I bumped into Daim Zainuddin, once the second most powerful man in Malaysia, at a diplomatic function in 2004. He told me Dr Mahathir Mohamad was already halfway through writing his memoirs. I couldn’t help being amazed at the former prime minister’s diligence even in retirement.

Nearly seven years on, the public is yet to see the book. But I have no reason to doubt Mahathir is in the process of recollecting his experiences as prime minister, for Tom Plate mentions in his book Doctor M: Operation Malaysia that he himself has seen a bound copy of the memoirs.