Nobel Peace Prize: Trump or Mahathir?
A few weeks ago, Malaysian internet user Alexandria Abishegam proposed that her country’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “determination to return to politics.” Her proposal received more than 100,000 votes on the first day.
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| Nobel Prize symbol. Photo: AFP |
Following the Singapore summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, people have also begun to speak up to nominate the US President for this prestigious international award. A few days ago, two members of the Norwegian Parliament proposed this, and before that, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, former US President Jimmy Carter and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also expressed similar opinions. These people believe that Donald Trump's contributions to finding a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula should be recognized.
It is clear that Mohathir Mohamed and Donald Trump are two different people and their contributions to world politics are difficult to compare.
Mr. Mohamed was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his efforts to end the conflict in Bosnia. But he did not receive the prize. That year the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to former US Vice President Gore. I think it is unlikely that Mr. Mahathir will receive the prize this time either.
Of course, leading a country at the age of 92 is a courageous act, but what impact will it have on world politics? Mahathir has introduced changes to the country’s domestic and foreign policies, but it is difficult to say whether this will have any effect on the international stage.
The fact that Mr. Mahathir Mohamed is the oldest leader in the history of the world has been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Therefore, it can be considered that the extraordinary contribution of the Malaysian politician has been recognized by the world community.
As for Donald Trump, his chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize are greater. First, because the North Korea-US Summit in Singapore was truly a historic event and its impact on the fate of the world on the Korean Peninsula is undeniable. Second, and most importantly, the Nobel Committee loves Americans.
Before Mr. Trump, there were four US presidents who received the Nobel Peace Prize. President B. Obama received this award in 2009 but had not yet had time to do anything, because he had only been in office for 9 months.
This year, the Nobel Peace Prize will probably not go to either the Malaysian Prime Minister or the US President. The deadline for nominations for the 2018 prize expired in February. What happens next year is still unclear. It is also possible that Mahathir will use all his talents to end the territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un will start arguing again and threaten each other with nuclear weapons. Many different scenarios are possible.