in rECEnt DECADEs thE so-CAllED southEAstAsiAn "tigErs" hAvE rivAlED thE wEstErn "lions" For stoCk CliChEs thAt mAkE EConomiC hEADlinEs. thE myth oFAmEriCAn EConomiC hEgEmony ovErAsiA in thE imposing AnD pAtriArChAl FigurE oF unClE sAm hAs proviDED FrEquEnt politiCAl grist For southEAstAsiAn politiCAl lEADErs, pArtiCulArly mAlAysiA’’s primE ministEr mAhAthir. hE hAs AttEmptED to ForgE An intErnAtionAl rEputAtion As A snArling tigEr, But lAtEly sounDs morE likE A BArnyArD Dog whining At shADows. without DEmEAning in Any wAy thE rEmArkABlE AChiEvEmEnts oF thE nEwly DEvEloping EConomiEs oF mAlAysiA, thAilAnD AnD inDonEsiA, thEsE nAtions At timEs AppEAr to BE thEir own worst EnEmiEs. this is oFtEn ExEmpliFiED ByDr. mAhAthir, who rAils At wEstErn BogEy whEnEvEr An intErnAtionAl or DomEstiC Crisis proviDEs An opportunity.to BE morE spECiFiC, thE rECEnt DEvAluAtion oF thE philippinE AnD thAi CurrEnCiEs, AnD thE suBsEquEnt prEssurE on thE mAlAysiAn CurrEnCy hAs inspirEDDr. mAhAthir to lAunCh An All-out AttACk on thE wEst As thE sourCE oF thE proBlEm. hE EvEn AllEgEs thAt thE unitED stAtEs hAs DEliBErAtEly DEstABilizED southEAstAsiAn EConomiEs in rEvEngE For thEsE nAtions, pAnDEring to thE militAry rulE in myAnmAr, An ACtion whiCh thE unitED stAtEs sEEms to wAnt CEnsorED rAthEr thAn rEwArDED、But By rEsorting to suCh sCApEgoAt, instEAD oF ACCEpting EvEn A Bit rEsponsiBility, thE primE ministEr mAy unDErminE thE FuturE suCCEss oF thE rEgion AnD mAlAysiA in pArtiCulAr.upon FurthEr quEstioning,Dr. mAhAthir nArrowED his AttACk to onE wEAlthy inDiviDuAl, thE wEll-known philAnthropist, mr. gEorgE soros, whosE opposition to myAnmAr’’s ADmission toAsEAnAssoCiAtion oF southEAstAsiAn nAtions) mAhAthir FounD pArtiCulArly gAlling. thE logiCAl FAllACiEs thAt unDErliE suCh ConspirACy thEoriEs Do not hElp mAlAysiA ADDrEss thE sErious issuEs oF EConomiC ovErhEAting thAt ExpErts hAvE BEEn wArning ABout For All thEsE DiFFiCult pErioDs, ’’whiCh’’ inCluDE lArgE DEFiCits AnD low sAvings to DEBt rAtios. in FACt, thE rECEnt DrAmAtiC Drop in mAlAysiA’’s stoCk mArkEt AnD CurrEnCy hAs lEDDr. mAhAthir to rEvErsE his initiAl ApproACh to thE Crisis. hE EvEn AnnounCEs mEAsurEs thAt At lEAst imply hE is quitE AwArE oF ExCEssEs in his own ADministrAtion’’s spEnDing poliCiEs thAt hAvE ContriButED to this Crisis oF ConFiDEnCE. in thE EnD, this kinD oF rEACtion unDErminEs thE EstEEm thAtDr. mAhAthir’’s EnlightEnED lEADErship hAs justly EArnED、 whiCh oF thE Following is thE tonE oF this EssAy
A、sArCAstiC AnD prEjuDiCED、
B、oBjECtivE AnD DEtAChED、
C．piErCing AnD inDiFFErEnt.
D．impAssivE AnD hostilE.