Malaysia and Turkey are Economically Well Progressing D-8 Member States: Secretary General

Istanbul, Turkey | October 03, 2007 by D-8 Secretariat

D-8 Secretariat raised a concern with a recent political terms that controversially applied by certain media and politician in Turkey: “Malaysianized Turkey”. It is believed to be triggered by a remark by the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as well as member of the board of directors of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Richard Holbrooke, following the Turkey’s July 22 elections. Holbrooke cited Turkey and Malaysia as two examples of “moderate Islam” that the US and Europe wanted to see nourished in the Islamic world. The remarks was then brought by mainstream Turkish media into a heated debate over whether the AK Party’s resounding victory and the new constitution efforts would put Turkey on an Islamic path akin to that of Malaysia.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded to claims that ongoing efforts to rewrite the Turkish Constitution would undermine secularism and turn Turkey into an Islamic country like Malaysia, saying such arguments are aimed at weakening his Justice and Development Party after his landslide election victory. The Turkish prime minister commented about this debates in New York, after attending meetings at the UN General Assembly, and afterward met with his Malaysian counterpart, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and member of the board of directors of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Richard Holbrooke.

The meeting between these important figures is cherished by the D-8 Secretary General, Dr. Dipo Alam. He said that both Malaysia and Turkey are countries with the most progressive economic development, shown through their sharp growth, trade, industry, investment, and tourism. Sharing other common facts as countries with moslem majority, does not mean that these countries are drowned into radicalism or backwardness. On the contrary, both countries has proven to continue developing democratically, as well as propelled significantly in their economies.

With exports of 140.9 billion US dollars and imports of 114.6 billion US dollars (2005), Malaysia is definitely among the best player around. In D-8 Organisation, Malaysia is the leader in export-import figures, and followed by Turkey in the second place. Therefore a stigma about Malaysia as a country with a strict Islamic law is not relevant with radicalism and backwardness debate. Malaysia in fact is a good example of country that has brought all elements in society in full diversity and harmony, and has reached a significant economic growth. Meanwhile, the development in tourism both to Malaysia and Turkey is a solid proof that the level of international community recognition has been raised higher than ever, amid the fact that they are moslem-majority populated countries.

“We at the Secretariat regret this unnecessary debate brought by inappropriate terms by media and politician, since it only created a counterproductive stigma to both countries that so far are doing exceptionally well in economy,” said Dr. Alam at his office yesterday.

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