From: www.malaysia-today.net
Dr Mahathir, the father of hypocrisy Monday, 23 June 2008
This good old doctor sure is bitter. He certainly has a lot of baggage that needs to be jettisoned and without a doubt has issues of seeing the country being managed in a totally different style than his, which was nothing but a clear show of dictatorship.By JJ RayWHEN he joined the medical profession, Dr Mahathir Mohamad took the Hippocratic oath to uphold the ethics and nobility of this vocation. But after his 22- year reign as Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad is working his way towards becoming the nation’s ‘father of hypocrisy’.
I say this because post-retirement, Dr Mohamad has not had anything positive to say of his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and fellow politicians. Dr Mahathir spared no effort in condemning Abdullah Badawi’s leadership style and his regret over having chosen the latter as his successor. Abdullah may not bag the “best leader” trophy but he for sure will be remembered as a good human being.
The incomprehensible Dr Mahathir went so far as to say the current deputy Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, was his first choice to lead Malaysia.
A few months ago, Dr Mahathir contradicted himself when he called Najib a coward and said the latter was not the right choice to lead Malaysia after Abdullah Badawi. Then Dr Mahathir again contradicted himself when he asked that the quota system in Umno be abolished, a system which he himself put in place. Yes, a person has the right to change but the change should be for the better, not otherwise. In these instances, it evidently was a clear show of hypocrisy from Dr Mahathir.
Then Dr Mahathir goes all out to show his self-proclaimed concern for fellow Malays and warned the Chinese and Indians not to question the Malay rights. He rattled on about Samy Vellu being a racist when the latter asked for the release of the Hindraf leaders detained discriminately under the Internal Security Act (ISA). Dr Mahathir had the audacity to relegate Indians as immigrants whom he implied were taken mercy upon and given citizenship as Malaysians.
This good old doctor sure is bitter. He certainly has a lot of baggage that needs to be jettisoned and without a doubt has issues of seeing the country being managed in a totally different style than his, which was nothing but a clear show of dictatorship.
It is unfortunate that for a former Premier with over two decades of experience, Dr Mahathir has so clearly failed or perhaps refused to share any in helping ensure Malaysia can be managed effectively, more so in the present critical period . Dr Mahathir may have left the arena of active politics but he definitely has not stopped playing politics. It appears that this veteran politician is as stubborn as a mule in not wanting to accept reality that his days are over and that it is time for him to play by-stander and not be a thorn in the flesh in the management of the country’s affairs.
There is no denying that Dr Mahathir has a sharp mind and speaks it without reservations. However, it is unfortunate that he has failed to use his mind for the betterment of his nation and instead took delight in making virulent attack on his successor. The result? Dr Mahathir has failed miserably in proving himself as a leader worth emulating. No one to blame here but himself.
At a juncture when national unity in Malaysia has become a question mark, the least educated minds such as Dr Mahathir can do is to help prevent a racial chasm from taking shape. Instead, he has taken the sordid approach of fanning racial disharmony by playing the racist card. What was his stand during his years as the Prime Minister when “immigrant” businessmen like Lim Kok Wing, Vincent Tan and Ananda Krishnan served as his allies?
If Dr Mahathir can stoop so low as to forget his own roots, one wonders what respect does he then have for the fundamental rights of a person. That explains why he mercilessly brushed aside the human rights provisions provided under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
In this regard, it is helpful to remind Dr Mahathir that Article 2 of the Declaration states that “everyone is entitled to all rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. No distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty”.
To jog Dr Mahathir’s memory further, Article 5 of the same Declaration states “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. While Article 9 says “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile”.
Then there is Article 7, 8, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 25 respectively, all which Dr Mahathir had blatantly disrespected. The first step towards retribution is for Dr Mahathir to respect the existence of each and every Malaysian, irrespective of them being native or “immigrants”.
Dr Mahathir’s gimmicks not welcomed It is apparent that Dr Mahathir is playing to the gallery and trying very desperately to win the people’s support by portraying himself as the rakyat’s defender. Well, he is damn wrong if he thinks he can ink any public support as the people have had enough of him, of his double standards and of his shenanigans.
Maybe someone should just ask Dr Mahathir what it is he really wants. Does he want to be the Prime Minister of Malaysia once again? Does he think there are no leaders left after him? Does Dr Mahathir think he can bring back the nation’s lost glory and self-esteem by getting rid of corruption and the complacent mindset synonymous with government servants?
So Dr Mahathir, what really is your agenda here by stirring racial disunity and proclaiming to be the defender of the rights of the Malays? Was it not Dr Mahathir during his tenure as Prime Minister who chastised the Malays as being lazy and relying on hand-outs? Was it not him in his not-so-matured- analysis of “the Malay dilemma” who had come to the conclusion that Malays are stupid because of in-breeding?
With so much malice evoked by him, why the sudden change in attitude towards Malaysians, with the sudden sympathy for the Malays and the newly-acquired disgust for the Indians?
There is no intention here to put the former Premier down but rather to understand whether Dr Mahathir is or has gone senile or he is simply living up to the axiom of “once a politician always a politician”?
Dr Mahathir, if you cannot help, then be quiet
It is to be a sad day if someone as shrewd and vocal as Dr Mahathir finds himself having no respect from the people. In this regard he has no one to blame but himself for it was his discriminating policies and insensitive remarks that have distanced the rakyat from him. Unfortunately, Dr Mahathir has refused to accept reality and has conveniently hid behind the veil of denial.
The country is going through a very bad phase and the people can do without a show of mud-slinging between a “has been” leader and the present leadership. Perhaps, having basked under the limelight of attention for 22- years, it is near impossible for Dr Mahathir to lead a quiet life. That maybe explains his every-now-and- then angry outbursts against Abdullah Badawi and Samy Vellu. Since Dr Mahathir so proudly claims to be a Malay, then he must do good by remembering that “sabar itu separuh daripada iman” (patience comprises part of the religious faith).
Clearly, Dr Mahathir has forgotten his roots or has chosen to do so at his convenience. But at who’s expense? Was Hindraf no lesson in this vicious game of power-play and racial biasness? Is Dr Mahathir looking towards instigating a Hindraf 2? If you are afraid of getting burnt, do not play with fire, Dr Mahathir.
Wise up Dr Mahathir! A person is as good as their words and by this account Dr Mahathir scores very poorly. No doubt he has on the global platform taken on leaders that fared worse but on the home turf Dr Mahathir played the dreaded matron. He was also for superficiality, all the expense of his people. Physical development was deemed more important that people-development and the consequences of such ignorance is witnessed today by everyone. Malaysia has world class infrastructure but a third-class mentality. Who’s doing is this? The damage-control is not impossible but certainly is nerve- wrecking.
The Malay saying “harimau mati meninggalkan belang, manusia mati meninggalkan nama” (a tiger leaves behind his stripes and a human leaves behind his name) should rattle Dr Mahathir. Just what legacy does he intend to leave us with? What should the history books write of him? Will the truth be distorted again because of the biting reality that manipulative leaders existed during the Malacca Sultanate days and still do today?
There is more to life than threatening the people with ISA and the Press with the Official Secrets Act. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression were never condoned by Dr Mahathir when he headed the country. There was always a climate of fear and the only voice that could speak was that of Dr Mahathir’s. Yet today this very man is talking about ‘freedom’. What does the typical Malaysian make of this?
There is still time for Dr Mahathir to take stock of his past actions and make amends. There is still time for introspection and retrospection and there is still time to do good, but with no hidden agenda. And there is certainly time to wise up, Dr Mahathir!
