Despite its economic achievements, Malaysia still has a long way to go before it can call itself a true democracy. “Malaysians choose their leaders in elections that are free but not fair,” according to Freedom House’s “Freedom in the World 2005” report. “Malaysia has a parliamentary government within a federal system. Executive power is vested in a prime minister and cabinet,” said the Washington-based nongovernmental organization, noting that the ruling Barisan National (BN) coalition has won at least a two-thirds majority in all 11 general elections since 1957. “Mahathir’s 22-year tenure was marked by a steady concentration of power in the prime minister’s hands; parliament’s role as a deliberative body has deteriorated over the years, as legislation proposed by opposition parties tends not to be given serious consideration,” Freedom House charges. “Opposition parties face serious obstacles, such as unequal access to the media and restrictions on campaigning, and on freedom of assembly, that leave them unable to compete on equal terms with the BN.” Corruption is also a major problem, according to Freedom House, with bribery and cronyism particularly widespread in the ruling BN coalition. However, this may be changing under the leadership of Malaysia’s current prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who came into office in October 2003. “We are a very progressive Muslim country, and Prime Minister Abdullah is promoting this concept of civilizational Islam,” Hussain explained. “It’s not a new religion, just an approach to the practice of Islam which focuses on the development of the Muslim ‘ummah’ [world unity] as much as spiritual development.” Hussain, who has a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s in politics and a doctorate in international relations, all from the University of London, is a career diplomat who’s served in six Malaysian embassies abroad—four of them at the ambassadorial level. “As a woman and a Muslim, I’m proud of my religion,” she said. “I’ve served as ambassador in Paris and Geneva, and nothing in the last 31 years has prevented me from accomplishing my duties as a diplomat.” In addition to diplomacy, one of Hussain’s great joys is cooking, which explains her excitement at hosting a recent reception at the embassy on the theme of “Malaysia: The Truly Asian Kitchen.” Several hundred diplomats showed up at the outdoor event, which featured traditional Malaysian cuisine catered by five Washington-area Malaysian restaurants. Sometimes, because of her diminutive size, Hussain isn’t always taken seriously. “Most people think I’m either the wife or the daughter, never the ambassador herself,” she said. “And if I go somewhere with a male colleague, they think he’s the ambassador.” Yet the only time Hussain really has a problem is when she’s trying to board a flight at any U.S. airport. For some reason, her name and her background automatically trigger a thorough screening of the highest level, despite her status as a diplomat. But Hussain—the first woman among the 11 ambassadors Malaysia has sent to Washington since independence—says she knows about the war on terrorism all too well. “We have had years of dealing with so-called terrorism, especially during British colonial rule when we had problems with communist insurgencies,” she said. “But our government was able to overcome problems related to that. Our approach is that you have to go to the root causes of terrorism.” In her mind, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a lot to do with so-called Islamic fundamentalism, and she told President Bush as much during a recent state dinner. “I told the president it would be his legacy to solve the Palestinian issue,” she recalled. “Every year, the White House hosts an Iftar dinner and that’s when I met him, and we had a long conversation on the issue of the Middle East. It’s a major issue that has to be addressed.” Although Malaysia’s state religion is Islam, and 60 percent of its people profess that religion, the country’s Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and others are free to follow their own beliefs. The country has generally not had many problems with fundamentalism—unlike nearby Indonesia and the Philippines—but it’s still not taking any chances. In 2003, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially launched the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT). The agency’s role will be to “organize capacity-building and public awareness programs; produce briefs, situation reports and research; and to promote information-sharing and networking.” According to Hussain, “We are monitoring the situation very carefully, and in case there’s evidence of extremist activities, the government will take action. That’s why the situation is pretty calm in Malaysia.” She also pointed out her country’s coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, saying “our two intelligence and law-enforcement agencies work closely together, though this form of cooperation is not publicly reported.” Even so, Hussain isn’t afraid to criticize U.S. foreign policy, especially when it comes to the war in Iraq. “I think mistakes have been made in the past. The United States should consider withdrawing and let the Iraqis choose their own destiny,” she said. “It’s true the United States has done irreparable damage. That’s why it’s important for this country to build bridges. The image of the U.S. has dipped in many countries, particularly Muslim ones. This is due to a misunderstanding of what Islam is all about. Islam is not a terrorist religion, but when it’s portrayed that way in the United States, then Muslims like us will resent it.” Larry Luxner is news editor for The Washington Diplomat.

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