Kuala Lampur, Sept. 12 -- The rise of the far right in Germany and Sweden cannot simply be explained as a sudden outbreak of xenophobia.

Nor should it be reduced to Vladimir Putin, the war in Ukraine or some mysterious resurgence of European nationalism.

Its roots are deeper.

They lie partly in a growing perception among sections of European society that the political centre has ceased to listen to their anxieties about migration, welfare, identity, security and the pace of social change.

Malaysia should pay attention.

The political circumstances are obviously different.

However, the underlying mechanism - the gradual migration of mainstream politics towards harder positions when voters believe established parties are ignoring them ...