Dr M talked to Stephen Sackur who must have found that our former PM's views have not mellowed in retirement.
Among other things, Dr Mahathir said:
"a man very unpopular trying to do something right. He is making use of the system in the worst ways!" -- when asked on the PM's promise of judicial reforms.
Blogger Big Dog has the story here.
If you missed the morning broadcast of this edition of Hard Talk, I believe you can catch it on BBC at 11.30 tonight.
Do read the full interview here at Apanama.
UPDATE: Bernama came out with t h i s later.
29 comments:
No, in fact he has mellowed and he behaved like a drenched lion.
http://themalaysianinsider.com/mni/vintage-mahathir-retorts-while-given-hard-time-in-hardtalk.html
What's baffling in Mahatir's culture in his utter belief in self righteousness while he has the temerity, audacity and haughtiness to lambaste each and every other human being. Sheesh! The man must be evil otherwise I can't digest the idea that someone can always be right and others bad. Even Islam doesn't entertain that silly culture. It was Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who has said: "Allah may have a mercy on a man who appreciates his own shortcomings."
Mahatir demanded that Badawi should bring foreign investigators against him, I think we don't need to wait for Anwar to drag this evil man to Kamuting. It should be done now. After all, he challenged Badawi and he seems to be fearing Anwar. No wonder he spends sleepless nights. A tragedy of an 84 year old man.
If you remove AAB, who is your choice? Since you are fuming at him as if he stepped on your toes, whom do you want to be his replacement? I shudder to imagine some people. Oh, sorry, you have one vote and therefore I' sorry for asking that question because you decide for no one and you are not more than you can be.
Its on BBC Astro Channel 512 at 10.30pm tonite (not 11.30pm as noted by Nuraina)
You may not like him for many things but you will definately admire him for his ability to respond to hard questions. Funny, I dont lke many things about him but still he makes me proud of him in this interview.
Habib RAK
Habib RAK (anon@10:12PM):
my apologies. it was at 10.30pm. luckily i was watching BBC since 10pm.
thank u.
As far as I concern, I felt the quality of my life was better under Mahathir governance. And I believe whatever he did was suitable for a multiracial, developing country like us. At this point, we cannot be so liberal as we still need regime kind of government. Those majority Malays still live in complacent. You will see their reaction once they feel as how the non Malays might feel right now. (Believe me, unless all non-muslims turn into Muslims, then things might be different ;) ...). The point is, our county is so marginally stable...different colors, languages, cultures, religions. Look at American, even Black and white speak English and majority Christian, celebrate Thanks Giving but no way anybody can says no racial biased until this very second. With such high standard of living, their city still segregated by color. Kita ni pulak....still struggling to make the ends meet. So berhati hati lah of our wishes. Look beyonds your country limits. Or world now is becoming unstable. Our last chance is to make a strong buffer in our country by any mean. Anyway, saya tak menetap di Malaysia pun.
I am surprised how civilized people use words like lion and evil to another person. Look at a person's good and bad points. Critisize people sensibly.
TDM is a great man! and I agree with aina, that sackur himself realize it thru this interview!
Tun Dr Mahathir is NOT a great leader. He suffers from delusion of grandeur.
Though he is known for his ability to call a spade a spade, he doesnt allow anyone else to call a spade a spade.
By supressing everyone else he appeared to shine during his Prime Ministership.
He has said no to everyone around him. AAB, Najib, Anwar, Tengku Razaliegh, Musa....... everyone !
Tun is waiting for someone to nominate him to be PM again. As far as he is concerned only he " loves" this country and only he knows whats " best " for Malaysia
Even though he retire 5 year already, even though he is 84 years old oredi, but he is so sharp and so agressive till now, i really really proud of him as our prime minister, even though he may have some bad doing, but overall, he is still the best PM we have, i fully support him and admire him a lot lot.....this is what he say n impress me a lot "I think if you want to develop a developing country, you need a real sense of direction. If somebody doesn't give you a sense of direction, everybody would be going all over the place and nothing could be done.
When you give direction, that direction may be wrong; but if you don't give direction, some of the things they do will be wrong. If you are going in 10 separate ways, nine of them would be wrong. It is far better to give direction, and if it is wrong, well, as you go along, you correct it.
When I decided to build a national car, people said it was 'stupid' - You are a Third World country, how can you build a car?' Well there were problems along the way, but as you go along, you solve [them]. That's what leadership is all about! If you don't know how to solve problems, then you shouldn't be a leader." ~Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
I saw the Hard Talk show on BBC and these are Mahathir's comments after the show:
1. I forgot. I can't remember. It was such a long time ago.Lupa la.
2. It looks like me, talks like me and even behave like me but it was not me.
EVEN THOSE WHO CAN'T STAND TUN'S SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL AGREE THAT TO SEE HIM MEET SACKUR QUESTION TO QUESTION/ COMMENT TO COMMENT, MAKES YOU ADMIRE HIS GUTS AND SHEER GRIT!
THE MATCH WAS NOT EQUAL! YOU SAW A SEASONED BRITISH TV ANCHOR MANIPULATE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TO THROW OFF AN ASIAN LEADER WHOSE USE OF ENGLISH WAS MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD.
THUS IT APPEARED AS THOUGH SACKUR HAD THE UPPER HAND IN WAS ADMONISHING THE FORMER MALAYSIAN PM OF 22 YEARS.
BUT MAHATHIR STOOD HIS GROUND AND GAVE IT BACK TO THE BRITISH BRAT WHO IS A MASTER OF THE ART OF TACTICAL EVASION. HE EVADED EVERY QUESTION HE COULD NOT ANSWER AND MOVED ON TO THE NEXT.
I'M SO SO PROUD OF TUN M AND THE WAY HE DEFENDED HIMSELF, HIS ADMINISTRATION, HIS RACE AND RELIGION, HIS PEOPLE AND THEIR DIGNITY AGAINST THE ONSLAUGHT OF FOREIGN INCURSIONS AND JUDGEMENTS!
IF IT WAS ANY OF THE PRESENT CROP OF GOVERNMENT LEADERS, HE/SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO A RUBBLE BY THE HARDHITTING S SACKUR!!!
"As far as he is concerned only he " loves" this country and only he knows whats " best " for Malaysia" - malayamuda.
malayamuda, the problem is, he is most probably right and so far, no one has been able to make him eat his words anyway. So, do you have any other choice then to respect the man?
Mahathir got the biggest balls. Given all the tough decisions he had to make, sure there will be some sucky ones like Proton and Badawi. A drenched lion and fearing Anwar? Come on, he was a loner against IMF during crisis. I was too young to remember the old one, and the current is a “kaki tido” at best. Glad I was under Dr M during my formative years. And I am proud of this 84 year old man fighting spirit.
What a waste of time!!
Firaun was his usual evasive self and also plain lied when he said that foreign reports of M'sians arrested under ISA were not true.
While he so well remembered releasing 22 people when he became PM, he conveniently forgot Ops Lallang when 100's were arrested (including Lim Kit Siang, Karpal etc etc) and not charged with a single offence.
He even had the audacity to suggest again that Anwar may have engineered the most famous black eye to win votes and that the Lingam tapes were produced to blackmail who? ahem, ahem phlegm!! This after IGP Rahim was convicted in open court and sentenced to prison!!
The Royal Commission did not receive a single piece of testimony of blackmail. Even Lingam himself did not testify that anyone had attempted blackmail against him.
We will be crazy to listen anymore to this bitter, senile, racist old man any longer. He had 22 years, and all he did was screw things up so badly, we have become the laughing stock of Asia.
ye la tun bersalah melantik pak lah menjadi pm. so untuk bertanggungjawab kita nak suruh dia buat apa? dia tak ada jawatan pun. tapi pak lah lagi bersalah, jadi untuk bertanggungjawab, dia perlu meletak jawatan. itu lebih bermaruah.
Mahathir is a recalcitrant. No doubt about that. I can't understand why Pak Lah still so gentleman to this recalcitrant.
Pak Lah, don't give face to this old man.
Mahathir supporters are basically personality cult worshippers.
Nothing Mahathir says or does can be wrong in their eyes. He is basically a demi-God to them. Like when Mahathir put the API index under OSA during the 1997 haze, people like Big Dog et al breathed in the foul acrid smoke from Sumatra and thanked Mahathir for it.
They are clinging on to Mahathir because when illusions are shattered, it can be very painful.
Mahathir sure has the most selective' mind. In the western media interviews his recall seems to work perfectly. But, curiously, when it came to recalling events in the Malaysian courts, this same mind of his , suddenly became faulty.
In one part of the 'HardTalk' interview, Mahathir seemed to be rattled and in another, he seemed uncomfortable. That was the first occasion, such signs could be detected.
The interviewer was persistently lambasting (word borrowed from the interview)TDM but the ex-PM not only stood his ground ,he kept firing back.With his anti-western ideals , anti-western anti-Israel hegemony.So unflinchingly persistent is he in his ideals for many decades,many just admire him for that.This admiration not only comes from his own people but the eastern,southern ,the third world and Islamic countires.
This is the mark of a true statesman, famous or infamous.A leader from a small third world country taking on the big superpowers where it hurts.
Can we find this trait among our other leaders?Maybe in the late Tun Razak though he was less outspoken.But definitely not in the current PM and obviuosly not in Anwar.Will Najib follow in the footsteps of his late father and former mentor.We can only wait and see.
Ah,Yes I am a Mahathirist
We are what we are right now because of this man's leadership and legacy. Wherever I travelled, I've met people especially fellow asians, middle eastern and I have never been so proud to introduced myself as malaysian and you can see it in their eyes, such high regards, respect and perhaps a little envy.
This has got nothing to do with Pak Dolah or Anwar.
Mahathir is still the man.
On his so called dictatorship... ??? i dont know any of malaysian has been repressed. semua cukup makan and enjoy good living.
The problem with some of us, we think that what the west dictate as THE standards for governance, will apply for most asian.
The best example right now is Iraq. The US think they can bring democracy and civility to iraqis. But the fact is, they fail to understand iraqis and their history. Even Genghis Khan got fed up and left.
Saddam Hussin by iraqi historical standards, can be considered mild tyrant . Now the US is in deep shit.
They cant get out and dont really want to stay. What the west wished to implement, just simply not applicable in iraq. Only Saddam knows how to deal with his own kind.
And look at singapore under Lee Kuan Yew. LKY understood the chinese, and what do they get?
well actually what they dont get : chewing gum ?
Mat salleh can never understand this and if Mahathir imposed this to Malaysian, maybe there's a trade embargo or something....
And Pak Dolah, with advice from KJ/the level 4 boys who think they know best, tried to implement some kind of freedom, transparency , reform. and what do we have? this minister say that, samyvellu says this,etc etc. and pak dolah say nothing.
In the end... Pak Dolah has no control. no respect. no credibility.
It looks like Pak Dolah does not want to control anything. When this happens, we have a weak leader. And they tend to give way easily to foreign pressure. or let some foreign country ( yes , singapore) buy interest in GLCs. malaysian GLCs
The point is... the old man really has a grip on things he does. Has anyone of you really has the experience dealing with him personally? how meticulous he can be? the surprising questions he asked?
And the west does not like this smart fellow. Unlike Anwar, TDM is not about pleasing Others. He is not labeled such as the "renaissance man" - an asian hero seen from the western eyes.
TDM was a hero for malaysian. heroic too for most asian.
And heroes sometimes had to shoot someone too (well.. the bad guys..Anwar, KJ, Dolah.etc etc Najib.)
And i constantly hear all this wrong doings by TDM.
where are these so called cases and files?
Why cant someone take him to court? He's been asking that too. He only have a few years left, so hurry up. Jangan cakap Mahathir itu ini itu ini.
And for Anwar... he made that police report and the police just collects the evidence and tilam cadar.
And just tell me which minister is clean and tak ade betina ( or jantan)...don't be so naive. I've seen the 'place' specially constructed "massage" room , an extension to the private tennis court where he admitted playing with Nalla Karupan in Bangsar. ( now demolished to make way for some ultra luxury condo ).
I guess the tukang urut must be some old makcik kot, making sure the finance minister is well , fit and happy. That i didnt see lah! 2+2=4
MM
Almost all the comments carried anonymous identifications - NO MERITS. Dont you think its time to allow only those registered bloggers to give comment in order to have a more credential ones? just an opinion...
Many writers are very proud of MM's style and confidence. Malaysians can only be truly proud if truth and integrity are displayed instead!
This master of EVASION has fooled you!
Tun Dr Mahathir i discribe as a
man who is been love and hate by Malaysian. It's wrong to totally hate this man, cos this very man has brought Malaysia to the eyes of other develop countries. whether u agreed with my statement or not, the fact is he has make all Malaysia styand tall under his leadership. As we vist other Asian country most will give good comment on his ideas and vision.
With his comment on the western issue ask by hard talk, i completely agreed with him on the perception of the Westerners, specially the British on the Malays. Its time that somebody be vocal enough to tell them what we really think of them.
Tun Dr Mahathir views on Democracy is very true, lets ask our self, can Iraq, Afganistan, Iran, Indonesia or even singapore has system of Democracy such as Amerika? We have to look at the kind of Democracy that could applicable to fit the total scenario of each country. And Malaysia is such country that the Democracy has to be under the contex of what Tun says "certain understanding of limitation Democracy" and this is not Mahathir view only but is the view and agreed upon by all leaders of all races during the formation of Malaysia Independence.
During the 1999 the sentiment towads Tun Dr Mahathir was at the lowest among the Malays the support was divided due to what he call the " THE BLACK EYE ISSUE, yet the Chinese and the Indians stil gave him their undivided support.Why? because the 2 races,especially the chinese has no complain with regards to the country economy. To most Chineses who ever lead the country and bring prosperity to the country they will follow, politic is second to them.Even with the black eye issue the Malays was quite happy with the economics growth.
And under Adullah Ahmad Badawi leadership the Malays the Chinese and the Indians loss their confident on the goverment as there was no concrete solution to address the inflation that keep on incresing day by day. Promises during the early stage of office was not implement, new cronys was setup and increasing, accusation was buliding up, movement on the promise to reform was not seen and lastly coruption in goverment agency and bodies has double.
With all this, the Raayat started to talk at every corner of the country, may it be in coffee shop, mamak stall,office,hotels in funtions and even while playing golf it become the daily general issue.The subject various from contract,racial,economy,Kahiry,
politician until Abdullah personal life has been question.
And the very end it explode like the lava of a volcano and the end result was P12....
On Anuar Ibrahim, i personally do not trust this Melayu, he change his principle in politic, religion and life like changing cloths.
Those who knows him during MCKK, during University days and during his ABIM days wil tell you what is Anuar Ibrahim.Till today i dont understand a man with vision like Tun Dr Mahathir see in Anuar Ibrahim until trusting him to become the next PM after his retirement.
Lets go back in time during Anuar present in UMNO and how money politic started.Do i have to explain by whom it all started? definitely not by Tun Dr M.
And on the rest of the matter brought in hard talk on appointment of Justice issue, Anuar trial and his allegation on wrong doing by Tun Dr Mahathir. Well find proof and bring it forward stop all that crap...
just make a report to the law and bring along your proof.
And i also dont understand why Mahathir must say sorry to what happen to the justice..
COMMENT FROM YOUR OLD FRIEND
JAI NASRON
I have seen the interview many times and Tun is really good in interviews... Off course, the interview is around 20 minutes, so there is not much that can be explain, but the way he stood his ground is something to admire...
Some of TDM decisions during his PM time may not favors everyone, but it is difficult to satisfy everyone...
Off course the project like Proton has reduce our buying power, and affected my economy because the price of cars have been higher.
Anyway, I choose to respect TDM.
I belive in God and if any people do anything wrong, God wil judge and punish them accrodingly.... Maybe not today and maybe not here on earth
Jai Nasron......
Sorry Ena but your blog has become our 'Jejak member'..been a longtime not met this Raja of Puchong...hehehe
Amacam kau Jai... u & I we have lots of secrets together...remember ss 21/1...30 yrs ago....hehehe..email me...wak.segen@yahoo.com
Dear Nuraina,
I don't take this man seriously now. There are some instances, he is like ` a pot calling the kettle black' or is it a superimposed self proclaimed nationalist.
Dr M has been doing the right things while doing the wrong things at the same time. He is not original. He is a lot better than AAB of course, in many ways but he is also worse in many ways than AAB.
Lets concentrate talking about AAB and his leadership. Lets leave this X GP (general practioner) alone, let him talk, talk and talk.
Ramli Mohd Yunus
Alor Star, Kedah.
donplaypuks, maybe u should go and stay in UK or US if u feel like that (lauging stocks in Asia). After u stay for five years, please let us know your situation there.
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