Mahathir Warns - Malaysiakini

Dr M warns of unrest amid political turmoil

He warns of unrest in multi-racial Malaysia, and Badawi is not pulling his weight. I think this is only in his imagination. His is a personnel vendetta against Badawi, his nemesis, and this is confined to UMNO, his supporters and those of Badawi. These two teams are slugging it out and I don’t see the people taking sides in this battle neither wanting to see races fighting one another. To be honest when you compare his rule and of Badawi, now one can see openness in dealing with issues and trying to find solutions to problems that abundant in a multi-racial society. This race card politics is slowly changing as people try to understand one another.

He says people are demanding things perceiving a weak Government. This is misleading. Contrary to his believe, the people are aware of what is happening in the Government. Whatever demands that are made are for good governance. Corruption, transparency, fairness, responsibility are not based on race alone. It covers the whole spectrum of society, and by doing so it is good for the people as a whole.

He further adds, extremists among different communities are out to create unfair demands. Is asking the Government being fair the work of extremists. I don’t think so.

Polarisation does not arise from religion. Polarisation is evident when one section of the community, irrespective of religion is treated differently, then differences are noticed. If every Malay has benefited from the New Economic Policy, good, it has done its job, but if this policy is for a selected few politicians, there is the privileged and the underprivileged, and this is polarisation. This is not so because of different religions.

Basically some of the issues raised by him, goes back to the time of 22 years he ruled the country. The excesses during his reign show results now and Badawi has got the inevitable task to put matters right. He is not going to surrender his Premiership just because Mahathir wants him to. In his exuberance and enthusiasm to make Najib the Prime Minister, does he forget that Badawi is a elected leader and his wishes that he should go is at the expense of the people who voted him. Badawi may not be a flamboyant leader like he was, but then if the people or the party does not want him, there must be a more democratic way to get him out and bring in someone new. Just because Mahathir does not want him, it becomes dictatorial to ask him to step down, and therefore a democratic procedure must be adopted. Mahathir’s rebellion is so far unsuccessful, not many UMNO members agree with his move and there have been no noticeable numbers resigning from UMNO. He should take the cue and keep quiet. Any further irritation, or criticism may eventually be beyond the patience of Badawi, and he may have to do the needful, to shut up Mahathir. It is country verses personal vendetta.