Flying accusations from sundry members of the global community aren’t going to stop Saudi Arabia’s next-in-line to the throne, Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, from international travel — and on February 17 and 18, he will be making a stop right here, in Malaysia to meet our Prime Minister.
Other planned stops on his Southeast Asian tour are said to include China and Indonesia, with India and Pakistan also expected.
MBS, as he is popularly known, weathered widespread condemnation in October of last year, after being accused of having something to do with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a one-time ally, and later foe, often using his platform as a columnist at the Washington Post to speak critically of the current Saudi regime. Khashoggi entered a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, never to be seen alive again.
Many believe MbS ordered the hit himself, something that he has strenuously denied.
While Mahathir is slated to hold audience with MbS, he was singing a far harsher tune in October — when he spoke out against Khashoggi’s killing, calling it “extreme cruelty,” and adding that our country did not support the killing of government critics.
“We too have people that we do not like, but we don’t kill them,” he told crowds at a Shah Alam forum on October 22.
Adding that he too at one time found himself on the ruling government’s bad side, and “if we had a system like the Arabs, maybe we too will be unable to speak today.”
No comment from Putrajaya on whether the matter will be broached during the two-day visit.
Eighteen individuals were eventually arrested by Saudi officials, accusing them of “premeditated murder.” However, the charges and arrest came only after the government denied that the killing took place, telling the world media that the journalist left the consulate on his own accord.
While the current United States president, Donald Trump, said Riyadh’s explanation was “credible,” many others from the international community condemned the killing with Germany, Norway and Denmark all ceasing the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia.
Reader Interactions