The United States has a hidden intention to control the Straits of Malacca "because it wants to control China", claimed renowned human rights activist and United Nations consultant Dr Chandra Muzaffar in Penang last night.

The US intention to control the straits is a "hidden issue and not spoken about", he told a public lecture in Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Chandra, who is a consultant expert to the UN Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, said the hidden agenda one factor that will put Singapore in a jam and its leaders know that if the contest between China and the US for economic power and resources becomes more serious in the future.

Why is it a 'hidden issue'?

"The US wants to control the Straits of Malacca because it wants to control China, and draw Japan into the equation," said Chandra, who is also president of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST).

"It also wants to draw India into the equation with China but I think the Indians have a better sense of history and is also responding to the challenge," he added at the lecture entitled The Age of Empire: The Quest for Global Justice .

No guarantee

The lecture, attended by about 100 people, examined the manifestations of Empire - US Domination in our age, its nature, evolution and impact on human kind today.

Chandra evaluated the responses to Empire and some of the challenges it faces.

He argued that even if Empire comes to an end, there is no guarantee that global justice will prevail.

He cautioned that unless there is a fundamental transformation in the spiritual and moral basis of contemporary civilization, it was quite conceivable that the multitude of global iniquities that burden our age will continue in the future.

Chandra, who is also founding president of Aliran, a social movement based in Penang, dismissed Singapore as a major player in Southeast Asia, saying it would probably play only a "minor role".

"Even people at Washington has said that they want Japan to be the "Britain of the East', that is the role they want Japan to play," he said.

"If US want to influence Southeast Asia, they would rather have Indonesia on their side, that would make more sense, or they would rather have Vietnam," he added.

"Look at the recent meeting between the Vietnamese and the US President and the attempt to woo Vietnam by exploiting some of the ancient animosity between Vietnam and China".

Role of the media

Responding to the lecture, former student Syed Jamal commented that accesses of the capitalist society will lead to the downfall of the Empire and that the role of international media was also very important in perpetuating the role of the Empire.

An Indonesian student, who only wants to be known as Ahmad, said the quest for global justice must match the search for local justice.

He said the fight against the capitalist must not only be a jargon but has to be accompanied by concrete actions like the boycotting of capitalist products, neo-liberal ideology and materialism.