In early August, Malaysia had asked India and Pakistan to talk following tension between country arising from India's decision to uplift the autonomous status of Muslim majority Indian states of Kashmir and Jummu.
However, Malaysia's position took a different direction following Mahathir's speech at the United Nation General Assembly in September described New Delhi as “invaded and occupied” the two Indian states.
Since independence, the two states had always been part of Indian territory and it included today's Pakistan and Bangla Desh before Pakistan was cordoned off for Muslims and subsequently East Pakistan broke away to form Bangla Desh.
The position taken by Mahathir was the same position taken by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the UNGA also to described Kashmir as "beseiged" and has strained relation between India and Turkey.
In the case of Malaysia, India has reacted via the call by Atul Chaturvedi, president of the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India call on its 875 members to avoid purchasing oil palm from Malaysia to protect "your own interest as well as a mark of solidarity with our nation".
Read more in The Malay Mail Online here.
India has lambasted the position taken by Malaysia and Turkey to support the position of its arch enemy, Pakistan. The purchase will only heighten tension with India and worsen both diplomatic and trade relation with India, in which Malaysia had the best of relation under the previous administration.
Under the strained diplomatic relation, it will make it difficult for Malaysia to undertake diplomatic engagement to help reduce the alleged atrocities of the Indian millitary against Kashmiris.
This is clearly a change of stance in Malaysian foreign policy from that of positive engagement through diplomacy to take strong stance that will impose on India's sovereign rights within its borders.
Antagonising superpowers
Malaysia will be seen as ignoring the position taken by superpower US, which has labelled Pakistan as a terrorist state and was blacklisted as over terrorism financing and money laundering. The same declaration were made by Europe and Russia.
Mahathir is playing a dangerous geoglobal political game to be in confrontation over various issues with superpowers US, China, and now India.
Situation with China has simmered but it is believed China had put Malaysia under ransom on its request for the extradition of Taek Jho Low. Mahathir hinted it was China in his words Malaysia will not go to war and lose for sake of Jho Low.
Sources claimed China rubbished Malaysia request on the basis of upholding rule of law. In the discussion between officials, they claim Malaysia had not respected the commercial contracts signed between the two countries.
To prove Malaysia praactises rule of law, China official challenged Malaysia to return Zakir Naik to India. Mahathir refused to entertain India's extradition request to charge him on basis of terrorism and money laundering. Returning Zakir will lower his popularity among Muslims.
Imran Khan
He is seen to be close with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan and trying hard to win over the friendship of Erdogan who is known to be close with Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He is known to increase relation with Iran but recently cancelled plan to visit Iran following Reuters report alleging Malaysia's involvement with oil trade on behalf of Iran and Venezuela. Subsequent to the report, the Bank Negara Malaysia announced closing of all Iranian individual and company accounts. It suspected to appease the US intelligence authority.
Another country in the recent equation is Qatar which is under sanction by Middle East states aligned to Saudi Arabia. Since returning as Prime Minister, Mahathir has yet to visit the Saudi Arabia.
Saudi is a US ally and is seen as increasingly closer to Israel. India has a close relation with Israel. BJP, the political party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi right wing ideological leaning towards Hindu Nationalism and allegedly anti-Muslim and Christian stance may be seen as appealing to Netanyahu.
Modi topped Bloomberg’s rating for the most powerful person on earth for 2019 over Russia's Putin and US's Donald Trump.
Mahathir must know what sort of foreign policy rebalancing he is doing. It does not help that his Foreign Minister is blurred on the role of his position and took it as a platform to champion human rights than taking care of Malaysia's interest.