By: TNS Team
Kuala Lumpur, August 8 — Future leaders of the world must reject war as a means to resolve conflicts between nations, urged former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. Addressing approximately 150 students from Japan at the Japan Future Leaders School (JFLS) in Fukuoka via video conference, Mahathir emphasized the importance of embracing the rule of law to foster a peaceful and harmonious global society.
Speaking on the topic “What Role Should Future Leaders Take in a Turbulent Era,” Mahathir highlighted the necessity for nations to settle disputes through negotiations, arbitration, or legal avenues. “Nations should resolve conflicts through negotiations, arbitration, or legal means. For example, when Malaysia faces conflicts with its neighbors, we settle them through the court of law and respect the court’s decisions,” he stated.
Mahathir further urged the younger generation to embrace this principle not only in domestic matters but also in international relations, ensuring a less turbulent future by adhering to the rule of law. While the International Court of Justice (ICJ) serves as an option for conflict resolution, Mahathir called for its mandatory involvement in disputes, stressing the need for a new world body devoid of veto powers to ensure decisions are based on the majority’s voice rather than the interests of a select few.
“The UN was established with noble intentions, the veto powers granted to a few countries often lead to decisions that favor specific nations over the collective will of the majority. This imbalance challenges the UN’s effectiveness in promoting true global harmony,” he explained.
He also encouraged the students to collaborate in promoting peace and advocated for the criminalization of war. “Those committing the act of war should be made criminal so that the international community can act against them,” he asserted, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza as an example of the world’s failure to adequately respond to atrocities.Since 2005, Mahathir has been a vocal proponent of criminalizing war through the Perdana Global Peace Foundation, seeking to ensure that global efforts to address conflicts are not undermined by the interests of powerful nations.
- TNS News