28/06/2025

SATURDAY | JUNE 28, 2025

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COMMENT by Dr Rais Hussin

From tweets to tectonics I T began, again, with a tweet. Donald Trump, from his digital podium, declared that Iran and Israel had “come to him” asking

The Nato summit, meant to project strength, only magnified irrelevance. Its metrics, even if not false, are out of sync with the

the exposure becomes grotesque. Trump’s theatre serves a darker purpose: to collapse the perception of US reliability. His actions – whether on foreign entanglements, tariffs or climate withdrawal – teach the world that American leadership is structurally incoherent. The chaos is not accidental; it is a form of exposure. And this is not lost on foreign capital. Even long-time allies now quietly ask: If the American state cannot ensure internal coherence, how can it offer global stability? If its wars continue without presidential oversight and its treaties collapse with each administration, what does it mean to be aligned with Washington? It is in this disillusionment that real geopolitical recalibration begins. While bombs fell and tweets spiralled, the Nato summit convened with all the theatre of importance but none of the coherence. Once a cornerstone of postwar Western security, the alliance now resembles a museum exhibit: elaborate, well-lit but out of time. South Korea’s absence was not a matter of disengagement. As reported by the South China Morning Post , it reflected a pragmatic diplomatic recalibration. Across the Global South, Nato is viewed increasingly as a relic: obsessed with 2% defence spending while the world burns from climate shocks, cyber threats, pandemics and migratory collapse. Even Nato members struggle to meet its goals. Reuters reports only a few are on track for the 2% target by 2025. The rest offer rhetoric, not readiness. Yet, rather than recalibrating, Nato has now endorsed a new goal of 5% defence spending by 2035. This shift reflects more about worldview than actual threat. Many in the Global South are asking:

world’s pulse. – REUTERSPIC

may need our help, especially in dire circumstances. The sounds coming through walls or across garden fences sometimes tell stories we would rather not hear, forcing us to confront an uncomfortable question: When does neighbour-hood awareness become a moral obligation? A few years ago, while living in a townhouse, a neighbour confided her concerns about the family below – of frequent crying and sounds of possible physical altercations. On New Year’s Day, I visited the family. I offered them a box of chocolates, hoping to build trust and offer support. The visit revealed a tense and guarded household. The children were never alone without their father, and even in his brief absence, fear for peace and that he was promising a future of “love, peace and prosperity”. The post went viral. Commentators scrambled. Headlines reframed. But beneath the performance lay the more troubling reality: real peace is nowhere in sight and never was. Just hours after this so-called peace overture, Israel unleashed another wave of airstrikes. Yet, we already know Israel’s operations are routinely underwritten by US logistics and satellite support. Emir Research has long highlighted this conceptual bifurcation within the US, now increasingly visible even to the most unscrupulous observers. On one side, a political class desperate to appear in control; on the other, a war economy that no longer answers to democratic oversight. These bombings expose not only Israeli aggression but also the extent to which Washington has become operationally fragmented. But perhaps the most revealing element is not the gap between Trump’s rhetoric and reality but the possibility that this gap is intentional. What if Trump’s apparent incoherence is not a miscalculation but a method? His declarations of peace are routinely followed by orchestrated escalation. Not because he controls outcomes but because he wants the world to see that he does not. The deeper message is strategic: that America cannot guarantee anything because it cannot even govern itself. Treaties signed today are disavowed tomorrow. Not that we did not know this before but with Trump

approaches include: 0 Documentation : Keep detailed records of incidents, including dates, times and specific observations. Such information can prove invaluable for investigating potential abuse. 0 Professional consultation : Contact local domestic violence organisations for guidance before taking action. Trained counsellors can advise on safe, effective approaches for specific situations. 0 Resource provision : Leave anonymous information about domestic violence services in common areas or mailboxes. Simple awareness can empower victims to seek assistance. 0 Building trust : Consistent, non threatening friendliness can establish relationships that eventually allow victims to confide safely. 0 Community networks : Organise neighbourhood watch programmes that naturally increase social connection and observation without appearing invasive. Certain situations require Containment of what, exactly? Is Nato defending the world or defending its relevance? The problem is not just strategic. It is existential. Nato’s core logic – big state militarism, fixed enemies, endless deterrence – is ill-suited to a world of decentralised threats and non-linear crises. The alliance now projects the image of an inward looking bloc. Across Latin America, Africa and Asia, new coalitions are forming around infrastructure, energy resilience, digital sovereignty and climate action. These are not military alliances but post-Western lifelines. If Nato wants to remain relevant, it must shift from fortress to forum. So far, the signs are unconvincing. Something deeper is unfolding behind the theatrics of war and summits: a realignment not of blocs but of meaning. Across countries, the question is no longer whom to side with but whether the old story still holds at all. Take Iran. Its administration is probably far from universally embraced, even domestically. But its refusal to collapse under sabotage, sanctions and psychological warfare has turned it into a symbol of dignity under siege. From South Africa to Indonesia, Pakistan to Latin America, solidarity with Iran stems not from ideology but from memory. It comes from a shared

well-being. Sometimes, that commitment requires us to look beyond our own gardens and listen carefully to the sounds that matter most – those that signal someone needs help and we may be in a position to provide it. In addition to contacting the authorities, you can also record distressing sounds or cries. Whether you live in a condo, flat, apartment or landed property, capturing audio evidence can be helpful when reporting to the police, building management or security personnel. Look for simple ways to start a conversation – festivals are perfect for this. Sending cookies or kueh to neighbours is a small gesture with lasting impact. Lets revive that spirit of caring neighbourliness – it may save a life or simply lead to a new friendship. NahlanaT. Kreshnan is a somatic psychotherapist and life and executive coach. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com contest of weapons but a reckoning of words. The old order relied on language to mask contradiction. Today, those words no longer conceal. They expose. The Nato summit only magnified irrelevance. Its metrics, even if not false, are out of sync with the world’s pulse. Climate collapse does not ask for battalions – nor does a broken food system or digitally displaced generation. As for the US, the facade of unity has never looked thinner. It is no longer a singular actor but a split organism – one hand tweeting peace, the other fuelling war. This is not a strategy; it is entropy. And in the margins of this collapse, a new world is taking shape. Multipolar networks are forming not through grand treaties but through quiet refusal. These actors refuse to be lectured, intimidated or ignored. If a new system emerges, it will not be born in Cold War summits or Nato declarations. It will be built on the courage of coherence and on the dignity of those once silenced who are now speaking in full. The Global South, long treated as an audience, is now writing its own script. DrRais Hussin is the founder of Emir Research, a think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

immediate professional intervention, such as witnessing physical violence, hearing clear threats of harm, observing unexplained injuries on children or adults, noticing signs of severe neglect or any indication of immediate danger. In the US, there is a campaign called “See Something, Say Something”. Perhaps we can have something similar. While intervention carries risks, research shows that community awareness and action can save lives. The Women’s Aid Organisation highlights that early intervention can significantly improve outcomes for domestic violence victims, particularly children who cannot self-advocate. The balance between respecting privacy and protecting vulnerable community members requires careful consideration. We cannot ignore our neighbours’ welfare under the guise of minding our own business, particularly when children’s safety may be at stake. Our communities are only as strong as our commitment to each other’s Israel’s nuclear ambiguity, Western impunity and the systematic erasure of Palestinian dignity are no longer seen as unfortunate contradictions. They are becoming untenable pillars of a collapsing order. In this emerging terrain, narrative is the new front line. The Global South is no longer waiting for permission. It is reframing what dignity, deterrence and diplomacy mean in a world unmoored from Western centrality. What we are witnessing is not just a experience coerced, demonised, dehumanised and denied narrative parity. Across Africa, Southeast Asia and parts of Latin America, political leaders and civil society voices increasingly point to a common view. Iran is not being punished for aggression but for independence. The pattern is familiar: covert interference, sanctions and media vilification. These pressures mirror what many postcolonial nations face for refusing alignment with dominant powers. What the Global South is registering is a declaration of strategic sovereignty. In this climate, Malaysia has found its own voice. It does not project force or fund proxy wars. What it offers is narrative clarity. Through consistent diplomatic positioning, Malaysia has argued that peace without accountability is a false peace. of being

Delicate balance of community intervention in domestic violence NEIGHBOURS can be a true blessing, keeping an eye on our homes while we are on holiday. Likewise, our neighbours too seemed to stifle any conversation. My gesture, though well-meaning, only served to confirm the suspicions.

Through my work as a trauma therapist and my personal experience, I have learned that victims of domestic abuse need others to look out for them, even in the smallest ways. Amid the fear and isolation is their desperate hope that someone may notice and care enough to help. Safety is a major concern

when considering intervention in domestic abuse cases as confronting abusers can trigger violent retaliation. However, experts recommend indirect strategies, such as documenting incidents, contacting authorities, and discreetly offering support to victims. With domestic abuse reports in Malaysia rising from 5,507 in 2023 to 7,116 in 2024, the unreported cases likely number in the hundreds more. Research-backed intervention