As a rakyat, I wish to urge the former prime minister not to think that he is the all-powerful pharaoh that his opponents in politics had called him. He certainly cannot think that he is the one to appoint someone as prime minister today and then call for that person's resignation at his own whim and fancy.

His own leadership had not been without spots. Countless of times, his leadership had been challenged, the worst being the 1999 general elections with Umno winning only 71 seats in parliament (against 78 in recent election) and 281 state seats against 307 seats in 2008, but the Barisan Nasional components parties stood firm with him then.

As an independent observer, I strongly feel that the right thing for Mahathir to do now is to retire as a statesman and stand in solidarity with Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, rather than to throw out more venom and create more sour relationships.

Despite his premiership of 22 years, which has only been surpassed by MIC's S Samy Vellu and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Mahathir cannot claim innocence to what has been happening to the nation and start blaming others for what he has sown.

The executive-judiciary crisis, the monarchy crisis, a series of Umno crises involving Tengku Razaleigh, Musa Hitam and Anwar Ibrahim, had all happened and had started during his premiership. Mahathir has four fingers to consider when he points an accusing finger at another person.

For someone to say that he can do no wrong is equivalent to saying that he is a god, and Mahathir is no demi-god. At best, he is a statesman, if he learns to live in peace with the people. Being an independent observer and rakyat, his continuous campaign to throw out Pak Lah is already getting to our nerves, and I plead to the Tun to stop his campaign and give others a chance.

With Mahathir now trying to stir up the people's sentiments only for the sake of getting rid of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, then he should know that he is doing more damage to the country.

I am confident that Pak Lah is not a runaway prime minister. When hardship comes, the BN will strongly back whomever is the prime minister and move on; and when the tough times come, it is the tough that gets it going.

Pak Lah, please continue to lead the nation towards realising the dreams of the people.