Incomprehensible: President Obama Compares the Human Rights Violations of Malaysia to US
In the midst of a multi-million dollar Asian tour, President Obama became the first president since Lyndon B. Johnson to visit Malaysia. The Obama Administration has referred to the country as an “emerging partner,” but the alliance is truly bizarre given Malaysia’s record on human rights.
Just last week, CNS News reported the U.S. State Department’s evaluation of Malaysia’s human rights record “identified problem areas including abuses by security forces and restrictions of freedom of the press, speech, assembly, association and religion.” In regards to religious intolerance, the State Department identified the following issues:
-Denial of legal status to some religious groups
-Restrictions on proselytizing and on the freedom to change one’s religion (except that members of other religions may convert to Islam)
-Marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims are not recognized by the state and children born of such marriages are considered illegitimate
-While Islamic religious instruction is compulsory for Muslim children in public schools, non-Muslim students are not allowed to take classes in their religion, but instead must take non-religious morals and ethics courses.
-The government prohibits publications, public events and debates which it says may incite racial or religious disharmony, including public discussions of issues such as religious freedom and apostasy.
On radio this morning, Glenn played the audio of President Obama at a press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib on Sunday, in which the President makes a head scratching human rights comparison between the Southeast Asian nation and the U.S.
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