Mahathir: unassuming and relevant? | Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamalsell/

 

I have for a long time thought of Mahathir as a former great man who had lost some of his sense of balance, after reading his many irritating comments about a lot of issues. We notice that of all the many former chief executives of nations anywhere in the world, he has gone on record as the most the most acidic and the most sarcastic.

Tun Mahathir has been so aggressive in his criticism of the West and the Jews that he has been called  “The Last Mohican of Asia”, but he is also a kind of warrior whose war is not yet finished, so he is still on a rampage to bulldoze everything he thinks is against his beliefs. Humility and moderation are very far away from his mind, thanks to the 21 years of wielding power. And now in active “retirement” he feels he is free to say whatever he wants, even at the embarrassment and expense of the current Prime Minister. But a long period in a powerful post doesn’t make one right in everything. In fact, arrogance often sets in and can make one make a lot of mistakes; even become delusional.

His comments on the proposal to introduce a second prime minister for Sabah and Sarawak is a case in point, in which he is now on record as having said, “Why Sabah and Sarawak? What about other states? I think Kedah also wants a deputy prime minister. Everybody wants a post. There should be a MCA deputy (PM), an MIC deputy (PM), a Gerakan deputy (PM). And if Pakatan Rakyat wins, everybody will want to become prime minister. Whether you’re deputy (prime minister) or not, if you can serve the people, that’s fine. If you don’t serve the people, you’ll suffer the fate of (Muammar) Gaddafi.”

The irritation you get from this wild and arrogant ranting simply gives you nausea, and makes you want to puke out of pure disbelief. Firstly, the second deputy PM post is not asked for by Upko for somebody in Upko, but for someone from Sabah or Sarawak. So saying other BN components also want the same thing is taking it totally out of context out of sheer sarcasm. And then saying “Whether you’re deputy (prime minister) or not, if you can serve the people, that’s fine” is saying you can serve the people the same way whether you are an Assistant Minister or a Deputy Prime Minister. And how did he come up with the silly idea that Kedah wants to have a DPM as well? How can he equate Sabah and Sarawak to Kedah, a small state in the Peninsular which itself is smaller than Sarawak? Doesn’t he see the logic in having a DPM for the Borneo states knowing the huge size of the area and its 2,000-mile distance from KL, and having hugely different historical and cultural backgrounds? Perhaps he just can’t admit that the two states have suffered half a century of economic discrimination, and even neglect in many aspects. Unless a DPM is given for them (and the current DPM was agreeable to this during the Upko congress where it was voiced out by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok) the two states will continue to suffer and lose. Now, I wonder if Mahathir’s opinion in the matter is of any relevance at all. Why do reporters still think his remarks have so much value?

And as to the grossly crude remark “If you don’t serve the people, you’ll suffer the fate of Gaddafi”, I would like to ask Mahathir if what he meant was some leaders in Malaysia should be shot dead for not doing their jobs? What about those who stole tens of millions from the national coffers through kickbacks? Should they be dragged in shame through the streets as well? I remember that at one time during the Libyan revolution Mahathir sympathized with Gaddafi, perhaps because in 2005 Mahathir received, in Tripoli, the Gaddafi International Prize for his human rights contributions. In pointing to Gaddafi’s example for injustice and tyranny, at least Mahathir is showing a lot of rational thinking – wrong is wrong and right is right, regardless of who you were. History can’t be changed because in the end, truth always does prevail. And Mahathir, as a former leader of international status, should know more than anyone of us that reckless statements will not go unnoticed, and will always come back to haunt you, and often you have to swallow them yourself.

Daniel John Jambun is the President of CigMa (Common Interest Group Malaysia), an ad hoc apolitical human rights movement in Sabah.

6 replies on “Mahathir’s remarks on second DPM proposal nauseating”

  1. It is appalling these people behave like heroes, saints and kings without the slightest remorse or sense of shame. MM’s sons are directors of 200 companies and drive some of the most expensive cars in the world, eg the Ferrari Enzo & the RM5.5million Bugatti Veyron…Am writing from a truly transparent and democratic country, NZ.: In a democratic country, Dr MM, Najib, Taib, etc would be arrested and tried for treason, undermining and destroying the Nation through: a) Apartheid & racism. b) Deception of the public with controlled media and rigged elections. c) Weakening almost all institutions of governance including the legislature, judiciary, police, ACC/MACC, the Election Commission, and the Attorney-General's Chambers. d) Mis-management, manipulation and corruption causing losses in hundreds of billions of RM$. e) Selling M'sia wholesale with perhaps 800,000 new ICs. If convicted all stolen assets to be returned and then the Convicts executed for treason. A. Newman, New Zealand.

  2. Dr MM, Man of blunders and plunders. Evil Apartheid (giving resources to one race and not to others). Deception (control of media to fool the electorate). Gerrymandering and rigging to steal elections. Hijacked & destroyed the Judiciary. ISA, ‘Lalang’, Human right abuse, torture & suspected murders; what happenedd to Sabah CM Donald Stephen? Mismanagement & corruption (An economist at Morgan Stanley assessed M’sia might have lost US$100 bil since the early 80s to corruption (=RM300 bil = RM300,000 million) and Treason – granting national IC to aliens to get votes to stay in power and plunder on. Yet not a trace of humility and remorse, walking & talking proud, playing God to the end. Call for his arrest now, to be charged ! 100 strokes of the rattan and life imprisonment and hard labour. I speak from NZ – rated as one of the world top countries for democracy and non-corruption.

  3. Dr MM, Najib & UMNO cronies, Taib & cronies are some of the biggest criminals in modern times, they have destroyed their own country with apartheid, lies, deception, cheating; with mis-management, thefts & plunder to the tune of hundreds of billion if RM$. Treason. They should be charged for treason and punished severely. Despite the astronomical crime, not a slight trace of humility or remorse. MM & Taib remain 2 of the most detested & despised politicians in the world. The West has all kinds of nicknames for MM. I write as a neutral observer from NZ – rated as one of the world's most democratic & transparent countries.

  4. You Dr have become one of the most hated people on planet earth. We'll see your big FALL into punishment & disgrace. Everyone is equal in the eyes of God. Bumiputra, Perkasa…..Racism and apartheid is a grave crime and must be severely punished. You fostered apartheid! And an educ system that’s super divisive, racist, causing brain drain & outflow of money as Chinese emigrated, and flushing M’sian Univ standard down the drain. None of the top Asian 100 universities featured a Malaysian one! All your other misdeeds are too numerous we could write books on them. Treason. Evil & criminal. I speak from a well respected, transparent, democratic NZ.

  5. He did not retire he thought he was going to be the P.M. behind AAB, pulling all the strings and deciding on every important issue pertaining to the running of the government. Most important of all enriching himself, his children, his proxies and all his cronies without the worry of being indicted by the International Court of Justice as a civilian.
    This grand son of a pariah from Kerala, the shenanigan Mahathir is still very active in Malaysian politics is just a confirmation of the above. He keeps advocating to look east for the sole reason that he does not want anyone to bump into him when he goes there to 'audit' his ill gotten gain hidden somewhere in Europe. Just like all the dictators in Arabia did, they too have billions in Europe and U.S..
    He also commented that the Europe and U.S. are total failures and that Japan, Korea and China are swimming with money. He either did not do his home work or is ignorant of the fact that Japan is the world's most heavily indebted nation and is therefore very wrong to say that Japan is swimming with a lot of money.To include China in his claim is only further proof that is why his grand children are more Chinese than the Malay and Indian bloods in them. During his watch as P.M. he banned Malaysians from visiting China, why he is now having his descendants transforming into Chinese ? He should have kept the toxic blood in the sewage tank where it rightly belongs instead.

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