Has Mahathir tunnel vision, a blind spot or poor vision?
Mariam Mokhtar, The Ant Daily
Some Malaysians are not just forgetful. They are gullible, and naïve. When former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad appeared to voice our concerns, and speak out against corruption and money politics, he persuaded many people that he is “not such a bad guy” after all!
Some of us have been highlighting injustice and corruption for decades, and many were locked-up by Mahathir, for their efforts. Malaysia’s longest serving premier has not been struck with remorse. There are many reasons for his apparent candour. Perhaps he is only thinking of himself, and not you, the rakyat.
Mahathir said that Umno Baru will lose GE14, with Najib Abdul Razak in power. He claimed that a lot of people would be charged over the 1MDB debacle. He suggested getting rid of Najib now, to allow Umno Baru to sort things out in the two years before GE14.
Mahathir is partly right. Umno Baru will lose GE14 but they will still win the elections, by cheating, unless the Election Commission is disbanded. When Agriculture Minister Ismail Sabri claimed that gerrymandering started in Mahathir’s time, the EC denied cheating, on Umno Baru’s behalf.
Mahathir said that a lot of people would be arrested. For some reason he did not think that he would be included in their number. If Egypt’s elderly Hosni Mubarak faced charges of corruption, why not Mahathir?
Mahathir has a deep understanding of the Malaysian public. He knows that most of you cannot remember who compromised our institutions. The Malay youth is so busy promoting Ketuanan Melayu, that he forgets he is champion of nothing, except of being bone idle and ignorant.
We are too busy to eke out a living, to read about our past. If we had the time to read, we would find that the history books had been cooked, to make Umno Baru look divine.
Umno Baru politicians, who embarked, decades ago, on the task of robbing the nation, lacked vision. Vision 2020 is just a mirage. Effluent flowing into a river kills off the eco-systems and the river dies. Toxins discharged into the atmosphere, will eventually suffocate us. Corruption, misrule and injustice will kill off Malaysia. Only you can stop this.
Successive leaders have emulated Mahathir, but today, Najib’s supporters, stand solidly behind him. Why? They have everything to lose, if Najib is toppled. That is why Najib must silence his critics with Pota and the Sedition Act.
Mahathir saw Malaysian society through racial coloured spectacles. He said “Look East”, but did secret deals with the west. Worse still, was that Malaysians of Chinese stock, with their business acumen, their thrift, and loyalty to their country of birth, were prevented from flourishing alongside their fellow Malays. Many Malay cronies rode high on a wave of corruption, and their callousness caused other races to treat ordinary Malays, with contempt.
BR1M is a bribe, to condition the behaviour of the poor. They dare not criticise Najib, for fear that he will refuse future BR1M payments. BR1M guarantees the rakyat’s loyalty. Without cash handouts, candidates have no election appeal.
The ultra Umno-Baruputras, aka the cronies, are treated differently. They receive the choicest contracts and both giver (of contract) and taker, enjoy “mutual benefits”. The “You help me, I help you” unwritten clause, in the contract, guarantees loyalty.
Why would the Umno-Baruputra jeopardise his chances by displeasing Najib? Why risk the “award” and the promise of untold riches? Already, the leader of MIC Youth, C Sivarraajh, claims that Najib has “special powers” to approve work contracts.
Sivaraajh is deluded. Najib is neither special nor powerful. The only power lies in the rakyat’s hands. The rakyat only need the confidence to do the right thing, if they want to leave their children a rich Malaysian legacy.
