by Mohd Farhan Darwis
The Malaysian Insider
April 01, 2013
JOHOR BARU, April 1 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad told Johor folk last night to end Lim Kit Siang’s political career in Gelang Patah in Election 2013 as Barisan Nasional (BN) brought out the veteran leader to defend its political fortress from an opposition onslaught.
In his usually truculent self, the country’s longest-serving prime minister also took swipes at other opposition leaders such as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, saying the 13th general election was the occasion to end Kelantan mentri besar’s political career
“Now Lim Kit Siang wants to come to Johor as it’s easy for him to win anytime he wants. Johoreans must crush him to the end… to ensure it is his last day in politics,” Dr Mahathir told thousands at a people’s housing project launch organised by Pulai Umno outside Hospital Permai near here.
His highly-publicised appearance here came amid almost nightly ceramahs by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders who are confident of winning several federal and state seats in Umno’s birthplace.
The former Umno president and BN chairman reserved a major part of his speech on Lim, his political arch-rival from the time he was prime minister in 1982 until retiring in 2003.
“If he wants to contest in Penang, Malacca, we can understand but want to attack Umno’s fortress in Johor is stupid, doesn’t make sense,” Dr Mahathir said of Lim, the veteran DAP leader who counts Johor as his birthplace.
He said DAP leaders should think of retiring after being in politics for a long time as the party had always talked about change.
“He has been around for a long time, wants to bring change but he should change himself. He has been a leader since I was an MP. BN has changed a few times but he hasn’t moved.
“What change is that?” Dr Mahathir asked at the event held by Pulai Umno chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed. Others present included Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman and Kota Tinggi MP Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar.
The former prime minister also charged after Anwar, who was his former deputy in Umno and the government until sacked in 1998 on sodomy and corruption charges. Anwar was later acquitted after Dr Mahathir retired.
He told the crowd that the opposition leader would “sell” Malaysia after capturing Putrajaya in the general election.
“Nauzubillah (God forbid), if he becomes PM, he will sell our country. This is the man who apparently agreed that Israel has a right to self defence,” he said, referring to an interview of Anwar in the Wall Street Journal newspaper.
“Want to change the government, or choose a government is not hard. We are a democratic country. But we must be smart in voting, don’t choose mad people to be PM.
“YouTube video… I haven’t watched but people talk. People like that if become the PM, even the office boy he will take, die lah,” Dr Mahathir said in an oblique reference to Anwar’s second sodomy charge which he was also acquitted of last year.
“But I know Johoreans will not give a chance. He knows he will lose and now he is planning chaos if he loses. If he loses, it’s dirty but if wins, it is clean,” he added.
He also said that electoral reform movement Bersih’s three rallies were the opposition’s proof that elections are not fair and required foreign observers in Election 2013.
“They can win if people like but if people don’t like them it isn’t the government’s fault,” said the veteran leader.
The former prime minister has been actively campaigning for BN ahead of the general election, a turn from Election 2008 where he left Umno to protest his successor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s leadership.
The sour ties between both leaders affected BN, which lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority and four states in the 2008 general election.
But the octogenarian is now backing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s efforts to regain the parliamentary super-majority and states lost in 2008.
Judging from Dr M’s speech, it seems that he thinks the rakyat are a stupid lot and they are not able to discern who is right and who is wrong.
UMNO needs the greatest criminal mind of all time to campaign for the party. Must be desperate straits indeed.
He probably thought that since he, of kerala descent, could convince malays that he is their hero and leader, he could convince the entire electorate to do his bidding. Kit Siang is right, this GE is turning out to be a referendum on Mamakthir.
Let vote out BN now. Crush the godfather of corruption. The main root of Malaysian corruption has been deep rooted by the father of corruption of all time. Time to crush him out
majority Rule lol , where is that guy Chua J n Boo Blop
I have to give it to him for being able to speak so righteously and confidently despite the long list of mega corruption scandals rotting inside out of BN. Not to mention the suspicious involvement of the prime minister in Altantuya’s murder…No wonder he could steal and rob the nation for 22 years and still doing it till this very day.
Salute.
There’s a wise saying and I quote: “Respect is earned by an individual and given by others while shame is brought on oneself by one’s deeds and words.”
An individual dressed smartly and saying something does not mean he’s saying a profound wisdom or something right or true.
It just mean he’s making some noises with his vocal chords; smartly dressed not withstanding.
It’s up to the Rakyat to discern these noises and make the right choices.
And I believe the Rakyat have woken.
Bangun Rakyat Malaysia!
Majority of the Malays have been fooled by this linguistic master who is master in manipulating his words. He was the main culprit in high jacking the NEP to feed his cronies thus his long support and being the longest PM in the world. With his cronies like Taib in Sarawak, and many of his other in other components parties they have enrich themselves but only give the left over to others. Let crush him out once and for all the next coming GE.
A RABID dog howling, every1’s worst nightmare what
When this Kerala-Indian-turned-Malay cannot find any valid argument against the Opposition he resorts to vilifying good men and instilling fear.
And why may I ask this old goat is still in politics?
In the 1980s, I think, he came to Johor to campaign Datuk Sharir for the JB constituency in a by election. (Sharir had resigned and contested as Independent).
The people rejected this old men and voted in Sharir with a bigger majority (12,000+).
Mahathir is dead scared of his future if Pakatan wins. He is having nightmares every night.
Correction: “In the 1980s, I think, he came to Johor to campaign against Datuk Sharir for the JB constituency in a by….”
We need people like Uncle Lim, outspoken and righteous. It sounds funny, idiotic and hypocritical, when Mahathir talks about democracy, from a man who dishes out NRIC to win elections and with complains of phantom voters and postal votes abound. And how many times have we heard of incidences where the electrical power supply went off at counting centers at crucial moments and there were claims of extra bags of votes and then slim victory for BN candidates.
And Mahathir wants Uncle Lim to change himself? In fact Mahathir should just keep quiet to preserve what ever is left of his legacy instead of twisting words to make the wrongs look right and attempting to turn black to become white.
And by the way, Malaysia is already sold to those in power and their cronies, so Anwar really has nothing more to sell Malaysia. Yes, Uncle Lim is still here but BN has changed many times but each change brings Malaysia closer to self destruction with corruption and injustices reaching new levels of high, Yes there were changes to the wealth of those in power by leaps and bound, but there were marginal changes to the rakyat.
Time for change.
Dear Dr M, will there be a “Projek IC” for Johor?
Kerala-made Kedahan come to Johor, not only do hand-to-hand with Johorean LKS, but to take on Anwar and Nik Aziz too at the same time.
UMNO/BN finally had to call out their aging RAMBO?
Never trust this old man again. He is only defending his family and his close associates’ interest. Though retired from politics, he seems to be getting much more publicity than many UMNO leaders. How could he command any respect when he equated the indiscriminate granting of citizenship in Sabah to the universally agreed granting of citizenship to 1 million non-Malays just before independence?
Looks like we have to end the mamak once and for all..Traitor
Correction:
UMNO/BN has to finally call out their aging Sivaji..
Majority? Cheng Ho, let’s say it together: “let all Malaysians send BeEnd to the opposition side in GE13”, sound good or not? Feel sad?
Cheng Ho, tell you boss in Penang to be man a bit la.
A Yeow: A Eng a, come on straight fight.
A Eng: Ok, I come to your place, we fight head on.
A Yeow: Eh wait, you must tie up your hand, and we fight in a place of my choice.
A Eng: Ok, I will tie up my hand, but I will come to your place to fight you.
A Yeow: No no no, since you don’t let me to choose the place to fight, then we don’t fight.
Malaysians: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha …. Kah Kah Kah Kah Kah Kah … Heh Heh Heh Heh Heh Heh Heh …..
Cheng Ho, then, A Yeow later said: Eng a, you must learn from your father, come to fight wherever you wish, but don’t set conditions.
Malaysians: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha … Kah Kah Kah Kah Kah Kah … Heh Heh Heh Heh Heh Heh Heh …
The Southern assault lead by YB Lim has surely create a ripple by now from the many comments by BN camp. The grand old man recent advise to the Johoreans can attest to BN worry on the move. The risk is high but worth taking as this will create a momentum to turn the table on BN. It also tell the voters at the state the seriousness of PR on bringing out the changes that many have waited for.
No battle is easy but it has to fight. Let this being the start of moving to another peak in LKS’s political career.
This Dr is an enemy of the Malaysia 1st Prime Minister
Chengho backside being greased.
A vote for BN is a vote to support the ONE who wave kris in 1987, and threaten to kill Chinese Malaysian, Johor people, do you want to vote for a person who threaten to kill people for NO good reason??
ZERO REASON TO VOTE FOR THIS ONE OR HIS PARTY !!