2 January 2018

Press statement by MCA Publicity Spokesman cum Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker

At the Best Mahathir can only be an Advisor not Dictator

Tun Mahathir should remain as a statesman and mend his ways instead of remaining recalcitrant and continuing his authoritarian ways albeit  refusing to admit any mistakes or attributing his mistakes to someone else , the latest on the Memali killings to the Muftis ( in the past to his Deputy Tun Musa Hitam) etc.

Yes! He has been our longest Prime Minister of 22 years. He has had his credit and also made many mistakes along the way. As a nation we should accord him the due respect as a mortal soul who has his weaknesses and strengths. Thus he is made a Tun when he retired and announced that he will not interfere with the new leader and/or Prime Minister. He further said that he will only watch from afar and not meddle in politics.

After his retirement he had said that he will write his memoirs. Ideally that should be the way for a retired statesman. Writing and talking and not meddling and dictating the style and manner of the new leader’s administrative style. Worst still Tun Mahathir had been imposing and insistent on what’s right or wrong. He didn’t advise but what he wants now is to dictate and micromanage on how and when things should be done His Way. Among others he continued to insist on the crooked bridge and huge subsidies for the automotive industry despite continuing heavy losses and failures.

No doubt Tun Mahathir has a lot to say and the best way to do so is to put it into his memoir. The difficulty of managing a plural society; the emergence of political Islam and how he handled it; the multiple mega-scandals during his tenure; the infamous “Operasi Lalang” ; the sacking of his Deputy Anwar Ibrahim ; the falling out with his Deputy Musa Hitam ; the Reformasi years and the beginning of massive street protest as our political culture etc.

Yes! Tun Mahathir has a lot to do like writing, telling and admitting to mistakes that he has made as a leader after helming the country for 22 years. The problem with us is that many leaders have left, some abruptly without leaving behind the benefit of their memoirs, thoughts and advice. Retired leaders have many opportunities to reminisce and look back the decisions they have made or they have regretted or telling us how things should have been done or ought you be done in hindsight. This will benefit the nation and her future tremendously.

The nation has been waiting for Tun Mahathir who has left an indelible presence on the nation and impression on our generation to write his memoir honestly and sincerely without fear or favour or in this case without being egoistic or recalcitrant .

For me , my generation and generations to come - there are many lessons we can learn from this great man who has been loved, hated and feared when he was wielding power. We do not and definitely will not want to see him wielding power and authority again as we have seen the damage he had inflicted is worse than the good he has brought us.

Despite disagreeing with his dictatorial ways, from insisting on starting the automobile industry (that was not feasible) to destroying our judiciary etc. The nation has been basically helpless and unable to stop this man who will not allow anything to stand in his way. He will destroy or demolish anyone or anything in his way thus he had removed former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi for not implementing the “crooked bridge”. There have been many instances of abuse of powers and emergence of corruption as our culture due to the emergence of immense power as a result of the removal of our check or balance such as the independence of the judiciary during the era of Mahathirism.

Enough said. Period. We don’t need a proven authoritarian or dictator who was forced to leave office by massive street protest to return again via the backdoor by joining the opposition and aides by the very people who had insisted that he should go more than a decade ago. Where is the credibility of these leaders?

We don’t need to go back to ground zero!

Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker
MCA Publicity Spokesman
MCA Religious Harmony Chairman

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