Mahathir and the end of South African Apartheid

Malaysia involvement in effort to end Apartheid policy in South Africa when the world and especially the Commonwealth members were not giving attention to the issue. Malaysia name was not known, only Tunku Abdul Rahman achievementto make South Africa withdrew from Commonwealth but the action was not giving any impact to South Africa. Apartheid policy still implemented in South Africa. This was going on although many countries condemn Apartheid policy in South Africa. This study took a closer look at Mahathir’s role as a champion in fighting for human rights in breaking free of the colonial mentality and ending the Apartheid policy in South Africa . Mahathir’s attendance of the 1985 Commonwealth Conference in Nassau, Bahamas gave him the first opportunity to put more pressure on South Africa and Britain. In 1989, Malaysia hosted the Commonwealth Conference and this provided the opportunity for Mahathir to continue with the1985 agenda and be more focused on Britain which refused to cooperate with the Commonwealth in implementing economic sanction on South Africa. Thatcher protested and arranged a press conference after the Kuala Lumpur Statement was announced . However, Thatcher’s effort failed to influence the Commonwealth and Mahathir continued with the pressure to put an end to the Appartheid policy. Many scholars did not see the end of South African apartheid as a Mahathir’s and thus a Malaysian achievement.