In this segment of WION, Watch Mauritius Former President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim Speaks to WION.

WION Exclusive: Mauritius Former President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim Speaks to WION

Watch Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political interview with WION's Editor-in-Chief of WION, Sudhir Chaudhary.

WION Exclusive: Is Modi the only election issue in 2019?

In this video watch Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political interview with WION's Editor-in-Chief of WION, Sudhir Chaudhary.

WION Exclusive: PM Modi on New World Order

In this video Israeli ambassador, Dr. Ron Malka speaks to WION.

WION Exclusive: Israeli ambassador speaks to WION

In this segment, WION Exclusive: Watch exclusive chat of WION with Mr. Andrew Whitehead, Former BBC India Correspondent over Indian LS Polls.

WION Exclusive: Watch exclusive talk of WION with Mr. Andrew Whitehead over Indian LS Polls

Watch this exclusive interview with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on WION.

WION Exclusive: Sri Lanka PM Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks to WION

In an exclusive conversation with WION, Ibrahim Kalin, senior adviser to Erdogan reacts on Pulwama attack and said that Terrorism cannot be condoned. Watch full video to know more.

WION Exclusive: Terrorism cannot be condoned, says Erdogan Adviser

WION Anchor Ayesha Sindhu talk with Simon Spungin, Managing editor of Haaretz.com from Tel Aviv on Israel election. Watch this video to know the details.

Watch exclusive talk of WION with Simon Spungin, Managing editor of Haaretz.com on Israel election

India Election Watch: Exclusive interview with Rajnath Singh

WION Exclusive: In conversation with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

WION Exclusive: Interview with Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh

Exclusive: Uganda prime minister Ruhakana Rugunda speaks to WION

The Interview: Ram Madhav, J&K In-Charge, BJP exclusively speaks to WION

WION Exclusive: India building over 14,000 bunkers to keep civilians safe in border areas

Daley Thompson hits out at Russia's reinstatement (WION Exclusive)

VVS Laxman is a name that needs no introduction. In his 15-year-long career, the man has played some breathtaking knocks for India, saved the team in some tricky situations, and set umpteen records.&nbsp;

However, only a few know that the man might not even have become a cricketer in the first place.

Hailing from a family of doctors, everyone thought the former Indian cricketer would go into medicine.&nbsp; But at the age of 17, and on the verge of getting a medical seat, he made the decision that would change his life completely.

"I was born to eminent doctors in Hyderabad, who were and still continue to be my role models. And also I enjoyed science. In my 10th class, I was first in the state in science and in my 11th and 12th class also I chose science only. I even cracked the common entrance exam for engineering and medicine and through sports quota I almost got enrolled in one of the famous medical colleges in Hyderabad, and simultaneously my cricketing career was also progressing, so that was one of the toughest decisions for me and my family because in early 1990's, cricket was not a professional but an amateur sport."

The former right-handed batsman added that although his parents did not stand in the way of his dream, they did give him a deadline.&nbsp;

"The opportunity came with a deadline of five years. Within those five years, if I don’t achieve my dream of playing for my country, I had to leave the game, come and again pursue my goal of becoming a doctor.

Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-captain-steve-waughs-side-was-best-i-played-against-says-vvs-laxman-182319">Steve Waugh's side was best I played against, says VVS Laxman</a>

Since his cricketing days, Laxman has been an admirer of former Indian captain Anil Kumble. He was one of the few cricketers who openly spoke about the strained relation between Kumble and current Indian captain Virat Kohli, which saw Kumble's exit as the Indian coach.

Watch the full interview here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6aQORbS8mJM" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

When asked to share the historical moment when Kumble bowled with a broken jaw, Laxman said if anyone could do that was only Anil.&nbsp;

"How can you imagine someone who has got a fractured jaw to come and bowl for his country. He was in immense pain but he knew that we (Indian team) were not able to take wickets.&nbsp;

Laxman also added that nobody was aware of Kumble's decision.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-created-legacy-with-his-batting-says-vvs-laxman-to-wion-182132">Virat Kohli created 'legacy' with his batting, VVS Laxman tells WION</a>

"None of us knew that he would come and suddenly when we saw him walking down, with a bandaged jaw we were all surprised. But if anyone who could do that was Anil as he always had that fighting spirit."

Laxman had an illustrious career where he has played 134 Tests and 86 ODIs but the former batsman had many on and off the scuffles with former Indian coach Greg Chappell.

On being asked what do you think was the reason behind such altercations, Laxman said that Chappell lacked man management skills.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Currently coached by Ravi Shastri, the Men in Blue are on a tour of Australia where they will play four Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.&nbsp;&nbsp;

VVS Laxman is a name that needs no introduction. In his 15-year-long career, the man has played some breathtaking knocks for India, saved the team in some tricky situations, and set umpteen records.

VVS Laxman is a name that needs no introduction. In his 15-year-long career, the man has played some breathtaking knocks for India, saved the team in some tricky situations, and set umpteen records. However, only a few know that the man might not even have become a cricketer in the first place. Hailing from a family of doctors, everyone thought the former Indian cricketer would go into medicine. But at the age of 17, and on the verge of getting a medical seat, he made the decision that would change his life completely. "I was born to eminent doctors in Hyderabad, who were and still continue to be my role models. And also I enjoyed science. In my 10th class, I was first in the state in science and in my 11th and 12th class also I chose science only. I even cracked the common entrance exam for engineering and medicine and through sports quota I almost got enrolled in one of the famous medical colleges in Hyderabad, and simultaneously my cricketing career was also progressing, so that was one of the toughest decisions for me and my family because in early 1990's, cricket was not a professional but an amateur sport." The former right-handed batsman added that although his parents did not stand in the way of his dream, they did give him a deadline. "The opportunity came with a deadline of five years. Within those five years, if I don’t achieve my dream of playing for my country, I had to leave the game, come and again pursue my goal of becoming a doctor. Also read | Steve Waugh's side was best I played against, says VVS Laxman Since his cricketing days, Laxman has been an admirer of former Indian captain Anil Kumble. He was one of the few cricketers who openly spoke about the strained relation between Kumble and current Indian captain Virat Kohli, which saw Kumble's exit as the Indian coach. Watch the full interview here: × When asked to share the historical moment when Kumble bowled with a broken jaw, Laxman said if anyone could do that was only Anil. "How can you imagine someone who has got a fractured jaw to come and bowl for his country. He was in immense pain but he knew that we (Indian team) were not able to take wickets. Laxman also added that nobody was aware of Kumble's decision. Also read | Virat Kohli created 'legacy' with his batting, VVS Laxman tells WION "None of us knew that he would come and suddenly when we saw him walking down, with a bandaged jaw we were all surprised. But if anyone who could do that was Anil as he always had that fighting spirit." Laxman had an illustrious career where he has played 134 Tests and 86 ODIs but the former batsman had many on and off the scuffles with former Indian coach Greg Chappell. On being asked what do you think was the reason behind such altercations, Laxman said that Chappell lacked man management skills. Currently coached by Ravi Shastri, the Men in Blue are on a tour of Australia where they will play four Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.

Decided to take up cricket when it was amateur sport, VVS Laxman tells WION

Speaking exclusively to WION&rsquo;s Kartikeya Sharma, the former MoS Home Affairs also talks about Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi, and the state of Congress.

He adds that the policies of the ruling BJP government at the Centre have hurt the common man.&nbsp;

&nbsp; 
Here is the full transcript of the interview: 
&nbsp; 
Q: Is Congress&rsquo; election campaign in Gujarat on the line of UP ke ladke, the election campaign theme of SP-Cong in Uttar Pradesh? Rahul Gandhi plus three boys from the state against Narendra Modi? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: Not at all. I is not about individuals.&nbsp;It is not Rahul Gandhi vs anyone. It is not about individuals. It is about people of Gujarat and problems accruing from the policies of BJP-led state and central governments. People have suffered and Rahul Gandhi is only voicing the discomfort faced by people of Gujarat. It is people of Gujarat versus policies of the present government. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Demonetisation did not work in UP. What makes you think that GST as a political campaign will work in Gujarat? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: BJP did a smart thing during UP elections. The message which went out during UP elections was that haves were being attacked and money would eventually be ploughed back to have nots. BJP had earlier promised Rs 15 lakh in people&rsquo;s account and electorate thought that perhaps this scheme is probably a culmination of that promise. This messaging worked then, but now people understand that demonetisation led to nothing. And GST has hurt people. 
&nbsp; 
Q: What is the main challenge for the Congress in Jharkhand? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: BJP government in Jharkhand has been trying to tweak land laws to parcel out land from the tribal community. We have been trying to stall it. They have tried changing land acquisition rules too. There are many issues in the state like health and hunger. Many children died because their mothers were malnourished. Poor has suffered in the state. These are the issues we want to focus on. And then the main focus remains on organization. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Congress for quite some time has been in alliance with regional parties in the state. So how do you expect to challenge BJP? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: Congress has not done well in assembly and Lok Sabha elections last time around. We are trying to strengthen the Congress from booth level onwards. We are trying to take all communities on board. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Every assembly election, Congress jumps into the lap of a regional party. How will you change the outlook? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: In Jharkhand, we contested independently and votes against BJP got divided which helped them. We are making sure that Congress is present in all 81 seats. Though elections are two years away but even if we go for alliance this time around we would like to be equal partners this time around. We aren&rsquo;t ruling out alliance but it needs to be on equal footing. 
&nbsp; 
Q: What explains the rapid expansion of BJP in many states? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: This issue has been addressed many times. In the last two to three years, we lost touch with real issues and what people wanted from us. We did good work but did not communicate well enough. We weren&rsquo;t good at it then. The UPA did a good job in social sector. What we see today is strong communication by BJP but the work on the ground remains nil. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Did the issue of saffron terror controversy impact Congress very negatively? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: Those speeches have never ever been Congress party&rsquo;s view. Terror has no caste, religion or creed; those were individual remarks which I believe were communicated out of context. It has never been the Congress&#39; stand but a perception was created and it did impact the Congress party. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Why is elevation of Rahul Gandhi getting delayed? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: It is not getting delayed. There is an electoral process which is coming to close. PCC delegates have been elected and (his) elevation will happen soon. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Where lies the salvation of the Congress party? In building organization or electoral alliances to stop BJP? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: We need to build our cadre and make people believe in our ideology. 
&nbsp; 
Q: The general message is that Congress has turned Left of Centre? 
&nbsp; 
RPN Singh: We are a centrist party. I will quote late Mrs Indira Gandhi, &ldquo;We are in the centre and we will stand tall.&rdquo;

In an exclusive interview with WION, Singh also spoke about Rahul Gandhi and the state of the Congress party

Speaking exclusively to WION’s Kartikeya Sharma, the former MoS Home Affairs also talks about Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi, and the state of Congress. He adds that the policies of the ruling BJP government at the Centre have hurt the common man. Here is the full transcript of the interview: Q: Is Congress’ election campaign in Gujarat on the line of UP ke ladke, the election campaign theme of SP-Cong in Uttar Pradesh? Rahul Gandhi plus three boys from the state against Narendra Modi? RPN Singh: Not at all. I is not about individuals. It is not Rahul Gandhi vs anyone. It is not about individuals. It is about people of Gujarat and problems accruing from the policies of BJP-led state and central governments. People have suffered and Rahul Gandhi is only voicing the discomfort faced by people of Gujarat. It is people of Gujarat versus policies of the present government. Q: Demonetisation did not work in UP. What makes you think that GST as a political campaign will work in Gujarat? RPN Singh: BJP did a smart thing during UP elections. The message which went out during UP elections was that haves were being attacked and money would eventually be ploughed back to have nots. BJP had earlier promised Rs 15 lakh in people’s account and electorate thought that perhaps this scheme is probably a culmination of that promise. This messaging worked then, but now people understand that demonetisation led to nothing. And GST has hurt people. Q: What is the main challenge for the Congress in Jharkhand? RPN Singh: BJP government in Jharkhand has been trying to tweak land laws to parcel out land from the tribal community. We have been trying to stall it. They have tried changing land acquisition rules too. There are many issues in the state like health and hunger. Many children died because their mothers were malnourished. Poor has suffered in the state. These are the issues we want to focus on. And then the main focus remains on organization. Q: Congress for quite some time has been in alliance with regional parties in the state. So how do you expect to challenge BJP? RPN Singh: Congress has not done well in assembly and Lok Sabha elections last time around. We are trying to strengthen the Congress from booth level onwards. We are trying to take all communities on board. Q: Every assembly election, Congress jumps into the lap of a regional party. How will you change the outlook? RPN Singh: In Jharkhand, we contested independently and votes against BJP got divided which helped them. We are making sure that Congress is present in all 81 seats. Though elections are two years away but even if we go for alliance this time around we would like to be equal partners this time around. We aren’t ruling out alliance but it needs to be on equal footing. Q: What explains the rapid expansion of BJP in many states? RPN Singh: This issue has been addressed many times. In the last two to three years, we lost touch with real issues and what people wanted from us. We did good work but did not communicate well enough. We weren’t good at it then. The UPA did a good job in social sector. What we see today is strong communication by BJP but the work on the ground remains nil. Q: Did the issue of saffron terror controversy impact Congress very negatively? RPN Singh: Those speeches have never ever been Congress party’s view. Terror has no caste, religion or creed; those were individual remarks which I believe were communicated out of context. It has never been the Congress' stand but a perception was created and it did impact the Congress party. Q: Why is elevation of Rahul Gandhi getting delayed? RPN Singh: It is not getting delayed. There is an electoral process which is coming to close. PCC delegates have been elected and (his) elevation will happen soon. Q: Where lies the salvation of the Congress party? In building organization or electoral alliances to stop BJP? RPN Singh: We need to build our cadre and make people believe in our ideology. Q: The general message is that Congress has turned Left of Centre? RPN Singh: We are a centrist party. I will quote late Mrs Indira Gandhi, “We are in the centre and we will stand tall.”

Gujarat election is about people vs govt policies: Former Union Minister RPN Singh tells WION

Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s King Salman and a 500-member plus entourage visited Malaysia and are now in Indonesia. The Saudis will holiday there and then travel onwards to Brunei, the Maldives, Japan and China. Saudi Arabia is ostensibly seeking and offering investment, among others a Joint Venture with South East Asian oil companies. But is he also there as a public relations act to fortify Wahabi Islam, the rapidly spreading and rigid form as practised in Saudi Arabia.

WION&rsquo;s Senior International Correspondent Padma Rao Sundarji spoke to Malaysian activist Marina Mahathir. She is the daughter of Mahathir Mohammed, the longest-serving former Prime Minister of Malaysia and also at the forefront of activism against what she calls &ldquo;Arab colonialism&rdquo;. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Ms Mahathir, Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s King Salman is currently visiting your region with a huge entourage and will remain in Asia for an entire month. You have often warned of &lsquo;&rsquo;Arab Colonialism&rdquo; in Malaysia. Does that warning extend to the entire South East Asian region and if so, are your own Islamic scholars doing anything about it?

Mahathir: They claim to be. But it&rsquo;s not very effective because they are giving out mixed messages. On the one hand, they talk about how people should not go off to join IS. They are very concerned about potential recruits for IS. But at the same time, they are also extremely conservative and not very tolerant of anything that is not part of the Sunni sect of Islam. Malaysian Muslims have been increasingly taking on Arab forms of dress, even Arab forms of speaking. Most of us do not speak Arabic but to show their Islamic credentials, some people will start a speech in Arabic without translating it, for instance. Additionally, there is almost a rejection of our own local culture. There is a lot of Malay culture that has been banned or downgraded or neglected. I feel very much that we are losing our identity and becoming more and more alien to our culture. And I see that also in other parts of Muslim parts of South Asia but I think it is more obvious here because we are a Muslim majority country but much smaller. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Does this &ldquo;Arab colonialism&rdquo; target women in particular? Have there been sudden, new diktats on how to dress, how to and what to speak? 
&nbsp; 
Mahathir: I think the most obvious is in the way that some women dress. Suddenly, we see a lot of women favouring the long caftan-like outfit, rather than our traditional dress. Whether out of fashion sense or comfort, it&rsquo;s still quite worrying to see so many women doing so and neglecting our own, traditional outfits. I&rsquo;ve started seeing quite a few niqabs,&nbsp;the face-covering head-dress. It is completely alien to our culture and I am wondering where it came from. But on the other hand, we&rsquo;ve made so many forward strides since independence that it&rsquo;s very hard to roll all that back. So nobody has dared to suggest that women in Malaysia cannot drive, and that sort of thing. But still, in terms of personal laws -- that&rsquo;s where my organisation comes in and -- we&rsquo;re very worried about this trend. Of course, the most worrying thing is the move first by the opposition and now by our government, to push forward what we call the hudood bill. It is intended to make Shariah courts more powerful than they have ever been and to implement so-called Islamic laws for various crimes. That&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s worrying. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: On a scale of 1-10, to what extent is Saudi Arabia itself responsible for this radicalisation? Does the inspiration come from this one country alone? Or are there other causes too?

Mahathir: They are a factor perhaps a five on that scale. But there are many other reasons. The sluggish economy, lots of listless men who have nothing to do and get attracted to this type of ideology. In addition, we have a government that is politicising religion, that seems to be in a race with the opposition to show who is more Islamic. It all combines to move towards this type of radicalisation. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Still, there was some good news today. An appeals court overthrew an earlier decision against your petition for a judicial review of a fatwa issued against your organisation, The Sisters of Islam and has ordered the courts to look at it again. Does your petition have widespread support both in Malaysia and elsewhere in South East Asia?

Mahathir: I wouldn&rsquo;t call it widespread. There are certainly many people watching it and we are very happy with the unanimous decision by the appeals court judges to allow the judicial review. But we face challenges all the time. Even the fact that the fatwa is supposedly on hold, doesn&rsquo;t stop sermons being read against us or all sorts of other attempts to harass us every day. So yes, it was a good day today but we still face long challenges and I am sure it will not be easy, once we go back to court to hear the judicial review. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Are such fatwas new? &nbsp;Do you feel that these recent fatwas are also due to growing Saudi influence?

Mahathir: Yes, I do think that there have been more in the past ten years. Partly because of all circumstances, not just the Saudi influence, particularly the politicisation of religion in this country and the competition between the government and the Islamist party. With the ruling party losing the 2/3rds majority in parliament, it is trying to win back rural voters who are mostly Muslim and thinks this is the best way to do so. They&rsquo;ve mounted a campaign against pluralism, liberalism, Shias &ndash; all very similar to Saudi-style Islam. And we are caught in it and are very big targets because we are women talking about religion. And we&rsquo;ve been around for long. We are not unused to this type of harassment. But we feel that it has become more intense nowadays and that&rsquo;s because it&rsquo;s being weaponised by the government. The Islamic Development Agency, a government body in the PM&rsquo;s department, enjoys a budget of 1 billion Ringgit. Considering they don&rsquo;t have that much to do, what&rsquo;s all that money for? &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Saudi Arabian King Salman is on a month-long Asia visit, supposedly to firm up oil deals, investments, business. But is that all there is to the trip? Or is there more than meets the eye? He is, after all, also going to the Maldives &ndash; and Wahabi Islam has been on the rise there too&hellip;

Mahathir: I am no expert. But I think there is probably a different agenda, though perhaps not a conscious one. It&rsquo;s probably to make an impression upon the Muslims here, to dazzle them with the huge entourage and the money being thrown around in such a way, that they somehow equate all this wealth with Islam. It&rsquo;s kind of a PR campaign: to promote a certain brand of Islam without considering that our part of the world is very, very different from Saudi Arabia. 
&nbsp; 
PRS:&nbsp;Is this attempt to impress aimed primarily at the grassroots? People, who are dependent on tourism?

Mahathir: I don&rsquo;t know how much money will actually reach the grassroots. After all, they&rsquo;re staying in luxury<a class="V4K1n6ka LoGF30kb145kc" href="#86321189" style="z-index: 2147483647;" title="Click to Continue &gt; by Advertisement"> </a>hotels and no middle-class people go there. But okay, the odd waiter may get a huge tip. A lot of Asians have this &ldquo;Big Man Syndrome.&rdquo; &nbsp;A big man is surely entitled to all these luxuries and privileges, is the thinking. And it&rsquo;s all very impressive to the grassroots. What&rsquo;s worse is, the visit is being spun politically here in Malaysia. Our PM is justifying a controversial goods and service tax, a one-off payment to poor families, all only because Saudi Arabia has those provisions in place. So everything is being justified in relation to Saudi Arabia. In a way, that is saying that if Saudi Arabia is doing something then it must be a good thing and by implication, also an Islamic thing. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
PRS: King Salman travelled to Malaysia first, before flying to Indonesia. How did people in your country react? Were there protests?

Mahathir: We Malaysians are a very passive lot. Nobody really protested. It was more like grumbling about a big dignitary being in town and causing traffic jams. But I am quite impressed by Indonesian women who have come out to protest against his visit, principally because of the sufferings of a number of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. 
&nbsp; 
PRS: Do you have a sizeable Hindu population in Malaysia? Or even a small but influential one?

Mahathir: About 10 per cent of our population is of subcontinental origin. They are grouped as Indians&nbsp;but are not necessarily all Hindus. There is a nascent Hindu movement because of many cases of discrimination. &nbsp;There is also an Indian component party of the ruling coalition but they did so badly in the party elections, so they have much of a voice anymore. Unfortunately, we are all living under a very domineering government. It is hard for minorities but even for Muslims who don&rsquo;t agree with the government line. For them, there&rsquo;s no space. &nbsp;

(WION)

The activist spoke to WION about 'Arab colonialism' and what King Salman's visit means for the country and the region as a whole

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and a 500-member plus entourage visited Malaysia and are now in Indonesia. The Saudis will holiday there and then travel onwards to Brunei, the Maldives, Japan and China. Saudi Arabia is ostensibly seeking and offering investment, among others a Joint Venture with South East Asian oil companies. But is he also there as a public relations act to fortify Wahabi Islam, the rapidly spreading and rigid form as practised in Saudi Arabia. WION’s Senior International Correspondent Padma Rao Sundarji spoke to Malaysian activist Marina Mahathir. She is the daughter of Mahathir Mohammed, the longest-serving former Prime Minister of Malaysia and also at the forefront of activism against what she calls “Arab colonialism”. PRS: Ms Mahathir, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman is currently visiting your region with a huge entourage and will remain in Asia for an entire month. You have often warned of ‘’Arab Colonialism” in Malaysia. Does that warning extend to the entire South East Asian region and if so, are your own Islamic scholars doing anything about it? Mahathir: They claim to be. But it’s not very effective because they are giving out mixed messages. On the one hand, they talk about how people should not go off to join IS. They are very concerned about potential recruits for IS. But at the same time, they are also extremely conservative and not very tolerant of anything that is not part of the Sunni sect of Islam. Malaysian Muslims have been increasingly taking on Arab forms of dress, even Arab forms of speaking. Most of us do not speak Arabic but to show their Islamic credentials, some people will start a speech in Arabic without translating it, for instance. Additionally, there is almost a rejection of our own local culture. There is a lot of Malay culture that has been banned or downgraded or neglected. I feel very much that we are losing our identity and becoming more and more alien to our culture. And I see that also in other parts of Muslim parts of South Asia but I think it is more obvious here because we are a Muslim majority country but much smaller. PRS: Does this “Arab colonialism” target women in particular? Have there been sudden, new diktats on how to dress, how to and what to speak? Mahathir: I think the most obvious is in the way that some women dress. Suddenly, we see a lot of women favouring the long caftan-like outfit, rather than our traditional dress. Whether out of fashion sense or comfort, it’s still quite worrying to see so many women doing so and neglecting our own, traditional outfits. I’ve started seeing quite a few niqabs, the face-covering head-dress. It is completely alien to our culture and I am wondering where it came from. But on the other hand, we’ve made so many forward strides since independence that it’s very hard to roll all that back. So nobody has dared to suggest that women in Malaysia cannot drive, and that sort of thing. But still, in terms of personal laws -- that’s where my organisation comes in and -- we’re very worried about this trend. Of course, the most worrying thing is the move first by the opposition and now by our government, to push forward what we call the hudood bill. It is intended to make Shariah courts more powerful than they have ever been and to implement so-called Islamic laws for various crimes. That’s what’s worrying. PRS: On a scale of 1-10, to what extent is Saudi Arabia itself responsible for this radicalisation? Does the inspiration come from this one country alone? Or are there other causes too? Mahathir: They are a factor perhaps a five on that scale. But there are many other reasons. The sluggish economy, lots of listless men who have nothing to do and get attracted to this type of ideology. In addition, we have a government that is politicising religion, that seems to be in a race with the opposition to show who is more Islamic. It all combines to move towards this type of radicalisation. PRS: Still, there was some good news today. An appeals court overthrew an earlier decision against your petition for a judicial review of a fatwa issued against your organisation, The Sisters of Islam and has ordered the courts to look at it again. Does your petition have widespread support both in Malaysia and elsewhere in South East Asia? Mahathir: I wouldn’t call it widespread. There are certainly many people watching it and we are very happy with the unanimous decision by the appeals court judges to allow the judicial review. But we face challenges all the time. Even the fact that the fatwa is supposedly on hold, doesn’t stop sermons being read against us or all sorts of other attempts to harass us every day. So yes, it was a good day today but we still face long challenges and I am sure it will not be easy, once we go back to court to hear the judicial review. PRS: Are such fatwas new? Do you feel that these recent fatwas are also due to growing Saudi influence? Mahathir: Yes, I do think that there have been more in the past ten years. Partly because of all circumstances, not just the Saudi influence, particularly the politicisation of religion in this country and the competition between the government and the Islamist party. With the ruling party losing the 2/3rds majority in parliament, it is trying to win back rural voters who are mostly Muslim and thinks this is the best way to do so. They’ve mounted a campaign against pluralism, liberalism, Shias – all very similar to Saudi-style Islam. And we are caught in it and are very big targets because we are women talking about religion. And we’ve been around for long. We are not unused to this type of harassment. But we feel that it has become more intense nowadays and that’s because it’s being weaponised by the government. The Islamic Development Agency, a government body in the PM’s department, enjoys a budget of 1 billion Ringgit. Considering they don’t have that much to do, what’s all that money for? PRS: Saudi Arabian King Salman is on a month-long Asia visit, supposedly to firm up oil deals, investments, business. But is that all there is to the trip? Or is there more than meets the eye? He is, after all, also going to the Maldives – and Wahabi Islam has been on the rise there too… Mahathir: I am no expert. But I think there is probably a different agenda, though perhaps not a conscious one. It’s probably to make an impression upon the Muslims here, to dazzle them with the huge entourage and the money being thrown around in such a way, that they somehow equate all this wealth with Islam. It’s kind of a PR campaign: to promote a certain brand of Islam without considering that our part of the world is very, very different from Saudi Arabia. PRS: Is this attempt to impress aimed primarily at the grassroots? People, who are dependent on tourism? Mahathir: I don’t know how much money will actually reach the grassroots. After all, they’re staying in luxury hotels and no middle-class people go there. But okay, the odd waiter may get a huge tip. A lot of Asians have this “Big Man Syndrome.” A big man is surely entitled to all these luxuries and privileges, is the thinking. And it’s all very impressive to the grassroots. What’s worse is, the visit is being spun politically here in Malaysia. Our PM is justifying a controversial goods and service tax, a one-off payment to poor families, all only because Saudi Arabia has those provisions in place. So everything is being justified in relation to Saudi Arabia. In a way, that is saying that if Saudi Arabia is doing something then it must be a good thing and by implication, also an Islamic thing. PRS: King Salman travelled to Malaysia first, before flying to Indonesia. How did people in your country react? Were there protests? Mahathir: We Malaysians are a very passive lot. Nobody really protested. It was more like grumbling about a big dignitary being in town and causing traffic jams. But I am quite impressed by Indonesian women who have come out to protest against his visit, principally because of the sufferings of a number of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. PRS: Do you have a sizeable Hindu population in Malaysia? Or even a small but influential one? Mahathir: About 10 per cent of our population is of subcontinental origin. They are grouped as Indians but are not necessarily all Hindus. There is a nascent Hindu movement because of many cases of discrimination. There is also an Indian component party of the ruling coalition but they did so badly in the party elections, so they have much of a voice anymore. Unfortunately, we are all living under a very domineering government. It is hard for minorities but even for Muslims who don’t agree with the government line. For them, there’s no space. (WION)

Exclusive: Marina Mahathir on Saudi king's visit to Malaysia

Chinese security forces are ignoring international borders to make regular patrols deep inside eastern Afghanistan, according to sources in the area.&nbsp;

In exclusive pictures obtained by WION, Chinese-manufactured military vehicles can be seen patrolling in the country&#39;s far eastern Little Pamir region.&nbsp;

The slim finger of Afghan territory borders China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and India&#39;s Jammu and Kashmir state. It is a remote, sparsely-populated area home to the minority Shia Ismaili community and little in the way of representation from the government in Kabul.&nbsp;

<img id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_editpreview" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/map-20161027115721.jpg" />

WION could not independently verify whether the photographs show Chinese People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA) or private security vehicles, but eyewitnesses in the region accuse the Chinese military of direct involvement.&nbsp;

If the reports are accurate, Chinese security forces could be guilty of a serious breach of international law.&nbsp;

Despite repeated attempts by WION to contact him, a spokesperson for Afghanistan&#39;s president did not respond. The Chinese embassy in New Delhi also refused to comment.&nbsp;

Chinese-manufactured vehicles

Independent military analysts confirmed the images show Chinese-manufactured military vehicles. &nbsp;

&#39;&#39;The pictures show Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and Humvee-type vehicles. Both appear to be Chinese versions of common Western armoured vehicles,&#39;&#39; said Justin Bronk, a Senior Analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London.&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;The Humvee-type vehicle is very identifiable as a Mengshi 4x4, also known as the Dongfeng EQ 2050 (see picture&nbsp;below). They have very distinctive markings on the doors which are absent from US-manufactured Humvees,&#39;&#39; he said.&nbsp;

<img id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_editpreview" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/afg%203-20161027120611.JPG" />

&#39;&#39;MRAPs are trickier to identify. The arrangement of the windows and spare tyre varies depending on the customer and precise sub-model. But the hub cap design in these pictures does fit with the Norinco VP 11 (see picture below),&#39;&#39; Mr&nbsp;Bronk added.&nbsp;

<img id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_editpreview" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/afg%2012-20161027122835.JPG" />

Dongfeng and Norinco are both military vehicle manufacturers based in China.&nbsp;

Mr Bronk also confirmed that the vehicles are currently in active service in the PLA. Another military analyst from RUSI, Dr&nbsp;Igor Sutyagin, backed up his analysis of the images.&nbsp;

People&#39;s&nbsp;Liberation Army&nbsp;patrols&nbsp;Little Pamir

From the photographs alone, analysts could not confirm whether the Chinese-manufactured vehicles belong to the PLA itself.&nbsp;

While the Afghan National Army is mostly equipped with US&nbsp;hardware, military analysts say they could be replacing destroyed vehicles with cheaper Chinese models. China also recently pledged to provide equipment to Afghanistan&#39;s border police.&nbsp;

But sources inside the region say the PLA enter Little Pamir twice a month through Tajikistan. The troops reportedly stay in a local school in Bozai Gumbaz and are barred from speaking to local Afghan citizens.&nbsp;

<img id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_editpreview" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/afg%204-20161027123259.JPG" />

 
The exact motivations behind the patrols are not known but Chinese firms hold key mining concessions across Afghanistan. The Mes Aynak copper mine in the Logar province has been hit by repeated delays and security concerns.&nbsp;

Control over its western frontier is also a key security concern for the land-focused Chinese military. In recent years, China has been nervous about the East Turkestan Islamic Movement&#39;s activities in its western Xinjiang province and the wider region.&nbsp;

Kabul has an agreement with China and Tajikistan clarifying borders in the Little Pamir region. According to the Xinhua news agency, foreign ministers from the three governments signed the deal in Beijing in June 2012.&nbsp;

But the two countries have no public agreement to perform training exercises or war games on each other&#39;s soil.&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;China has conducted various diplomatic overtures particularly with regards to mining concessions in Afghanistan, but, to the best of my knowledge, there isn&#39;t an established arrangement of that type,&#39;&#39; said Mr Bronk from RUSI.&nbsp;

By crossing into Afghanistan, the Chinese military or private security companies could, therefore, be in breach of international law.&nbsp;

Beijing&#39;s aggressive foreign policy in Asia

After decades of inward-looking foreign policy, China has ruffled diplomatic feathers with its aggressive claims in the South China Sea. &nbsp;

And Beijing&#39;s ambitions are not restricted to maritime activity. In India, Chinese troops have been accused of repeated incursions on the Ladakh plateau in the Himalayas.

With Afghanistan struggling to contain the Taliban in the Kunduz province, the government now faces increased Chinese activity on its porous eastern border.&nbsp;

The Wakhan Corridor may be a remote, desolate part of the world, but Chinese expansion in the region will not go unnoticed by neighbouring India, Pakistan and Tajikistan.

(With additional reporting by Mandy Clark from London)&nbsp;

In exclusive pictures obtained by WION, Chinese security forces can be seen in the country's far eastern Little Pamir region

Chinese security forces are ignoring international borders to make regular patrols deep inside eastern Afghanistan, according to sources in the area. In exclusive pictures obtained by WION, Chinese-manufactured military vehicles can be seen patrolling in the country's far eastern Little Pamir region. The slim finger of Afghan territory borders China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and India's Jammu and Kashmir state. It is a remote, sparsely-populated area home to the minority Shia Ismaili community and little in the way of representation from the government in Kabul. WION could not independently verify whether the photographs show Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) or private security vehicles, but eyewitnesses in the region accuse the Chinese military of direct involvement. If the reports are accurate, Chinese security forces could be guilty of a serious breach of international law. Despite repeated attempts by WION to contact him, a spokesperson for Afghanistan's president did not respond. The Chinese embassy in New Delhi also refused to comment. Chinese-manufactured vehicles Independent military analysts confirmed the images show Chinese-manufactured military vehicles. ''The pictures show Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and Humvee-type vehicles. Both appear to be Chinese versions of common Western armoured vehicles,'' said Justin Bronk, a Senior Analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London. ''The Humvee-type vehicle is very identifiable as a Mengshi 4x4, also known as the Dongfeng EQ 2050 (see picture below). They have very distinctive markings on the doors which are absent from US-manufactured Humvees,'' he said. ''MRAPs are trickier to identify. The arrangement of the windows and spare tyre varies depending on the customer and precise sub-model. But the hub cap design in these pictures does fit with the Norinco VP 11 (see picture below),'' Mr Bronk added. Dongfeng and Norinco are both military vehicle manufacturers based in China. Mr Bronk also confirmed that the vehicles are currently in active service in the PLA. Another military analyst from RUSI, Dr Igor Sutyagin, backed up his analysis of the images. People's Liberation Army patrols Little Pamir From the photographs alone, analysts could not confirm whether the Chinese-manufactured vehicles belong to the PLA itself. While the Afghan National Army is mostly equipped with US hardware, military analysts say they could be replacing destroyed vehicles with cheaper Chinese models. China also recently pledged to provide equipment to Afghanistan's border police. But sources inside the region say the PLA enter Little Pamir twice a month through Tajikistan. The troops reportedly stay in a local school in Bozai Gumbaz and are barred from speaking to local Afghan citizens. The exact motivations behind the patrols are not known but Chinese firms hold key mining concessions across Afghanistan. The Mes Aynak copper mine in the Logar province has been hit by repeated delays and security concerns. Control over its western frontier is also a key security concern for the land-focused Chinese military. In recent years, China has been nervous about the East Turkestan Islamic Movement's activities in its western Xinjiang province and the wider region. Kabul has an agreement with China and Tajikistan clarifying borders in the Little Pamir region. According to the Xinhua news agency, foreign ministers from the three governments signed the deal in Beijing in June 2012. But the two countries have no public agreement to perform training exercises or war games on each other's soil. ''China has conducted various diplomatic overtures particularly with regards to mining concessions in Afghanistan, but, to the best of my knowledge, there isn't an established arrangement of that type,'' said Mr Bronk from RUSI. By crossing into Afghanistan, the Chinese military or private security companies could, therefore, be in breach of international law. Beijing's aggressive foreign policy in Asia After decades of inward-looking foreign policy, China has ruffled diplomatic feathers with its aggressive claims in the South China Sea. And Beijing's ambitions are not restricted to maritime activity. In India, Chinese troops have been accused of repeated incursions on the Ladakh plateau in the Himalayas. With Afghanistan struggling to contain the Taliban in the Kunduz province, the government now faces increased Chinese activity on its porous eastern border. The Wakhan Corridor may be a remote, desolate part of the world, but Chinese expansion in the region will not go unnoticed by neighbouring India, Pakistan and Tajikistan. (With additional reporting by Mandy Clark from London)

Exclusive: Chinese security forces caught patrolling deep inside eastern Afghanistan

wion-exclusive

Wion Exclusive, News on Wion Exclusive, stories on Wion Exclusive, articles on Wion Exclusive, Wion Exclusive stories at Wion, Wion Exclusive news, Wion Exclusive latest news

WION exclusive