Dr Mahathir Mohamad wants to be remembered for mega-projects, some of which have gone sour. One glaring example is the Matrade building project. I would like to look at both the good and bad deeds of Mahathir. I would like to call a spade a spade, good or bad. Yes, he did a lot of good. But he also did a lot of unpleasant things.

For one, look at the judiciary. The former Lord President was sacked unceremoniously. And when five senior judges had an 'emergency' sitting on his dismissal, three of them were also sacked.

Two, Operation Lalang was used to 'weed out' those who were a thorn in his side. Who gave the order to lock up over 100 people. If there was proof that they did something wrong, then they should have been produced in court. If you have no proof, release them.

Any right-thinking, fair, just person would have brought the detainees to court and tried them in the truest tradition of law and justice; not using strong-armed tactics.

Three, what happened to the 18 high-profile corruption cases which had been floating from the ACA to the Attorney-General's Chambers, back and forth for so many years. Why are they not cleared to this day?

Four, why did three of Mahathir's former deputy prime ministers - Musa Hitam, Ghafar Baba and Anwar Ibrahim - have problems with him? Were they really that bad? If so, then his judgement was very poor indeed! Surely a man of wisdom and a man of great stature should be a good judge of people?

Five, was it not bad taste in saying that the present PM received fewer votes than the present deputy prime minister? Indeed, Mahathir has forgotten that he only received the third highest number of Umno votes for his vice-presidency?

Mahathir must accept that he made his choice and he should accept that fact. He must live with it. It is just like choosing a wife. A man must accept his choice and live with it. He cannot later turn round and say it was a bad choice. It is too late.

Six, don't we all think the present PM must be given his chance to prove his worth? He has been hardly three years in office and he is being harassed at every turn. Judge him after his term is over. Be fair and give him a chance. After all, Mahathir had his chances for 22 years.

Seven, the scenic bridge became a crooked, half-bridge and then a scrapped bridge. The whole cabinet had thoroughly discussed the whole issue and decided to scrap it, not the PM alone. It was a collective decision. The legal implications for continuing with project are many.

Mahathir refused to accept these legal consequences. Continuing with the bridge project would have been foolhardy - just like the purchase of mv Agusta which was already debt-ridden.

Eight, Mahathir forgot that he had promised not to interfere with government decisions once he stepped down. Now, it looks like he is going back on his word. A man must be true to his word. His word is his bond.

Mahathir could have stayed back in the cabinet as a senior minister or minister mentor like Singapore. In hindsight, he might be regretting for not following the Singaporean model.

Former prime ministers could give good advice and share their experiences with the younger leaders. Why didn't Mahathir do this? Was it because it would have been below his dignity? However, he is adviser to Proton and Petronas.