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Badawi:
“I was going through a metal detector and suddenly the alarm
went off and I had to take off my shoes.”
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KUALA
LUMPUR, October 1 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Malaysia
accused the United States of “anti-Muslim hysteria” on Tuesday,
October 1, after it was revealed the deputy prime minister had to
remove his shoes for a security check on arrival in Los Angeles.
“There
is already general anti-Muslim hysteria. Because of the acts of a few
people the whole Muslim world seems to have been labeled as they have
to be checked to ensure that they are not terrorists,” said
76-year-old Mahathir, who has led Malaysia for 21 years.
His
comments came a day after an outraged parliamentarian revealed that
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had to remove his shoes
and belt during a security check in Los Angeles despite holding a
diplomatic passport and a special visa for government representatives.
Abdullah
was subjected to the treatment on September 16 as he headed for New
York to address the United Nations General Assembly, ruling party MP
Zulhasnan Rafique told parliament.
He
said U.S. leaders and VIPs should be given similar treatment when they
arrived in this mainly-Muslim Southeast Asian nation.
But
Abdullah downplayed the incident, which he said took place at his port
of entry to the U.S. in Los Angeles before he flew on to New York.
“I
was going through a metal detector and suddenly the alarm went off and
I had to take off my shoes. But in other places there was no noise and
I did not have to take off my shoes,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
He
said he had seen pilots and “so many people” also having to take
off their shoes, adding that Malaysian ministers would continue to
visit the U.S. on official business and for U.N. meetings.
The
deputy prime minister, who is due to take over from Mahathir in
October next year, met U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and other
senior administration officials during his visit.
He
revealed after his trip that Washington had placed Malaysia on a list
of states considered to be high risk and that he had raised the issue
with Cheney.
“I
stressed in my meeting with Cheney that we don’t like this
profiling. We don’t like to be branded as a terrorist state or as
people with links with terrorists,” he said.
Asked
what course of action Malaysia might adopt, Mahathir said: “It is
unfortunate that this stand is taken but it’s their country. I
don’t know what we can do about it.”
Malaysia
has detained dozens of alleged Islamic militants over the past year
and, ironically, won praise from the U.S. for its support in the war
on terrorism. Previously chilly relations have thawed.
But
news of the incident involving Abdullah shared front page coverage on
Tuesday with an announcement by the U.S. embassy here of tighter
requirements for entry to the US which could cause delays for
Malaysian citizens.
The
new National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NEERS) starting
October 1 will include registration, fingerprinting and photographing
of some travelers, the embassy said in a statement.
The
system will affect “some individuals from every country” and may
result in delays.
“The
decision of which individuals will be asked to register will be based
on information about the current threat of terrorism,” the statement
said.
“Along
with citizens of many other countries, some Malaysian citizens are
likely to encounter these new procedures upon their arrival in the
U.S.”
Malaysian
news agency, Bernama, quoted Badawi saying that there is nothing
Malaysia can do to ask the United States to relax its immigration
procedures on Malaysians intending to visit the country.
Instead,
the deputy prime minister said, it was up to Malaysians whether they
were prepared or not to go through the difficulties, reported the
agency.
“We
cannot ask them to amend their laws. We also have our own laws which
we want others to obey.
“It’s
up to Malaysians if they still want to go with such difficulties,
it’s up to them,” he told reporters after opening the 2002
National Land Convention.
Abdullah said although America’s action was not difficult to
understand, the appropriateness can be questioned as it showed
discrimination.
“We’ve
already said from the start that we do not like to be discriminated.
We’ve said don’t regard us as among the countries considered as
terrorist nations,” he said.
Asked whether the latest move by the U.S. would harm bilateral ties
between Washington and Kuala Lumpur, Abdullah said it would continue
as usual, Bernama added.
He said Malaysia was not worried that the move would affect inflow of
foreign investments into the country as many foreign investors had
given their word that they would continue with their commitments.
“Those
who know Malaysia, have come to Malaysia, have worked in Malaysia,
have had their businesses in Malaysia, they have no problem about
continuing to participate in our economic development,” he said.
