Western media struggles to grasp Malaysia's complexities, says BBC man

New Straits Times

4 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Western audiences and media often struggle to grasp Malaysia's complexities due to geographical distance and a lack of awareness of its political and historical context, says BBC journalist Jonny Dymond.
Speaking exclusively to the New Straits Times ahead of the BBC World Service's World Questions debate in Kuala Lumpur, Dymond said ignorance remains one of the biggest barriers to covering countries like Malaysia, whose realities are shaped by colonial legacies and modern geopolitical pressures.
"Most people don't even scratch the surface of what countries like Malaysia are dealing with," he said.
"Everything from colonial inheritance to current day tensions. The challenges of geopolitics around here are formidable. You know?
"And people, I think, on the other side of the world simply don't understand the balancing act that countries like Malaysia, the Philippines, and other nations in the region simply have to perform all the time.
"When countries are told they have to choose between global powers, it's a strange demand to make from 3,000 miles away."
Dymond also said the positioning of countries like Malaysia on issues such as the war in Gaza reflects a new divide in global politics.
While critical of the term "the global south", which he said oversimplifies diverse countries and perspectives, Dymond acknowledged growing divergence in views between regions.
"It's a sign of, a kind of a new division, a different division in the world. I mean, the phrase 'the global south' is a horrible one.
"It suggests that there's one lump here and another lump there — but let's use it for the moment."
He noted that on issues such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in Gaza, there was initially a sharp divide between how the West and other parts of the world viewed the situation.
"It's worth pointing out, you know, there is a shift also in the West as this war has continued, and more and more people feel uncomfortable, and upset about what has happened.
"Again, not my place to judge it, but it is interesting that Malaysia has been so forthright. And, obviously, I think there is a reflection in the government as to what people feel within Malaysia about what's happening in Gaza.
"And Malaysia and Malaysia's leadership has made its position very, very clear on Israel and the Palestinians and seems to walk in step with its population there — it seems to speak for many, many Malaysians in their unhappiness at what Israel is doing in Gaza."
He also urged Western observers to develop a deeper understanding of Southeast Asia, particularly in light of growing US-China tensions.
"It's up to the West to know a lot more about places like Malaysia before it judges them."
The BBC World Questions debate series invites members of the public to pose questions directly to politicians and public figures on current political, economic, and social issues.
Tonight's debate, which will be broadcast at a later date, will focus on the government's fuel subsidy rationalisation, corruption cases, freedom of speech, and institutional reform.
It will also examine Malaysia's foreign policy, especially its efforts to balance ties with the United States and China.
Among the panellists are Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Deputy Minister Datuk Fuziah Salleh and Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.