Mahathir forgets easily (II)
By Martin Jalleh
Recently, Bolehland’s Statesman Dr Mahathir (Dr M) launched Perkasa, a right-wing Malay group, (some consider it as an ultra-fanatical wing of Umno) at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
The former premier was the replacement for the much wiser Sultan of Selangor who turned down Perkasa’s invitation. The Malay CEOs of government-linked companies (GLCs) also declined.
Dr M and his wife were greeted with a silat performance, strains of traditional music and a huge replica of a keris which stood out on the side of the stage. In the midst of speeches were shouts of “Hidup Perkasa”.
Dr M said that the Malays’ faith in Umno has weakened since it’s disastrous performance in the 2008 general elections. The BN government was weak and all this was due to the then weak leader! He inferred that the Malays needed a strong voice like Perkasa.
They placed a sash on their “strong” Malay leader with the title ‘Bintang Primbumi Perkasa’. Dr M then handed a kris to Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali who unsheathed, kiss and waved it high to cries of “Hidup Melayu”.
Lim Kit Siang slammed Ibrahim Ali for blaming the DAP and its Malaysian Malaysia slogan as the main cause of the May 13 race riots, and for his keris-waving antics which to the DAP stalwart were meant to signify that Perkasa was ready to shed blood to defend Malay rights.
But the “greatest tragedy” according to Kit Siang was Dr M giving his patronage to Perkasa, an organisation “built on stilts of lies”. He lamented that Dr M “has come full circle – from an ultra back again to an ultra”.
Ibrahim Ali, an Umno reject (in the last general elections) was only making use of the supposedly retired Umno president who was slick and sly enough to outshine the hopper and used Perkasa too. They both needed their stage to stay relevant and adored – even if the script involved making use of the poor Malays!
Dr M and Ibrahim Ali would remain silent over the poor Malays having been for so long and so scandalously shortchanged by the Umnoputras and the blame for their struggles being put on the non-Malays. They were mum on those elite Malay leaders who have bled the country dry and gambled away her well-being with a racial-religious card.
As mentor to and godfather of Perkasa, Dr M, the great Statesman, would join in the rhetoric and heroics of the mentally challenged Ibrahim Ali. The latter would holler for the continued handicap and handouts given to the Malays He would clamour for their continued “crutches” and contracts.
Yet, a long time ago Dr M had very bravely declared: “The Malays should stop sending memorandum after memorandum to the government asking for aid and other things for themselves. Such an approach is no longer suitable because the time has come for them to stand on their own feet.”
He had boldly asked: “How much longer must the Malays depend on the government and the privileges accorded to them? How much longer must they remain mediocre?”
The then prime minister was delivering a speech at the ‘Reaffirming the Idealism of Undergraduates in the New Millennium’ symposium at Dewan Perdanasiswa, Universiti Malaya, in 2001 (the 30th anniversary of the NEP).
Speaking to the predominantly Malay crowd, Dr M continued: ‘How do you view the beggars on the street and then ask yourself what is the difference between their circumstances and yours? The government has done so much to elevate the position of the Malays, be it in business or education so that their achievement would be on par with the races, yet these efforts are never enough.”
“If the Malays could compete on the same level with other races there would no longer be a need for them to restrict themselves to the quota for everything. Must we lower the eligibility standard to the point where even useless students can go to the university just so that we can fill up the 55% bumiputra quota in the local public universities?”
“If so, we must remember that some of the students who go to the university in this manner will some day become doctors and engineers. How can we entrust our life to such doctors or what will be the quality of our infrastructures if they are built by such engineers? It would be much easier to tackle the problem affecting the Malays if they are proven stupid because all that is required would be to encourage them to study harder.”
“However, the underlying reason is much more difficult to address because it is caused by negative attitude and their reluctance to work hard.” (The Star, 2 July, 2001)
That was nine years ago! Today, Dr M joins Perkasa in insisting and almost begging that the Malays remain a begging and handicapped community! Who indeed has insulted the Malays?
(31 March 2010)
He forgets easily? Pordah! Look at his answers during the Lingam inquiry. He forgets SELECTIVELY!
hahaha….sounds like the Mahathir litany!
Maybe can add
Mahathir, Pillager of the Judiciary
Like all dictatorial people, Mahathir finds comfort in keeping his followers repressed. It gives people like him a sense of control and confidence to exercise his power and influence. So its no surprise that he think nothing of facts that his ideas and policies regress the people he is suppose to lead.
But the more I think about it, he does not just ignore the facts but rather he literally don’t see. He really believe that nothing he does keep the Malays behind and regress. How can someone like him not see what is obvious to others less privilleged and able than him?
I believe part of the reason is because is basically got use to lying. At the core of Mahathir is a lot of ease with lying. The basis of his key ideology – ketuanan melayu, Islamic state, NEP, poor institutions, state economics is based on key lies. This is the part I believe is highly unMalay – Malays value the truth highly traditionally. In his rush to pragmatism – the ends justify the means for decades, lies is no longer a moral hazard and bad practise which is higly unMalay. Because he is so used to lies, its almost natural for him to ignore the truth of the regression of the Malays. The man feel no longer feel any negatives – numb to it.
“DR M, Father of the Regressing Malay”
I think Martin got it wrong. Dr M is father of regressing Indian!
Surely,Martin,malaysian be it malays,non-malays in particular won’t be so naive to believe in every things TDM had said and is saying now,joinly with Ibrahim Ali when launching Perkasa last week. Most people know,including you,TDM is a cunning and vicious politician who knows how and when to skip and bounce liken a rubber ball to suit his own self and others. Good thing is malaysians know who he was and who is now. I think malaysians ought to be vigilant and smart and not to fall into TDM’s trap again.
“The BN government was weak and all this was due to the then weak leader!”
Who appointed the weak leader, if not Mahathir himself. Did Mahathir think about Malaysia’s future or his own future, when he appointed the weak leader? And we all know why he appointed AAB. Because he wanted someone weak so that he could hold the reins of power behind the curtain! Unfortunately, his plan backfired because the reins were held by people who were physically closer.
jangan biarkan bunga berbagai warna yang indah melayu akibat api kebencian…
Correct, correct, correct. Remember after the disastrous 1999 general elections when Mahathir would have lost, if not for Chinese support. After the results were announced, he sang a Chinese tune but now that he does not need Chinese support any more (since he doesn’t stand for election), he sings a different tune. I bet if his father had never left India, he would be singing an Indian tune in Kerala, championing Ketuanan Mamak, LOL. Such is the twist of history.
(P/S: Mahathir would have continued as PM if not for the Anwar factor. It is obvious that after the dismal 1999 election results, he must have decided to quit rather than risk shame by being kicked out by the rakyat in the next general election.)
Correction: I bet if his grandfather had never left India, he would be singing an Indian tune in Kerala…
Reality check: Forget abt this no-principle Indian turned Malay MMK
Comment #9 is not clear.
..he would be singing an Indian tune while clad in a dhoti and chasing a tangachee under a coconut tree in Kerala. Then the village bully will appear and bash him up good and proper….
Imitation Malay!
///Speaking to the predominantly Malay crowd, Dr M continued: ‘How do you view the beggars on the street and then ask yourself what is the difference between their circumstances and yours? The government has done so much to elevate the position of the Malays, be it in business or education so that their achievement would be on par with the races, yet these efforts are never enough.”///
TDM had to tell the ordinary Malays not to expect too much because what were stolen from the country meant for the poor were stolen by the political leaders and their gang to stay in power. For example, APs should have been sold to generate revenue to help the poor were given away free to persons TDM approved of to create billionaires.
TDM also tried to tell the non-Malays that UMNO government had no choice but to continue with the racist policies so that May 13 would not reappear. Of course UMNO was happy and willing to have a repeat of May 13 from the statements made at UMNO general assembly. But they will find it more convenient to continue to steal without having to take a break if May 13 kedua happened.
If you see a wolf clad in sheep’s clothing and a mamak clad in malay clothing, which would you stone first?
Used by the political parties…..this guy is a joke!
Dr M is an exhibitionist.
He dreads loneliness. Whoever invites him, he will accept as long as there is a crowd.
Hence, don’t take him seriously.
He is a maverick. Anything is possible for him.
Afterall, he is in his twilight years and still enjoys people crowding around him.
He is feeling very lonely lately especially nobody internationally is inviting him.
Though he is the second replacement choice, he is still willing to come. Poor chap
We should pity him.
I am not surprise if he decides to transform himself back to his original status if MIC takes over the ruling-government.
Or, if China takes over Bodoland, he will declare that he is a Chinese and worship Tua Pek Kong.
Mamak is the Jew of the Malays.
Tun M is the son of Mamak and it is his dream to destabilize all racial harmony so that the Mamak clan remains supreme in Malaysia. It is that simple.
Born an Indian, and waiting to die a Mamak. In the meantime, he may transform back to an Indian. God must be crazy.