COMMENT | Farce of Nobel Prize nominations

COMMENT | Cambodia has reportedly nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia.

Some in the country argue it is unfair to only nominate Trump, given that Malaysia, as Asean chair, played a pivotal role in the ceasefire leading to the peace accord.

They have suggested Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should also be nominated for the Nobel Prize.

Apart from Anwar’s boasts about his role in the peace process, Cambodian leaders have given him no credit. In fact, they publicly praised Trump for bringing the two countries together.

Malaysia’s actual role - beyond arranging a meeting between the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia - remains unclear.

Trump’s threat of exorbitant tariffs

There is reason to believe it was Trump’s threat of exorbitant tariffs, rather than diplomacy, that led to the cessation of hostilities.

While a truce is now in place, it is only a precursor to a formal peace agreement. The conflict, rooted in historical nationalism, was merely reignited by recent border skirmishes.

Anwar may have been photographed with the leaders, but his involvement was marginal compared to Washington’s heavy-handed approach.

It is ironic that Cambodia nominated Trump not for genuine peace efforts, but for coercing the parties into agreement through economic threats.

Anwar’s cheerleaders seem eager to inflate his image by floating the idea of a Nobel nomination, despite his ceremonial role. The Nobel Prize is meant to honour statesmanship and high ideals, not political theatrics.

Trump, with his mercurial style of bullying nations into submission, is hardly qualified.

Anwar is even less deserving - unable to resolve the decades-old conflict between Thai Malay Muslims and the Thai state, and at home, presiding over one of Malaysia’s most divisive political climates. His overemphasis on ethnic and religious identity has deepened polarisation rather than healing it.

If Trump can be nominated for the prize, perhaps anyone can - including Anwar. But such nominations only smear the good name and sanctity of the award.

P RAMASAMY is former Penang deputy chief minister II and Urimai chairperson.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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