Why Malaysia needs Mahathir as PM
But Anwar has a surprise waiting for him. Once he makes his move to trigger street violence to bring down the government, the “waging war against the king” law will be used on him. And that crime attracts the death sentence of hanging. So, Anwar, your move next. Bring it on and you better succeed or else you are going to the gallows.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
First of all, stop comparing Malaysia to Thailand, Indonesia or Philippines. Thailand is a country of Thais. Around 90% are ‘Bumiputeras’ whereas the balance are Malays and Chinese. In Indonesia and Philippines, it is 95% ‘Bumiputera’. No doubt the Chinese are about 10% of Thailand’s population and less than 5% in the other two countries, but they still monopolise the economy.
Malaysia, as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad explained, is unique. The Malay-Muslim population is only 60% with the Chinese making up two-thirds of the population but controlling 90% of the economy. That, said Mahathir, is a recipe for disaster.
If the economy is good then no problem. Everyone gets a slice of the cake and the only issue is whether it is a big slice or a small slice. But it is still a slice nevertheless.
The problem comes in when the cake shrinks and more people need to share a smaller cake. Then some may end up with no slice at all.
This was what the Chinese explained during the Bumiputera Economic Congress at the PWTC in the early 1990s. The Chinese do not oppose the New Economic Policy or resent having to share the economic cake with the Malays. But it has to be sharing an enlarged cake and not stealing the cake from the Chinese to give to the Malays.
Anwar’s Plan A is a vote of no confidence against Mahathir in Parliament and Plan B is to instigate Malaysians to take to the streets à la Tahrir Square
In other words, give the Malays 30% of a bigger cake and not take 30% from the Chinese to give to the Malays.
That is a fair comment. Do not rob Peter to pay Paul.
But this was fine when the economy was growing and there was enough to go around. Even when RM200 billion evaporated into the pockets of those who walk in the corridors of power there was still enough to go around. But when the cake shrinks and there is not enough to share, that is when trouble starts.
As Lim Kit Siang said, Malaysia is a ticking timebomb. The issue is not if the timebomb will go off but when.
The French Revolution erupted when the people were hungry. The Russian Revolution was triggered when the soldiers were not paid for six months. The Malaysian ‘Revolution’ of 9th May 2018 was possible because Pakatan Harapan promised the voters a land of milk and honey and roads paved with gold, plus toll-free as well.
At the end of the day, it is all about money. Money talks, bullshit walks.
But what happens when there is no longer any money? What happens when the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? What happens when the rich come from one group of people or from one ethnicity and the poor come from the other?
Then Lim Kit Siang’s ticking timebomb will go off.
And we are already moving in that direction. And the only ‘dictator’ who can keep the people in line by using rule by law rather than rule of law is Mahathir. If Anwar Ibrahim takes over as Prime Minister we can expect civil war in Malaysia. Anwar is a fraud and he will exploit turmoil to get into power instead of nipping it in the bud like Mahathir.
In fact, Anwar’s Plan B if he fails to get his vote of no confidence against Mahathir passed by Parliament is to trigger street riots. Yes, that is Anwar’s Plan B and he feels he can instigate enough Malaysians to take to the streets à la Tahrir Square.
But Anwar has a surprise waiting for him. Once he makes his move to trigger street violence to bring down the government, the “waging war against the king” law will be used on him. And that crime attracts the death sentence of hanging. So, Anwar, your move next. Bring it on and you better succeed or else you are going to the gallows.
