
Dozens protest in Malaysia against Trump nominee for US envoy
Adams, a naturalised U.S. citizen originally from Australia, has cultivated a brash social media persona, using a macho, 'alpha male' branding to weigh in on cultural issues and appeal to an audience of mainly young men.
But it is his posts harshly criticising Islam and showing support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza that has angered Muslims in Malaysia, triggering a rare protest against a foreign diplomatic appointment in the Southeast Asian country.
The outcry comes at a critical time for Malaysia, which has until August 1 to reach a trade deal with Washington to avoid a steep 25% tariff imposed on its exports to the United States.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told reporters on Friday it was too early in the process to decide on Adams' appointment but his government would give the matter due consideration.
'At the same time, we will seek to protect the good relations between Malaysia and the United States,' Anwar said, according to a recording of his remarks provided by his office to Reuters.
Demonstrators led by youth leaders from Anwar's ruling coalition submitted a memorandum of protest to the U.S. embassy in Kuala Lumpur asking for Trump to reconsider his nomination of Adams.
The memorandum cited 'divisive rhetoric' used by Adams, and characterised his postings as insensitive towards Malaysia's multi-cultural society.
Malaysia, which has a majority of mostly Muslim ethnic Malays alongside significant ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities, has long been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause.
'An ambassador's task is to be the bridge between two countries and we don't want that person to be someone who destroys that bridge instead,' said Muhammad Izuan Ahmad Kasim, a member of Anwar's People's Justice Party.
The embassy and Adams' office did not respond to requests for comment.
The protestors also called on Malaysia's government to exercise its right under international norms to reject Adams' proposed appointment.
Under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, host countries have discretion to accept or reject ambassadorial appointments without having to provide a reason.
Government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil said on Tuesday the cabinet had not yet received any formal notice of Adams' appointment to Malaysia.
Adams' nomination has not yet been approved, but he is widely expected to be confirmed by the Republican-held U.S. Senate.
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Daily Maverick
24 minutes ago
- Daily Maverick
Thailand F-16 jet bombs Cambodian targets as border clash escalates
By Panu Wongcha-um, Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat Of the six F-16 fighter jets that Thailand readied to deploy along the disputed border, one of the aircraft fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target, the Thai army said. Both countries accused each other of starting the clash early on Thursday. 'We have used air power against military targets as planned,' Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters. Thailand also closed its border with Cambodia. Cambodia's defence ministry said the jets dropped two bombs on a road, and that it 'strongly condemns the reckless and brutal military aggression of the Kingdom of Thailand against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia'. The skirmishes came after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia late on Wednesday and said it would expel Cambodia's envoy in Bangkok, after a second Thai soldier in the space of a week lost a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently in the disputed area. Thailand's health minister said 11 civilians, including a child, and one soldier were killed in artillery shelling by Cambodian forces while 24 civilians and seven military personnel were wounded. There was no immediate word of casualties in Cambodia. 'The Thai Army condemns Cambodia for using weapons to attack civilians in Thailand. Thailand is ready to protect sovereignty and our people from inhumane action,' the country's military said in a statement. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, the current chair of Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN in which Thailand and Cambodia are also members, urged calm and said he would speak to leaders of both countries to peacefully resolve their dispute. China also expressed concern at the fighting and said it was willing to play a role in promoting de-escalation. Thai residents including children and the elderly ran to shelters built of concrete and fortified with sandbags and car tires in the Surin border province. 'How many rounds have been fired? It's countless,' an unidentified woman told the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS) while hiding in the shelter as gunfire and explosions were heard intermittently in the background. Cambodia's foreign ministry said Thailand's air strikes were 'unprovoked' and called on its neighbour to withdraw its forces and 'refrain from any further provocative actions that could escalate the situation'. For more than a century, Thailand and Cambodia have contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, which has led to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011. Tensions were reignited in May following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief exchange of gunfire, which escalated into a full-blown diplomatic crisis and now has triggered armed clashes. LANDMINES The clashes began early on Thursday near the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple along the border between Cambodia and Thailand, around 360 km (225 miles) east of the Thai capital Bangkok. Thailand'sHealth Minister Somsak Thepsuthin told reporters the deaths took place across three border provinces and included an 8-year-old boy in Surin. He added the Cambodian shelling included a strike on a hospital in Surin province, which he said should be considered a war crime. 'Artillery shell fell on people's homes,' Sutthirot Charoenthanasak, district chief of Kabcheing in Surin province, told Reuters, adding authorities had evacuated 40,000 civilians from 86 border villages to safer locations. 'Two people have died,' he added. Video footage showed a plume of thick black smoke rising from a gas station in the neighbouring Thai Sisaket province, as firefighters rushed to extinguish the blaze. A total of eight people have been killed and 15 wounded in Sisaket, the health minister said, adding another person was killed in the border province of Ubon Ratchathani. The army said Cambodia deployed a surveillance drone before sending troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers, to an area near the Ta Moan Thom temple. A spokesperson for Cambodia's defence ministry, however, said there had been an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops and Cambodian forces had responded in self-defence. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the situation was delicate. 'We have to be careful,' he told reporters. 'We will follow international law.' An attempt by Thailand's then premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra to resolve the recent tensions via a call with Cambodia's influential former Prime Minister Hun Sen, the contents of which were leaked, kicked off a political storm in Thailand, leading to her suspension by a court. Hun Sen said in a Facebook post that two Cambodian provinces had come under shelling from the Thai military. Thailand this week accused Cambodia of placing landmines in a disputed area that injured three soldiers. Phnom Penh denied the claim and said the soldiers had veered off agreed routes and triggered a mine left behind from decades of war. Cambodia has many landmines left over from its civil war decades ago, numbering in the millions according to de-mining groups. But Thailand maintains landmines have been placed at the border area recently, which Cambodia has described as baseless allegations.

IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
National Assembly holds Fadiel Adams accountable for racist language
National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams Adams will be suspended from parliamentary debates and committees for 15 days and his salary will be docked for the same length of period for contravening the Ethics Code for MPs. Image: Supplied National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams Adams issued an apology on Tuesday to the National Assembly for the derogatory, racist and vulgar language he used against a woman in a social media video rant. National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza said Adams's rant was 'simply repugnant' to repeat when she reprimanded him. 'They are simply repugnant, wholly unbefitting of high office and this institution, and therefore it is inexcusable,' Didiza said. She also said there were avenues available to raise grievances to argue a case both in Parliament and elsewhere for recourse to vulgarity and sexism. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Adams's troubles date back to when he posted a nine-minute video on Facebook. In February, he accused a DA female member of endangering the lives of his children, accused City of Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and called the DA names. DA chief whip George Michalakis lodged a complaint against Adams with the Office of the Registrar of Members' Interests the following month. In its report, the Ethics Committee found that he contravened the Ethics Code and that Adams had stated that he was wrong and undertook to apologise. 'The committee was alarmed at the extremely vulgar and derogatory language used by the member toward, particularly, a woman in the video footage,' reads the report. Didiza said the Code of Ethics outlined the behaviour as expected of MPs when they engage in communication, particularly in social media platforms, that they may not bring Parliament into disrepute. 'A member who is addressing another member or a member of the public on social media platforms must not use derogatory racist or sexist language or content,' she said. Didiza also said it was important for MPs when they communicate on social media platforms to guard the language they use. 'I just want all of us to be aware so that in future we do appreciate the responsibility that we hold. All of the members were elected to the Assembly by the people of South Africa to champion their interests. Our people expect us to do so with vigour, determination and dignity.' Adams was made to enter an apology in the National Assembly. 'I will apologise, Speaker. I will withdraw. Thank you,' he said. Adams will be suspended from parliamentary debates and committees for 15 days and his salary will be docked for the same length of period. He will also attend a consultation with Didiza, the co-chairpersons of the Ethics Committee and the Acting Registrar for discussions on the ethical conduct required of an MP. Minister for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Maropene Ramokgopa will have R10 000 docked from her salary for contravening the Ethics Code for MPs when she failed to declare her financial interests within the stipulated deadline in 2024.. Image: Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency(ANA) Meanwhile, minister for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Maropene Ramokgopa was reprimanded for failing to declare their financial interests within the stipulated deadline in 2024. Ramakgopa was not present when Didiza reprimanded other culprit ministers and MPs last month, but she tendered an apology because she was on an international trip. Didiza said the Ethics Code provides a set of values for members, who had pledged obedience to the Constitution, to obey, respect and uphold all the law and perform their functions to the best of their ability. She said the code obliged MPs annually to declare their financial interest in a public register to allow the public to confirm that no member may have been exposed to a conflict of interest. Didiza noted with concern that Ramakgopa was provided an opportunity to make written representations but did not do so. 'I, therefore, want to indicate that this is not acceptable,' she said. Ramokgopa was fined a penalty of R10 000 that will be docked from her salary. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus

IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Fadiel Adams faces consequences for derogatory remarks
National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams. Image: Supplied National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams Adams issued an apology on Tuesday to the National Assembly for the derogatory, racist and vulgar language he used against a woman in a social media video rant. National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza said Adams' rant was 'simply repugnant' to repeat when she reprimanded him. 'They are simply repugnant, wholly unbefitting of high office and this institution, and therefore it is inexcusable,' Didiza said. She also said there were avenues available to raise grievances to argue a case both in Parliament and elsewhere for recourse to vulgarity and sexism. Adams' troubles date back to when he posted a nine-minute video on Facebook. In February, he accused a DA female member of endangering the lives of his children, falsely accused Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and called the DA names. DA chief whip George Michalakis lodged a complaint against Adams with the Office of the Registrar of Members' Interests the following month. In its report, the Ethics Committee found that he contravened the Ethics Code and that Adams had stated that he was wrong and undertook to apologise. 'The committee was alarmed at the extremely vulgar and derogatory language used by the member toward, particularly, a woman in the video footage,' reads the report. Didiza said the Code of Ethics outlined the behaviour as expected of MPs when they engage in communication, particularly in social media platforms, that they may not bring Parliament into disrepute. 'A member who is addressing another member or a member of the public on social media platforms must not use derogatory racist or sexist language or content,' she said. Didiza also said it was important for MPs when they communicate on social media platforms to guard the language they use. 'I just want all of us to be aware so that in future we do appreciate the responsibility that we hold. All of the members were elected to the Assembly by the people of South Africa to champion their interests. Our people expect us to do so with vigour, determination and dignity.' Adams was made to enter an apology in the National Assembly, to the public and to the woman that he referred to in the Facebook post for the derogatory, racist and vulgar language that he used. 'I will apologise, Speaker. I will withdraw. Thank you,' he said. Adams will be suspended from parliamentary debates and committees for 15 days and his salary will be docked for the same period. He will also attend a consultation with Didiza, the co-chairpersons of the Ethics Committee and the Acting Registrar for discussions on the ethical conduct required of an MP. Minister for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Maropene Ramokgopa will have R10 000 docked from her salary for contravening the Ethics Code for MPs when she failed to declare her financial interests within the stipulated deadline in 2024.. Image: Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency(ANA) Meanwhile, minister for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Maropene Ramokgopa was reprimanded for failing to declare financial interests within the stipulated deadline in 2024. Ramakgopa was not present when Didiza reprimanded other culprit ministers and MPs last month, but she tendered an apology because she was on an international trip. Didiza said the Ethics Code obliged MPs annually to declare their financial interest in a public register to allow the public to confirm that no member may have been exposed to a conflict of interest. Didiza noted with concern that Ramakgopa was provided an opportunity to make written representations but did not do so. 'I, therefore, want to indicate that this is not acceptable,' she said. Ramokgopa was fined a penalty of R10 000 that will be docked from her salary. Cape Times