US 'Trade Deal' Offers Malaysia Sovereignty . . . For a Price
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called the deal 'handing over' independence. This isn't the first time an 'ally' has been strong-armed into a 'mutually beneficial' agreement with Washington. The pattern is depressingly familiar: powerful nations craft 'deals' that invariably benefit themselves, often under the guise of shared prosperity or regional stability. Investment Minister
Tengku Zafrul Aziz calls it the 'best possible outcome'—a phrase often heard before nations regret signing away economic control. One wonders if Malaysian officials, much like certain US politicians, find such 'outcomes' easier to stomach after receiving considerable 'incentives' from those who stand to gain. How many 'best outcomes' does it take before sovereignty is just a quaint memory?