir resigned as Prime Minister after a week-long political crisis and was replaced by Muhyiddin Yassin.
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