Has Mahathir crossed the Rubicon to declare war on Najib, 1Malaysia and NEM?


Shock, outrage and consternation are understatements of the reactions to the latest outbursts by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad when he denounced the proponents of meritocracy as “racists too” and warned the Malay community that they risk losing political control of the country if they remain disunited.
 
It is not just the spectacle of the former longest-serving Prime Minister of Malaysia adding oil to the cauldron of the politics of race and religion  but the repudiation of the Vision 2020 and Bangsa Malaysia which he had proclaimed two decades ago.
 
In 1990, beginning his second decade as Prime Minister, Mahathir spelt out Vision 2020 to achieve in 30 years a fully developed Malaysian nation made up of one “Bangsa Malaysia” with a sense of common and shared destiny,  distinguished by the pursuit of excellence, fully aware of all its potentials, psychologically subservient to none, and respected by the peoples of other nations.

In one fell stroke yesterday, Mahathir had backtracked and repudiated Vision 2020 and “Bangsa Malaysia” causing a whole generation of Malaysians nurtured on Vision 2020 and the concept of Bangsa Malaysia  to feel cheated by a national leader who had been the country’s longest-serving Prime Minister.
 
Mahathir’s utterances yesterday have far-reaching implications than just his repudiation of the Vision 2020 and Bangsa Malaysia concept he had advocated since 1990.
 
Has Mahathir crossed the Rubicon to declare war on his second successor as Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak after successfully forcing out the his first successor Tun Abdullah?
 
Is Najib and his 1Malaysia and New Economic Model (NEM) now the targets of his attack and demolition?
 
Mahathir had already publicly questioned Najib’s 1Malaysia policy and his utterances yesterday marked a  throw-back to the irresponsible and  dangerous politics of race and religion.

With his denunciation of meritocracy, Mahathir is rubbishing the NEM diagnosis and prescription to resolve the twin nation-building and economic crises confronting the country – especially the NEM recommendation on the imperative importance to recognize that “people are the most valuable assets in the era of globalization” and that for Malaysia to compete on a regional and global scale, Malaysia must “retain and attract talent” with Malaysia “seen by its people and others as a land of equal opportunity to earn a good living and provide a secure, happy life for each individual and the family”.
 
It is a sad commentary on Mahathir’s 22-year premiership that he has no confidence in the NEM proposal for a new affirmative action policy based on needs and merits, market-friendly, “consider all ethnic groups fairly and equally as long as they are in the low income 40% of the households”, eliminating rent-seeking and market-distorting features!
 
Instead, Mahathir has returned to the politics of race.
 
What next?

  1. #1 by Fatty Doc on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 1:11 pm

    Forgive that Mamak, he is already old and senile.

  2. #2 by dagen on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 1:18 pm

    Bangsa Malaysia? No. Actually, he membangsatkan malaysia.

  3. #3 by Taikohtai on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 1:29 pm

    Poor TDM, he has now morphed into the Malaysian version of Don Quixote after losing his marbles. What a way to head towards the sunset.

  4. #4 by tunglang on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 1:39 pm

    This MakHam is taking us Malaysians for a Fool’s Ride to self destruction. Never the world has seen such a double talking (gostan), racist-breathing monster of unimaginable depths breathing ultra-race domination and antagonism of extreme proportions. We should not have given this rojak-race bloke a chance to lead Malaysia.
    If retiring in comfort is never enough, this bloke can never see his succeeding leaders lead our beloved country towards greatness under 1-Malaysia. His altered ego is getting too big for Malaysia’s sanity and safety in unity. Poor Najib. You can revise 2020 to a far future date.
    Malaysians of every creed, race and status, please use your God given brains to think carefully with commonsense but without restrained emotions what implications this bloke’s statements has on our future as a multiracial country of harmony in diversity – A Truly Asia haven?

  5. #5 by the reds on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 1:59 pm

    Maklum lah, sudah tua…………..

  6. #6 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 2:02 pm

    Finally d leopard removes its camouflage n shows its true spots
    Pity d poor rakyat, kena conned 4 >20 yrs
    MMK, a truly great racist, shld visit Indonesa n face Bendera, d Indonesian nationalist grp

  7. #7 by lorry_driver_malaysia on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 2:30 pm

    Dr M likes to say all the nasty things, he is notoriously rigid and stubborn. But deep down he knows he is nothing compared to Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore. Lee is visionary, better leader, more inspiring and intelligent than him. For a country of 5 million population, they earn slightly less than Malaysia, a country of 27 million. So, with all the jealousy and hatred, he can only vent his anger by criticizing. Forgive this pity old man la… He must be so sad because vision 2020 has become vision impossible.

  8. #8 by Ridzuan Aziz on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 2:32 pm

    see it as how u may want to see it, hear what you may..in the end, it is, the people who suffer the consequences..I respected Tun M and still do..and because of him and the like, our country managed to be on the 37th spot of the best countries in the world..and yeah, isn’t it not easy to be ranked as one of the world’s best..and we are doing fine just well. Should be grateful for that.

  9. #9 by lorry_driver_malaysia on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 2:46 pm

    Oic, same race but different mindset. Those in Singapore always aim for No 1, but those in Bolehland were over the moon with 37th.

  10. #10 by Dap man on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 2:58 pm

    This mamak will wriggle like a worm and suffer excruciating pain before he dies. This man will never get a peaceful death.
    He has caused untold miseries to the people. He destroyed democracy.
    He is ruthless and Evil. He enjoys causing division among the races and disrupting peace. He is wallows in sadism.
    [deleted]

  11. #11 by k1980 on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 3:41 pm

    Has Mahathir crossed the Rubicon ?

    No, he ain’t no Julius Caesar. Da mamak has only crossed the Sungai Gombak.

  12. #12 by hurricanemax on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 3:41 pm

    the last i checked, the word merit means doing good in every sense…and that in my book, means Excelling in work, career, family. Doing the moral, academic and professional best.
    So now its a racist thing to do your best? HAHAHAHAH!

  13. #13 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 4:07 pm

    ‘Cross the Rubicon’?? You mean has the senile old man completely lost it?? And the answer is a YES!.

  14. #14 by Godfather on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 4:14 pm

    In Bolehland, somehow the word “merit” has been expunged from UMNO’s dictionary for the 22 years under Mamakthir. Now that some UMNOputras are trying to bring back the word into the UMNO dictionary, Mamakthir is trying to redefine the meaning of the word.

    The old man must understand that when he was in charge, and when the legislative, the executive and the judiciary were all under his thumb, redefining the word “merit” then would have been much easier as compared to today.

  15. #15 by Justitia on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 4:31 pm

    Mahathir’s piece equating people who advocates meritocracy as racists is laughable and reprehensible. My first inclination was one of disgust followed by one of sadness and pity. The poor man is trying desperately through whatever despicable means to hold on to his failed, tattered legacy. In education, we are graded based on some form of merit so that the best can then proceed on to University and further to graduate studies. In sports competition, we are judged on performance, again based on some form of merit system. In the wild, the fittest survive, again based on some form of merit system of natural selection. We are not living in an isolated world. We need to develop ourselves to be able to compete globally (i.e. Malaysians against the best in the world). Instead, we are handicaps by such small thinking and unfounded fear on ompetition and the need to nurture a “tongkat” society. This will ultimately lead us to a “tongkat” trap where people are sitting around waiting for the “tongkat” to be handed out.

    Interestingly, in Germany a new pilot has just been announced very recently with respect to job applications. The idea is to evaluate job applicants solely based soley on merit removing all information that can lead to discrimination such as names, addresses, date of birth, photos, sex, marital, status, etc. This so called anonymous applications are to eliminate potential discriminations based on race, religion, sex, and age. Five companies are participating in this, among them Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Post, L ‘Oreal, and Procter & Gamble. So, while Mahathir is advocating on how we can develop a culture of dependency, others are experimenting with making meritocracy even more effective and driving the society to even higher levels. No wonder we see countries blowing past Malaysia. Mahathir does not want the Malays to wake up. He wants them to be dependent and docile so that he can continue to duped them. Thank God, there are Malays who have woken up and seen what the real world is like.

    Meritocracy need not be heartless. That is why a needs-based to help all who have difficulties is the right thing to do to bring them up to standard and not to lower the standards.

  16. #16 by undertaker888 on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 4:34 pm

    How did mamak get in umno and be pm? By merit? No. All done thru back stabbing and scheming. this is what meritocracy means to him.
    For 22 years he gets what he wants by plundering and briberies. He completely make a whore out of the judiciary. Education flushed down the toilets.
    He replaced all that as a merit to him with tallest buildings and useless potong saga.
    Any pm with 100billions to play with can achieve what he achieved. My kids can do it to.

  17. #17 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 4:46 pm

    ///Has Mahathir crossed the Rubicon to declare war on his second successor as Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak after successfully forcing out the his first successor Tun Abdullah?/// – Kit

    So long as the government cannot get the crooked bridge built, Mahadir will continue to declare war on whoever is the Prime Minister after him.

    It is sad to see how a Malaysian ex-Prime Minister could stoop so low as to demean himself in order to get what he wants.

  18. #18 by cseng on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 4:49 pm

    I see similarity between Mahathir and Ridzuan T, they are obsessed with ‘malay’ dilemma. More of their personal dilemma, but forced that dilemma on the Malay community make them theirs.

    Just a story copy and paste from another blog (story only);

    Once upon a time, there was a zebra, pretend to be black horse with white strips. One day, the herd has an election for leader. That zebra tells the black horses, “I am black horse; see the black strips of mine”. “We have a dilemma, we are special horses, we must lead, let me champion this, trust me and just follow what I say, that’s all you need , I shall ensure you have privileges”…… So the zebra went on win the election! True enough, many policies were introduced to enforce that privileges. Other horses were made to run over tilted ground and slopes. While most of black horses were need only runs on flat ground. After few decades, those horses running thru mountain, sloped ground, build that adapting muscles.

    Now that zebra come back and say this “you black horses, you are small, look at the muscles of yours! we cannot based on merit and needs because of that bias”

    More and more zebras cross to the herd, trying their luck to be their champions, some pretend black horse with white strips, other white horse with black strips.

  19. #19 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 5:29 pm

    Think of it this way, Mahathir politically violated Malaysian under his rule. Now, we the politically raped victims are speaking up, he says he has a right to violate us, to rape us politically because he says how else is he going to be satiated? AND that if he did not violate us, subjugate us, we in turn would politically cheat on him and friends and would be political whores. We should be happy because we got politically laid AND he kept us housed, clothes and fed. Never mind the abuse, its not material.

  20. #20 by on cheng on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 5:33 pm

    This old horse is the most racist ex leader of Malaysia, every things in his mind will turn into a racial issue, he just cannot interprete otherwise, OTAK DAH ROSAK!!

  21. #21 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 5:45 pm

    Has Tun Dr Mahathir (“TDM”) “crossed the Rubicon”, a phrase I take it to mean, committing one self irrevocably (as such a term is used for passing the point of no return) to a risky or revolutionary course of action?

    Actually, according to TDM, the one who crosses the Rubicon is the present PM with his 1 Malaysia and the more merit based NEM, if compared against TDM’s NEP! According to TDM’s thinking it is the PM who takes the revolutionary course (since it is departure from the past) and the risky course (as well) to forfeit what TDM ascribes as traditional Malay voter support.

    TDM has also mocked proponents of meritocracy, calling them racist…He wrote in his blog, “if “Malaysian Malaysia” conjures equality between races, “Meritocracy” implies something stronger. It implies dominance by the race with the greatest merit in every field; in education, in business and in all fields of human endeavour” – which sounds as if meritocracy is somewhat linked to racism.

    A reader is forgiven if at first reading he thinks the former PM has lost his marbles – or at the very least, he’s reveling in his penchant to twist tonque and bend words, and re-define commonly known words like “meritocracy” until it has now become a manifestation of racism, just to fit TDM’s own beliefs or agenda or legacy.

    The fact is he decries Meritocracy and denounces those who support it as “racists” for a very specific reason, based on a very specific connection, the central idea of which is expounded in his first infamous book “the Malay Dilemma”.

    Central to his thought and argument is that the affirmative policies of the NEP– which TDM does not disagree is race based and discriminatory – was, and is still necessary to help Malay Malaysians who historically and culturally are not equipped to compete on level playing field based on meritocracy with other ‘migrant’ races which culturally are more economically dynamic and self-reliant; that NEP is absolutely necessary to reverse historical trends of discrimination (where Malays were during colonial times were confined to agrarian pursuits in the padi fields and kampungs as compared to other migrant races in tin mining, rubber, and later commerce and industry in urban areas).

    So if one takes away the NEP (ala Singapore style) the society may prosper but the Malays will not be able to leverage on equality of opportunity as against – in his view a sum-zero game played by other races as well, and will continue to be marginalized whilst other races with historical and cultural orientation to entrepreneurship and commerce will, under conditions of meritocracy, advance and prosper.

    TDM therefore cannot agree with meritocracy that advocates equality of opportunity for all Malaysians because according to TDM, as outlined in ‘The Malay Dilemma’ Malay Malaysians are not historically and culturally on level playing field with other races to compete and take advantage of equal opportunity. To this extent those who advocate meritocracy and equal opportunity – that tend to benefit other races at Malay Malaysians’ expense – are themselves “racists” to advocate a reversal of policy beneficial to their race but not Malay Malaysians considered by TDM to have first claim to the country by being original settlers that built a civilisation in Malacca Sultanate (that Orang Asli could not claim they did).

    This is the crux of TDM’s thoughts all this whole when he championed and entrenched NEP. It is a racist measure to counter “other racists” who advocate meritocracy, in this sense.

  22. #22 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 5:57 pm

    MMK crossed d Rubicon. Sure meh?
    Now is d Hungry Ghost Festival or Phor Thor
    Tot MMK crossed d river Styx 2 Tartarus, a land of terrible blackness where d wicked suffers eternal torments

  23. #23 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 6:20 pm

    Waaah, civil servants banyak happy ooh
    Left pocket duit masuk, right pocket juga duit masuk
    Both PR n BN gomens compete pushing duit into their pockets, banyak syiok oooh
    Now duit Raya, next duit Deepavali, next next duit Krismas, then duit Thaipusam, then duit Kong Hee Fatt Chai, really really syiok lah
    Syiok Index keeps going up, up n away

    Sarawak election coming soon
    R U ready, BN n PR?

  24. #24 by Peter on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 6:24 pm

    I hope we get to watch this. So guys stay tuned, check it out and inform your friends

    Subject: RPK on BBC Hardtalk Sep 1 2010 10 pm local time

    PLEASE TUNE IN TO BBC HARDTALK SEPT 1ST @ 10pm Local time.

    YOUR FAVOURITE BOY RPK WILL BE INTERVIEWED AT 3PM UK TIME – MALAYSIAN TIME 10 PM.

  25. #25 by tunglang on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 6:24 pm

    He is the only Malaysian ex-Prime Minister who could stoop so low as to lick the night soil of distasteful political satiric, not knowing the sensible from the insensible.

    The tongue is deformed into a forked tongue due to massive hatred spewing against the capable minorities, the independent survivalists, the creative reformasies, the successors (hand picked by him) to the PMship.

    Seething like a deranged phobic satirist, his days become nights, small acts of racial unity become nightmares, and meritocracy becomes a dirty fear-inducing word.

    Such is the mentality of the … (no words can best describe it).

  26. #26 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 7:15 pm

    Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin proudly declared
    “I am d son of a fisherman while International Trade n Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed is d son of a tobacco grower. This can’t be found in other countries where success is only for aristocrats.”

    Yes, congratulations n well done
    We r happy 4 them as rakyat sacrificed 2 enable NEP 2 help children of economically disadvantaged Malay/Bumi families 2 attain higher education (meritocracy) n better quality of life
    Now dat they r rich (in fact, richer than most average nonMalays) n titled, n hv attained meritocracy, professional competence n integrity, they shld berdikari
    They shld declare dat they can look after themseleves like nonMalays n contribute 2 make dis a better country 4 all 2 live in
    No need tongkat, discounts, special privileges, n corrupt largesse

    They shld not expect their children n children’s children 2 continue 2 benefit under NEP, meant 4 economically disadvantaged

    Stand up n tell maha racist MMK not 2 cakap nonsense n create racial tension
    Will they do it?

  27. #27 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 7:29 pm

    Although TDM laments that Malays have not learnt to do away with crutches, the fact remains, to him, the affirmative policies of NEP cannot be watered down or abrogated for so long as they have not learnt to do away with crutches – which of course does not address the other fact that crutches by way of affirmative policies build permanent reliance. To extend the metaphor, with crutches, the bones consolidate and ossify and diminish malleability and dexterity of movements.

    Also with crutches, there is a widening class problem here where a few politically well connected are able to self aggrandize and enrich at the expense of the majority of the target group who are expected to only vicariously feel pride from the success of the few as symbol of advancement of the race.

    Not to mention the crutches tend to help institutionalize methods and means by which corrupt behaviour under false pretexts and pretensions of political ideology and legitimacy is encouraged.

    More importantly to denigrate meritocracy is to abjure the brutal fact of human existence based on survival of the fittest and one can only learn to be fit if he exercises and not depend on crutches.

    More so when based on empirical evidence and felt experience of more than 30 years, the NEP has not only failed in its avowed objective of uplifting genuinely the majority of Malay Malaysians but also have crippled the prospects of this country as a whole in a changed world of Globalisation. It was the current PM himself who said to the last Bumiputra Economic Congress that craziness was doing same things over and over again in hope of different results! If the country prospers, it stands to reason that Malay Malaysians who are majority will benefit more and if the country loses out and is impoverished, they too will be the principal sufferers, especially if they have not learnt to do away with the crutch.

    This is not even factoring the gross injustice to Malaysians of other races who are born and bred here and helped develop the country to what it is today. TDM should not expect them to be forever hewers of wood and carriers of water and work as serfs for a crutch dependent landlord.

    Besides, he is patronizing and condescending to Malay Malaysians by insisting that they cannot do away with crutches. There are some capable and competent Malay Malaysians who will resent such patronizing and condescending attitude denigrating to their self-esteem. An official affirmative policy to discriminate in favour of a target group can lead to the unintended consequence of unofficial reverse discrimination against target group perceived always weak and reliant on crutches.

    On balance, the country must move forward and beyond TDM’s pet theory and self interested agenda of preserving his legacy at great cost to the nation’s progress and unity. His latest diatribe about ‘Meritocracy is also Racism’ is a renewed inventiveness in the face of fear that his legacy will be fast abrogated by a NEM that opens the floodgates. During his watch he could take advantage of fear amongst majority race but in the face of the diminishing market for racial politics, as evinced by 308 political tsunami and more confident Malays trying to break from this psychological entrenchment in his pet race theory, he tries to now rachet up fears once again of Non malay domination and brands his detractors as weak and racists. For the country to move forward, the present leadership has to evince political will to actively deconstruct his legacy and demystify the stature of his pet race theory.

  28. #28 by drngsc on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 8:12 pm

    That man is evil. He is still alive. Even the devil do not want him. How I wish he will die. It just goes to show how weak Najib is. UMNO is so divided. Well, he will pay for all of his sins in the here after. I am sure that many of us will wish to see him pay for his sins here.

  29. #29 by Bunch of Suckers on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 8:14 pm

    Can blame this old foxer; he always love to fox around with his ass sticks high in the air! He was inventor and breeder of all sorts of “Rambutan Tree Economic Policies”, racisms and etc etc…! Put him to rest and out of this world, our Bolehland would be much better place to live and breath.

  30. #30 by Dap man on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 8:17 pm

    If advocates of meritocracy are racists then I would say Mahathir is a rapist and a sodomite.

    He raped Democracy and sodomized the Judiciary.

  31. #31 by c730427 on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 8:24 pm

    Either you like him or you hate Tun Mahathir.

    He has gone too far with his racial remarks in the name of loving Malay. Smart Malays would consider him as an extremist who only love himself!

    How many Malays out there got an equal chance to get contract based on meritocracy? Those who get huge contracts know that they need to pay through their nose to the UMNO party. This is a fact!

  32. #32 by bennylohstocks on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 8:31 pm

  33. #33 by bennylohstocks on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 8:34 pm

  34. #34 by Taxidriver on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 9:12 pm

    Beh Ah Tee knows he has only got a short period of time to achieve his life-long dream: to see his son Muhkriz take over the leadership of the party he founded-UMNO Baru. Therefore, he is faced with no other choice but to make a desperate move to instigate a rebellion against Najib. Once Najib is out, Moo will be made a puppet PM until that good for nothing son of his is ready to take over. I wonder if Moo is aware that he is being used [deleted].

  35. #35 by HARGA diri on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 9:14 pm

    Didn’t he say that he wants to retire from politics cleanly ? Isn’t politics a dirty game ? Someone has to do the dirty job while somebody will suggest and convince him to do so. So who gets the pepper spray ? The dirty job doer of course. First. Second. A punch in the face for the convincer. Nah. Fasting causes a drop in sugar level which can lead to one talking without thinking.

  36. #36 by Taxidriver on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 9:22 pm

    The real enemy of UMNOB is not PR, PAS or DAP but that senile old man. Strangely, at one time umnonites hated him so much to the extent of calling him by all sorts of names. Now the very same people [deleted].

  37. #37 by Thor on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 9:58 pm

    [deleted]

  38. #38 by cseng on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 - 11:07 pm

    A comment that copied from chedet’s blog, a respond to his article, worth reading..

    Comments from a foreign writer Bryant on Mahathir’s article:-Kaki dalam Kasut where he says Chinese is the real master of Malaysia .

    An Open Letter from an Indian National to a Capricious Retired Prime Minister

    Dear Mahathir

    China is coming up, India is coming up, Vietnam is coming up and now even Russia is on the rise. In this flat but wired world regardless of whether we are Malaysian Malay, Chinese or Indian, if Malaysia fails to progress, all of us will become history of this country.

    Without the Malays, Chinese could not do well in the country and without the Chinese, Malays will not do well either. Both have to work together to uplift Malaysia and mitigate the acute impact that is being brought about by globalisation.

    For me, a true leader is someone who has the vision that focuses not just on one particular ethnic group in the country but instead nurture the future for everyone. A good leader is someone who knows what the biggest threat the country is facing and directs the people to stave off that threat. A good leader is also someone who is impartial in his ability to promote harmony in the country for as long as possible.

    UMNO is a political loser leading the country to nowhere. They do not have the capacity or unction to understand what is going on in the outside world. They have no serious idea where Malaysia will be in the next 30 years. With the emergence of the three new superpowers, India, China and Russia, standing tall and alongside the USA and the European Union, UMNO knows nothing of the kind of world it will shape up to be and how Malaysia may or may not be able to share let alone compete for the ever diminishing slice of cake of the world economy.

    UMNO only knows how to get the Malays to fight with other non-Malays on insignificant issues within Malaysia, while in the meantime everyone knows all too well that these issues are oftentimes trivial, self-destructive and merely self-serving.
    UMNO has no genuine interests in learning how their impoverished Malays will go on living in the future and they have no welfare concern as to what benefits them. UMNO’s chief aim is to garner votes from them. The practical outcome of the NEP is good enough evidence on how the party benefits the cronies but not the huge segment of destitute Malays. Despite all their despicable acts they are still in the power.

    Dear Mahathir

    As you are aware, the Malays control the rights to all the lands and natural resources in this country. They control all government institutions, GLC and state-owned companies. The Malays also dominate the lawmaking process in Malaysia including the decision-making processes in the formulation of the country’s economy policies.

    From statistics we also know now that the Malays not only own the largest national assets but are also freely – and without conditions – allocated shares in public-listed companies. The Malays have also been accorded all kind of priorities when it comes to buying properties, awarding of public contracts, tertiary education opportunities including the granting of scholarships and even securing jobs in any of the government departments and agencies.

    Yet with all these privileges and rights enjoyed by the Malays, you still complain that not enough is done to help the Malays to catch up with the other ethnic groups, principally the Chinese? Then what else should Malaysia do to satisfy the Malays? Did the Chinese seize or rob anything away from the Malays or were their accomplishments the result of their hard work?

    If it is all due to their diligence, why do you say it is unfair? Many of us don’t quite get your point here. May I therefore ask you what you expect the Chinese to do in the event that your so-called NEP fail to achieve the desired result?

    Would the Malays be happier if the ethnic Chinese in your country do any of the followings:
    – surrender their assets and hard earned money to the Malays unconditionally;
    – not to engage in any business activities;
    – not to do well in all sort of school, college and tertiary examinations;
    – not to earn more income or achieve greater than the Malays;
    – not to advance to higher education; or
    – renounce their citizenships and return to China or migrate to somewhere else?

    I am a foreigner but I am surprised that your underlying intention is to ultimately divide your own country. It is so obvious that you are mainly targeting the Chinese. Frankly, tell us, what do you expect the Chinese to do in order to achieve what is so called “equality” as you so define it yourself?

    Mr Mahathir, after all these criticisms you have railed against the present government, many of us feel that you are beginning to sound irrational because your arguments lack logic.

    You have basically exhausted all forms of good reasoning because you hardly sound convincing to any of us. Some of us think that your poor conduct might be owed to your ever increasing jealousy of the highly successful Mr Lee Kuan Yew, your former nemesis in Singapore .

    I suppose that reality is always hard to accept let alone swallow. No matter how you slice it, you must accept the fact that Mr Lee is rightly regarded the Father of Singapore but given your racist attitudes, you can hardly be called the Father of Malaysia. Mr Mahathir, accept the fact that unlike you, Mr Lee continues to be a force of influence to the government of Singapore and he will likely be until the day he dies.

    On the other hand you lost all abilities to influence the government the moment you stepped off the dais as the country’s prime minister.

    You also need to tacitly accept that Mr Lee remains intellectually sharp (sharper than you, we think) and immensely popular on the world stage. Mr Lee continues to be an international leader respected by many but unfortunately, try as you may, you are not quite so. Maybe that is why you sought out your popularity in certain African and North African states where some think you are god. That must be good for your ego but Mr Mahathir, it does nothing for your country’s economy though.

    Because of your jealousies toward Mr Lee, your views become blinkered and unbalanced as you continue to train your personal hatred at him across the border. All these eventually manifest themselves into a series of diabolical attacks against your successors in your own country.

    We may be foreigners but we can see so obviously that you are unhappy whenever your successors become more popular than you. Is there any good in doing that? What is your intention? Can’t you take a back seat and chill out? Your time is over. Retire gracefully and enjoy your sunsets. Most political leaders around the world do that. Why don’t you do the same as others? Why do you continue to meddle? I don’t get you at all.

    During your “rule,” you were critical of most of the developed countries aiming more specifically at the western sphere usually out of jealousy. And then after you had stepped down from office, you criticised (and continue to do so) every single minister who served you and still remained in the cabinet simply because you believed they didn’t listen to you. Mr Mahathir, when will you ever stop criticising anyone? Can’t you respect the decisions of others?

    Back to your recent blog, is there anything wrong with the Chinese in this country?

    Do they seize or rob the money away from the Malays?

    Do they have the ability to come out with any policies to marginalise the Malays?

    Do they dominate the lawmaking process of this country?

    Do they formulate the economy policies in this country?

    Do they control the government departments and agencies in this country?

    Do they control the state-owned companies and GLC in this country?

    Do they control the country’s largest resource (oil) companies and banks?

    Of course you know the answers, right?

    Malays are the one who dominate the lawmaking process of this country; Malays are the one who formulate the economy policies in this country and in so doing, shape them to exclusively favour the Malays;
    Malays are the ones who control the government departments and agencies not to mention also the state-owned companies, GLCs as well as the country’s largest resource (oil) companies and almost every single major financial institution;
    Malays are the ones who control the funds in this country.

    With all these exclusive non-negotiable rights enjoyed by the Malays, what else do you want the Chinese to do?

    Do you want them to surrender their homes and savings including their wealth that they earned with their hard work to the Malays?

    Or do you want to ask all the Chinese to return their citizenship and leave the country? If you condone your fellow Malays in accusing the Chinese of being squatters (pendatang) in your country, I guess that is what it amounts to, right?

    Mr Mahathir, have you ever stop to think why 30 years of implementing the NEP had not brought about the desired results or should I say, not achieved the principal objectives and that is to economically equip ALL the Malays in the country? Maybe the NEP could have but you and your cronies denied it the ability to; instead allowed the system to carry on for more years than it ought to so that others can call you god because of the illicit money you funnelled to them.

    Under the NEP there is a complex series of policies that favours the Malays. And despite these policies, the Malays still can’t get what they want – again the question is what else do you want the Chinese to do? Do you blame the Chinese simply because they are industrious and focused? Or should you level your blame at those Malays who do not treasure the opportunities that you claim you have given them? Having asked that did you or did you not give them these opportunities?

    You definitely are aware that the NEP has been misused for at least 23 years (while you were in office), benefiting only your cronies and those who aim to stroke your ego as they seek favours from you. Since it is apparent that the NEP was reshaped by you to serve and benefit you and your cronies, then refrain from blaming the Chinese when the average Malay continues to languish in your country. It has nothing to do with the Chinese but NEP and the Malay themselves.

    This is a globalised world, Mr Mahathir. The Chinese and Malays should not be fighting against each other because Malaysia needs to focus on competing on an international scale.

    China used to lie in the backwaters, lagging seriously behind Malaysia but that seems a long time ago now. Today they have not only caught up but have sped past Malaysia to compete with far larger economic rivals like the USA , Japan and Europe . Mr Mahathir, do you think you can ask them to slow down their development so that your country can play catch up? If the Chinese government refuses to listen, will you then make a complaint to the United Nations that China is developing too fast and this is unfair to Malaysia , which adapts a more passive approach?

    Who gives you the right to prevent others from progressing?

    Who do you think you are? This is a flat world – obviously, Mr Mahathir, you did not read the book named “The World is Flat” but I encourage you to. The problem with you is that you are so narrow-minded that you level your sights on only the Chinese and/or Malays in your country.

    You would be doing Malaysia a larger favour if or when you learn that in the end we’re all living in a flat world. In other words, look farther and more horizontally askance at the bigger world out there. That’s the world that Malaysia continues to flounder so long as you and the blinkered UMNO have exclusive say over how your country is run. And if Malaysia remains in its doldrums state within the next few years, believe me, it will be irrelevant whether you are Malay or Chinese; because the country will then have to fight for scraps with Somalia . Imagine that.

    Have a God-blessed day.

    [deleted]

  39. #39 by johnnypok on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 2:53 am

    [deleted]

  40. #40 by dagen on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 8:44 am

    Consider this. The economy is not a piece of property which can be owned. It is about contribution which in turn is driven by effort.

    In short greater input in terms of effort would naturally translate to a larger contribution. This is inescapable. Although the impact in not significant, even joining the labour force per se would also count as effort and hence contribution.

    Dr mamak and perkasa have the whole issue messed up because they look upon the economy as property which is capable of ownership. Or perhaps they somehow believed that contribution to the economy may be achieved by means other than pure effort; namely by allocation. Obviously they are attempting to grow leaves without ensuring that the roots, trunks and branches are in place. Allocations which are unsupported adequately by effort is doomed to fail and eventually fizzle out.

  41. #41 by boh-liao on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 10:33 am

    Racist MMK shld b proud of d performance of his fellow meritocrat-turned-racist (based on MMK’s definition) Chinese automaker Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd
    http://www.chinaknowledge.com/Newswires/News_Detail.aspx?type=1&cat=CMP&NewsID=%2036437
    What can MMK do except lau nua, drooling n wishing his tongkat-Proton is Geely
    N he still insists dat meritocracy is a curse

  42. #42 by sotong on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 12:36 pm

    After 30 years of discriminative policies destroying the country….this guy got no shame.

  43. #43 by on cheng on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 1:02 pm

    (Malaysians’ Malaysia) is the most obvious and natural slogan, apply anywhere in the world, if this is racist? then whose Malaysia shall it be then?
    Meritocracy is also nature’s law. If not then what?
    People who defy these are just harming the system, country, society, etc etc

  44. #44 by dagen on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 1:16 pm

    Hoi dr mamak, our badminton people and squash people are all blurdy basturds. They sent participants based on skills instead of race and that is wrong. Next time make sure you ask them to ground nicole and chong wei. Just sent that apanama cik the grand-daughther of umno supreme council punya orang and that apanama – grandson of another supreme council member.

  45. #45 by MederkaBeb on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 1:38 pm

    CABARAN WAWASAN 2020 : OLEH DR M
    =======================

    1) Mewujudkan negara Malaysia “BERSATU” yang mempunyai matlamat
    yang “DIKONGSI BERSAMA”

    @@ Malaysia mesti menjadi sebuah negara yang aman, berkeharmonian, bekerjasama sepenuhnya secara “ADIL” , dan terdiri daripada
    “SATU BANGSA MALAYSIA” yang mempunyai kesetiaan politik dan dedikasi kepada negara @@

    Persoalan:
    * Apakah definisi “KONGSI BERSAMA” dan “BERKERJASAMA DENGAN ADIL” ?

    * Apakah ini (menghangat-hangatkan isu berbaur perkauman)
    kaedah terbaik untuk mengukuhkan “keharmonian” dan
    “keamananan negara ? Tidak bolehkah isu ini diperbincangkan
    dari perspektif / peringkat nasionalis demi kebaikan
    masyarakat dari umumnya berbanding dengan kepentingan
    satu-satu kaum sahaja ?

    * Jika Orang Melayu akan ketinggalan melalui meritokrasi,
    bagaimana pula dengan bangsa India yang am-nya jauh
    ketinggalan ? Bukankah mereka warganegara Malaysia ?

    * Siapakah di antara bangsa Melayu yang tidak berdarah
    kacukan India/Cina/ Arab/ Orang Putih/ Filipina/
    Bumiputera Sabah Sarawak /Indon ? Moyang Dr M sendiri
    pun datang dari Kerala, India. Di zaman ini, tiada
    Melayu yang betul-betul boleh mengikiskan hakikat bahawa
    dalam darah sendiri pun mengalir keturunan “Pendatang”
    Setiap titik darah tokoh-tokoh Kemerdekaan, dicemari
    orang asing, orang bukan Melayu, penumpang dari luar
    Siapakah Melayu yang sebenar ?

    *****************

    2.Mewujudkan sebuah masyarakat yang “BERJIWA BEBAS”
    tenteram dan maju, dengan “KEYAKINAN AKAN KEUPAYAAN
    SENDIRI” , berbangga dengan apa yang ada, dengan apa
    yang telah dicapai, ” CUKUP GAGAH MENGHADAPI MASALAH”

    @@Masyarakat Malaysia ini mesti dapat dikenali melalui usaha mencapai kecemerlangan, amat sedar akan semua potensinya, tidak mengalah kepada sesiapa, dan dihormati oleh rakyat negara lain @@

    Persoalan:
    * Apakah Dr M “TIDAK YAKIN DENGAN KEUPAYAAN SENDIRI” ?
    Daya persaingan , kecenderungan dan kepintaran anak bumi jauh
    lebih baik dari yang disangkalkan ramai.

    * Apakah Dr mahu mewujudkan kaum yang ” CUKUP GAGAH MENGHADAPI
    MASALAH ” ? Apakah bukti ini merupakan pertimbangan yang
    terbaik ? Tidakkah strategi lain diambil kira sebelum mengkritik?

    *****************

    8.Memastikan masyarakat yang “ADIL” dalam bidang ekonomi.

    @@ Ini merupakan masyarakat yang melaksanakan pengagihan kekayaan negara secara adil dan saksama, dengan wujudnya perkongsian sepenuhnya bagi setiap rakyat dalam perkembangan ekonomi.@@

    Persoalan:
    * Adakah kebajikan orang Asli dan peribumi Sabah Sarawak
    diambil kira dalam pengagihan kekayaan ? Bukankah mereka
    juga orang asal di “Tanah Melayu” ini ?

    * Apakah definisi “ADIL” dan ” PERKONGSIAN”

    * “HEMPAS TULANG BERISI PERUT”
    Rajin bekerja (berusaha) mudah mendapat rezeki.
    Jelas Dr M lebih memahami kenyataan ini daripada
    orang lain. Masakan tidak , Dr M pun tidak berpeluang
    memasuki universiti di negara Singapura “racist”
    yang mengamalkan meritokrasi. Betulkah tidak ?

    ****************

    Wahai saudara-saudari, sebelum kita menunding jari,
    dan membenci kaum lain marilah kita mengimbas kembali

    * Pernahkah keluarga saudara dirawati doktor
    dari kaum “pendatang” sehinggakan sembuh ?
    Apakah saudara membenci kaum itu ?

    * Siapa di antara kita tidak pernah dididik
    guru dari kaum yang lain ?

    * Tidak pernahkah saudara diberi pertolongan
    dari kaum lain, sedangkan kaum sendiri berteluk tubuh ?

    * Orang miskin dan berpendapatan rendah terdiri
    daripada pelbagai kaum. Bukan hanya segelintir
    kumpulan sahaja .

    * Perkembangan pesat ekonomi dan kemakmuran negara
    hari ini adalah hasil titik peluh moyang kita semua
    tidak kira bangsa ataupun agama. Siapakah kita untuk
    menilai setakat manakah sumbangan mereka ?

    Kesimpulannya, amatlah diharapkan kalau persoalan
    meritokrasi dibangkitkan, biarlah adil dan demi
    kebaikan negara secara keseluruhannya, bukannya
    dari asas pemikiran yang sempit dan agenda yang
    terselit, bak kata pepatah ” ada udang di sebalik
    batu”

    Sampai “bilakah” Wawasan 2020 boleh dikecapi ? Dr M ?

  46. #46 by X-factor on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 3:45 pm

    Meritocracy is a great process but it needs an equal start.

    If you’re on a running track, it is the same base and the same whistle that will start you off. After that, everyone has equal opportunity to win.

    This is not the case when British implement divide and rule policy more than 50 years ago.

  47. #47 by Taxidriver on Thursday, 26 August 2010 - 11:22 pm

    Straight bridge cannot then crooked bridge also never mind ma. No wonder leaders of advance countries look down on him. Already nyanyuk still want to talk three talk four making a fool of himself. Only a fool like Ibrahim Ali holds him in high esteem . Compare him to LKY?? This mamak is not even fit to polish Mr. Lee’s kasut.

  48. #48 by johnnypok on Friday, 27 August 2010 - 1:16 am

    Singapore graduates = World-Class

    Malaysian graduates = Unemployable … sangat malu lah

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