In early August 2015, when former PM, Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that democracy was dead under Najib Abdul Razak, some people wondered if he was suffering from selective amnesia.
Death of democracy under Umno
- Democracy died when Malaysia became an apartheid state, and the Malays were considered superior, and non-Malays were not treated as equals.
- Democracy died when the Lord President Tun Salleh Abas was removed in 1988, and the judiciary ceased to be answerable to Parliament, and became answerable to the office of the prime minister.
- Democracy died when Malaysia was declared an Islamic state, and a two-tiered system of laws, one civil the other syariah, was introduced, to confound the Malays and keep them in check.
- Democracy died when secret deals were conducted, between judges and politicians.
- Democracy died when election results could be swayed by the injection of large sums of money.
- Democracy died when the original sons of the land, the Orang Asli, became a footnote in Malaysian social, political and economic structures.
- Democracy died when the floodgates, in Sabah were opened, to introduce Muslims from the southern Philippines, to change the country’s demography.
The architect of these events, was not Najib, but Mahathir.
Mahathir once claimed that “Melayu mudah lupa” (The Malays often forget), and today, the rakyat is reaping what Mahathir once sowed. Mahathir was a good teacher, and Najib a model student.
It was not Najib who destroyed democracy, but Mahathir who put in place the slow and steady destruction of democracy in Malaysia. Mahathir put the knife in Malaysia’s back, Najib merely plunged it, deeper.
Mahathir compromised the judiciary, the police force and the electoral process. He placed selected friends and family members into influential positions in industry and politics. He initiated several white elephant projects, and silenced people with draconian laws like the Internal Security Act (ISA). In Operation Lalang, he jailed Opposition leaders, playwrights, academics and newsmen.
Under Mahathir, racism and affirmative action policies were perfected. In his book, The Malay Dilemma, he laid bare the Malay shortcomings, but instead of helping them address their problems, he manipulated their minds and made them, and successive generations of Malays, beholden to, and dependent upon the government. In elevating the Malays, he trampled on the rights of the non-Malays.
One of Mahathir’s praiseworthy achievements was to clip the wings of the royal families. It was alleged that he had to pay off the gambling debts, accrued overseas, of one sultan. He also had to deal with rising revulsion of the alleged abuse of power, by the royalty, and for acting as if they were above the law.
Mahathir’s early methods, are revealed in the book, The Reluctant Politician by Dr Ooi Kee Beng, which is about Tun Dr Ismail, a former deputy PM.
Mahathir expelled from Umno
Mahathir was expelled from Umno, for his open opposition to Tunku Abdul Rahman, and circulating a letter, soon after the May 13 riots of 1969, in which he demanded that Tunku should step down, as Umno president and as PM.
Mahathir left Umno-Baru in 2008, protesting against Abdullah Badawi, the then PM. He rejoined Umno-Baru, when Badawi resigned, in 2009.
Last week, Mahathir again left Umno-Baru.
He wants answers about the RM2.6 billion donation and 1MDB.
So do we!
Najib may be no angel but, neither is Mahathir.
Photo credits: The Ant Daily
I thought umno under Mahathir’s era stood for Under Mahathir No Opposition, while under Najib it became Untuk Mohd Najib Only?
Hi Mariam,i couldn’t agree with you more.I refer to him as the father of corruption in M’sia while his cronies call him father of modern Msia. Pity his daughter is quick to criticize the govt but never her father, who is the root of all failings in M’sia.