Malaysia the Moderate

Benjamin Domenech at Real Clear World’s ‘The Compass‘ blog produced this interesting piece on Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak’s efforts to bring a moderate form of Islam to Afghanistan. Here’s an excerpt:

It was on this day in 2001 that the United States and Britain launched Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, which seems as proper a time as any to note an interesting contrast concerning our continuing conversation about the moderation of the Muslim world. This contrast comes from the Council on Foreign Relations transcript of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s remarks last week, where he repeated some of his prior calls for a movement of the moderates. But what stood out to me is this interesting story, which he notes in passing:

“Malaysia is also a country that can play our part in terms of providing some leadership role in global affairs. For example, as part and parcel of the new engagement with the United States, we have decided that we should contribute in a positive way by being present in Afghanistan, because Malaysia has — or Malaysia is one of the very few countries in the world that has something unique that other countries don’t have: We can provide female Muslim doctors. That is much needed in Afghanistan, a society like Afghanistan.So I promised President Obama that I would do it. And on the invitation of the Afghanistan government, as this is part of our help to reconstruct Afghanistan, in two weeks’ time, the doctors will be in Afghanistan.”

Contrasts the Malaysian government’s efforts with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for a split second to blow your mind! Too bad Pakistani and Saudi Arabian influence trumps Malaysia’s by a Hindu Kush size margin.