Mahathir wants me dead and that is why he embarked on his mission in the 13th General Election to campaign in Gelang Patah to turn it into my political “burial ground”.
Before the 13th general election, Mahathir called on the people of Johore to pool their energy to ensure that the state of Johore will be my “kubur”, which elicited rapturous response from the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who declared that I was “trapped” in Gelang Patah and that I was “finished” politically.
Gelang Patah in the 13GE was my “life-and-death” political battle as I fought not just the popular four-term Johore Mentri Besar, Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, but another three UMNO stalwarts – Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister, Muhyiddin and Malaysia’s longest-serving Prime Minister Tun Mahathir himself.
But I was prepared to put my head on the chopping block, leaving the safe parliamentary seat of Ipoh Timor which I had won in 2008 with more than 21,000-vote majority to a high-risk Gelang Patah where the MCA/BN had won with nearly 9,000-vote majority in 2008 and a humongous majority of 21,666-vote in 2004.
I want to thank members, supporters and well-wishers for their support and prayers on the night of May 5, 2013, as I have learnt from my travels throughout the country in the past half-year that they were very worried about the outcome of the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat as, just like me that night, I have no idea of the outcome and I left my political fate completely in the hands of the voters of Gelang Patah.
On that night of May 5, 2013, Mahathir lost and I won. I proved Mahathir wrong as the former Prime Minister had indulged in gutter-politics of the most despicable and immoral kind, disseminating lies and falsehoods that I was contesting in Gelang Patah to cause a racial confrontation between the Chinese and Malays, that I wanted the Chinese to hate the Malays and reject working together with the Malays.
The contrary was in fact the case, as throughout my campaign, I had spoken and exhorted all voters, regardless of race, to work together as one Malaysian people in pursuit of a common Malaysian dream in support of the multi-racial and multi-religious coalition of Pakatan Rakyat comprising DAP, PKR and PAS.
In all my speeches in Gelang Patah during the three-week election campaign, I stressed that I wanted to win not just on Chinese votes but also with the support of Malay and Indian voters.
I was humbled and vindicated on Polling Night as I could not have won Gelang Patah with a majority of over 14,000 votes without the support of the Malay voters – a powerful testimony that the Malays in Johore were not easy victims for the Mahathirish lies and falsehoods to racialise the Gelang Patah campaign.
Mahathir’s failures in the 13GE particularly in Gelang Patah, Shah Alam and Pasir Mas where the former Prime Minister had staked his entire political reputation on his ability to affect the electoral outcomes, were not the only signs that the power and influence of Mahathir and Mahathirism were not that all-powerful and all-mighty as they had been made to seem.
In fact, there had been earlier signs of such vulnerability like Mahathir’s ignominous failure in 2006 to get elected even as a delegate of his old Kubang Pasu UMNO division to the Umno General Assembly, which led to his resignation from UMNO and escalation of his campaign to topple the then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
But Mahathir’s setbacks in the 13GE, particularly in Gelang Patah, Shah Alam and Pasir Mas are the first of a trio of significant signs in the past six months after the 13GE that the influence of Mahathir and Mahathirism are on the wane.
The other two are:
• The failure of his son, Mukhriz Mahathir to be elected as one of the three UMNO Vice Presidents in the Umno party elections last month, with him blaming money politics for Mukhriz’s defeat; and
• His failure despite eve-of-polling appearance/campaigning in Monday’s by-election in Sungai Limau (part of the Kota Setar Selatan parliamentary constituency that he had represented as an MP between 1964 and 1969) to swing victory for Mukhriz, who is Mentri Besar of Kedah.
Mahathir’s realisation of his waning influence may explain his bitterness which caused him to blog that I am afraid of his “shadow”, asking: “When will Kit Siang retire? When he is dead?”
There is no reason for anyone to be afraid of Mahathir’s “shadow” when it has become quite a penumbra.
What Malaysians should be concerned is the bane of Mahathirism – the legacy which Mahathir has left behind after his 22-year premiership.
The chief bane of Mahathirism is Mahathir’s repudiation of Vision 2020 and his Bangsa Malaysia policy (as well as Najib’s1Malaysia Policy) by becoming the Godfather of Malaysia’s Ku Klux Klan movement with its dangerously divisive rhetoric and politics of hate in championing racist supremacy instead of Malaysian supremacy. This has led to the worst racial polarisation in Malaysia in the nation’s history.
Other banes of Mahathirism include:
• Subversion of a truly independent judiciary and a just rule of law;
• Lack of national and international confidence in the efficiency, quality, professionalism and integrity of key national institutions;
• Degradation of a world-quality educational system – primary, secondary and tertiary; and
• Rampant corruption, cronyism and abuses of power in high political places.
Mahathirism will continue to be a bane and not a boon to Malaysia’s aspiration to become an united, successful and competitive nation in the global community.
Mahathir wants me dead but I pray that Mahathir will live to 100 years to see the decline and end of Mahathirism.
To his question “When will Kit Siang retire? When he is dead?”, let me dedicate a famous saying by the Sung Dynasty scholar-general Wen Tianxiang for him to ponder: “All men are mortal, but my loyalty will illuminate the annals of history forever”.
For Mahathir’s ears, the “loyalty” here refers to loyalty to Malaysia.
Yeah, LKS!! Release the Kraken!!!!
Adoi!
Now Mahathir has so many people to hit back in so few years left:
He wants to hit back at Najib for Mukhriz’s humiliating loss in UMNO AGM.
He wants to hit back at Najib’s absence from Sg Limau’s campaign.
He wants to hit back at Khairy for defeating Mukhriz for UMNO Youth.
He wants to hit back at Khairy’s father-in-law, Pak Lah, for sleeping on the job even though he knew and appointed Pak Lah as his successor, hoping that Pak Lah will snore while Mahathir does his work behind his back.
He wants to hit back at LKS for badmouthing him.
IN fact, if that is the case, Mahathir would have to hit back at 28 million Malaysians who wished he had gone forever when he resigned as PM and chosen Pak Lah to be his successor.
I’ve said it for many years. All@h keeps Mamakthir alive for only one reason – and that is for Mamakthir to witness the destruction and bankruptcy of Bolehland caused by 30 years of misrule and corruption.
This nasty old horse is insane.
He thinks he is great legendary Bapa Pembangunan. Fact is without discovery of crude oil in the 70′ he is nothing today.
His ‘legacy’ will end with depletion of crude oil. No thanks to the old man who squander off natural resources in 1 generation. Future generations will taste his poison. You shall see.
HELLO ! this Mamak is ONE Bad Ar*s*, Scr*wed B*ll and he won’t losse any sleep or feel any remorse if this Nation goes down the drain ( ALL due to Mamak ! ). Only thing and ONE thing that he cares is the stolen LOOT that he had stashed away. So, let him sees ALL his and family immense wealth disappear in his lifetime would be MOST appropriate !
Mamakutty thought he is a sorcerer – his final days will come real soon since his age already 80 over years old – “Bapa Penjahaman” should be the appropriate name given – Father of the Destroyer – The person who first started ‘racist” in this country – Tuanku Abdul Rahman would be damn sore seeing what he’s built up Malaysia in 1957 now gonna down the drain with all those Braindead PM running the country – lots of Corruption, Croynism, Murderer in this Bolehland….
The end is near for the old dog Mamak…have to see who goes first…….rat
Mahathir and Mahathirism is on the arrogant side and with good reason – the damage they have effected is done and likely will be with us a long time.
BUT it does not mean Mahathirism has won and on the contrary while its effect will linger for so long, its clear in the end, the conclusion will be negative even as it stubbornly won’t dissapear.
Its precisely because Mahathirism is becoming clear to be thought negatively that Mahathir is prompted to constantly fight on old foes even finding new reasons to do so such as LKS clearly going down in history to be well-thought-off and a national hero over Mahathir even now.
Down the stretch of their lives and career, Mahathir is finding Karma is real..
Mahatir is ALREADY seeing his power base being eroded bit by bit within UMNO.
Witness the snub from Najib in the recent Sg Limau by-election. The best that Mahatir could get was Muhyiddin to turn up for proceedings.
He cannot get Mukhriz any further up the UMNO ladder and MB of Kedah is going to be about as good as it will ever get.
He is increasingly dependent on PERKASA to draw in the media attention. One day, Ibrahim Ali will decide to be the organ grinder instead of being the monkey.
Peduli apa,
Aku mahakaya…
What the old horse does not understand is, even if u retired or dead, your dream of an ideal Malaysia will be shared and live across Malaysia for many years to come. Your dignity, struggle, suffering, loses, sacrifice for Malaysian will always be remembered even for those who yet to be born.
I am wondering when will he and those crook will retired and stop playing gutter politics ? When they all died ?
Death to Mahathirism, but Long life to Dr.Mahatir! And Long live Lim Kit Siang and his Malaysian Malaysia!
30 yrs ago I met this guy at Tan Chong Book Store in Malacca. I didn’t know who he was. He was busy carrying boxes of books entitled “Time Bomb in Malaysia”. I helped him and he gave me a copy of his book. He is none other than YB Lim Kit Siang. From that day, I am a great and supporter of him. Not b’cos of his book but he is sincere and a great leader. Just look at how he replied to MM, speaks volume? May God Bless you and family YB Lim.
Do not know how it feel if a bunch of Malay tell this Mamak go back when you from
Cakap je lupa dari mana mari lor.dah nyanyok kan senang jawap je…yan na dei..shout pooooooordah Kerala close to his ear might wake him up.hahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahaha
Are you kidding, Kit? 100 years? Oh dear, I thought 30 years is already too long and by that time you and I would probably not be around to witness the end of Mahathirism!
But you’ve got to give it to the man – he can never say die! Like Najib, you should leave him to his own devices.
Afraid of him – NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To correct the wrongs and to clean up the shits left by him – YES.
Fairy tales are more than true, not because the evil people exist, but because they can never win.
The late Tunku Abdul Rahman is right about Mahathir. The late Tun Dr Ismail is right about Mahathir. No worry about Mahathirism. It’s fast fading like nobody business. Just ignore him. He can say whatever he likes. Whenever he likes. I don’t give it a shit. He don’t deserve my compliment whatsoever.