Last time I checked, the Jewish population of Malaysia was approximately … zero. So why the hell is Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad handing out copies of Henry Ford’s ugly antisemitic book The International Jew and the infamous Russian forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion? Mahathir’s Party Hands Out Anti-Semitic Books.

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Officials of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s party gave out copies of U.S. industrialist Henry Ford’s anti-semitic book “The International Jew” to delegates at their annual assembly on Saturday.

The 77-year-old Mahathir, who steps down in October after 22 years of rule, told a news conference afterwards that the distribution of the book was nothing to do with him.

“I don’t need that book to tell me what is right and what is wrong. I’m not responsible for the distribution,” said Mahathir, who had earlier basked in the adulation of his party faithful.

Tens of thousands of Muslim Malays attended the last day of the three-day United Malays National Organization (UMNO) assembly to see Mahathir deliver his final speech as party president.

Party workers at the assembly’s secretariat handed out free copies of an abridged version of Ford’s book, translated into Bahasa Malay and published in Johannesburg.

The book, first published in the 1920s, also contained the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” — originally published in Russia in the early 20th century and used down the decades to peddle theories of an international Jewish conspiracy.

Mahathir said he had read the book years ago, but was not influenced by it, adding that it was the injustice of the West handing Palestinian land to the Jews which upset him.

Notice how Mahathir said he wasn’t “responsible for the distribution” … but did nothing to stop it.

Malaysia, ladies and gentlemen: the showcase “moderate” Islamic state.