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MEDIA STATEMENT IN RESPONSE OF THE ARTICLE
IN MALAY MAIL DATED JANUARY 14th 2009 PAGE 2 TITLED
' US GOODS BOYCOTT WILL NOT WORK'
IN MALAY MAIL DATED JANUARY 14th 2009 PAGE 2 TITLED
' US GOODS BOYCOTT WILL NOT WORK'
In a recent article (“ US goods boycott will not work ”) which appeared in the Malay Mail newspaper; the writer (not listed) suggest that boycotting targeted companies is not the answer.
So what is the solution? To date people have tried:
-Sending petitions to embassies: The Result? Failure!
-Sending petitions to and protesting world leaders: The Result? Failure!
-Sending petitions to the world body at The United Nations: The Result? Failure!
Over the years, we have also witnessed protests around the globe for and against various causes with and without the obligatory flag and effigy burning. All of those too have failed in addition to being ceremoniously dismissed by those who were the target of the protests. The only activity that causes a change in policy is when the economic livelihood of those being targeted is at stake!
Does that mean indiscriminately targeting any and everything that comes from a particular country? No! Is it also realistic to believe that by providing lists of hundreds of items to boycott people would? Far from it!When given too many items to boycott, the consumer goes into trance mode and follows the path of least resistance. This usually ends up with the consumer purchasing items that are part of the original boycott.
While emotionally it would be nice to have citizens around the world systematically adhere to such a list. Realistically, this is not practical.
However, a targeted boycott not only by Muslims or Malaysians, but by everyone who believes in freedom, justice and equality will cause policy makers to make new policies! Therefore, we suggest a boycott on those items for which there are viable alternatives and have a global presence. That is why we are advocating an international boycott of Coca Cola, Colgate Palmolive and Starbucks products and services. They are international; thereby global participation and there are viable alternatives!
Boycotting these companies will give them a cause for concern, as well as cause financial concern for those companies whose finances support the Israeli war apparatus.
So while the United Nation debates and passes resolutions and governments discuss Trade Agreements; we, the consumers of the world will do our part by not using our finances to assist those who rain down terror on men, women and children. [END]
By : Muneer A. Rasheed
International Affairs Advisory And Consultant ( 012-240 4509 )
CLICK LINK BELOW FOR FULL ARTICLE FROM MALAY MAIL
http://www.mmail.com.my/US_goods_boycott_will_not_work.aspx
US goods boycott will not work
January 14, 2009
Categories: News
Many Malaysians have taken to boycotting iconic American consumer products like Coca-Cola, Starbucks and KFC following former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's appeal for a global economic protest against US support for Israeli aggression in Palestine.
But have we not heard too often about globalisation and economic interdependency? For example, the pair of Levi’s jeans we buy in the shop is manufactured not in the US but locally, in places like Balakong, Nibong Tebal and Ipoh. The chicken that we eat at KFC is local, and Coca-Cola, which is really F&N Coca-Cola. F&N is primarily a bottling company that markets and sells brands of leading local drinks.
While some companies may appear "American" through long pop-cultural association, the franchise holder of each brand is Malaysian. Each company’s shareholders and employees are Malaysian, as are workers in allied industries like distribution and retail.
Furthermore, a mass boycott of US-related goods or even direct imports will serve as little more than a symbolic protest where the American economy is concerned. Malaysia is not even one of the superpower’s main export markets — it is certainly not large enough for any of our actions to have a discernible impact on US trade, let alone foreign policy.
Therefore, a boycott will most likely hurt no one but our fellow Malaysians who have the misfortune at this time to work for one of the "enemy" brands.
Some have gone so far as to demand that these Malaysians should make the necessary sacrifice of losing their jobs for a good cause, but surely even a child understands that such sacrifices must be voluntary.
If the boycott were an effective tool, which it is not, demanding the involuntary sacrifice of one’s livelihood is mere thuggery, however noble the cause.
Yet we cannot deny that the Israeli military action against Palestine is an atrocity that has resulted in humanitarian disaster, and we also cannot deny that tacit and obvious US support for Israel has contributed in great measure to past, present, and likely future catastrophes.
Dr Mahathir has proposed that we register our outrage in a way the US public cannot fail to understand: Trade. But a boycott, however emotionally satisfying, is ultimately a self-harming solution that will not serve this purpose.
If Malaysia’s collective voice is to be heard, action must be taken at a much higher level than local consumer agitation. Reasoned foreign policy is the most civilised means of exerting pressure on nation-States, and here perhaps Malaysia and its allies in the Muslim and non-aligned worlds have an opportunity to throw a spanner into the works.
Many Malaysians, including politicians from all sides, have in the past questioned the merit and soundness of the Malaysia-US Free Trade Agreement. Many have argued that the benefits it will bring are heavily weighted towards the US economy.
Perhaps now is the time we, and those like us, consider rejecting without discussion, any trade agreement with the world’s sole superpower until the situation in Palestine is satisfactorily resolved.
This is a sacrifice — if indeed it is a sacrifice — that we can all make together.
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