As a Muslim, I do not wish to comment on the sincerity of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's so-called 'shocking announcement'. As PAS' spiritual leader Nik Aziz says, only Mahathir can comment on his own sincerity. However, I wish to put forward my contention that the announcement was totally childish and irresponsible unbefitting of the important post that he holds.

Firstly, as a leader of an organisation, one is fully responsible for all the persons under one's care. A parent who deserts the whole family leaving children in a lurch is not a responsible parent indeed. Even a worker has to give due notice of resignation so that the boss can find a replacement to ensure the continuity of work.

What Mahathir has done is inexcusable bordering on childish behavior. Certainly only a child would want this and that or refuse this and that at his or her simple whims and fancies. It's a shame that Dr M in such a high office has displayed a disposition like that of a child throwing a tantrum.

Secondly, when one is a leader of an important organisation, one makes sure that the second in command would take the reign of power and gradually one would pull away until the day one then gives actual notice of resignation.

All this dramatic announcement is utter nonsense and is simply predicated on the assumption that we as a nation would probably be lost without such a so-called 'charismatic leadership' as Dr M.

Well, sorry to disappoint you, Mahathir, but the Malays and Malaysians have come a long way and we know how to take care of ourselves.

My next comment is on Umno itself. If Umno keeps on saying that Mahathir is the best thing that ever happened to the party and that he seems to be the smartest man alive, even the most pious — if we were to believe the well-paid ulama (Islamic scholar — Dr Abdul Hamid Othman), then why doesn't the party respect the man's position to resign?

Umno has shown countless times that its members don't have any minds of their own and are simply parrots squawking whatever Mahathir says or does. So if the Great Thinker himself wants to resign, why, in heaven's name are Umno members contradicting his well-formed conclusion that he has failed Malay Malaysians and therefore must resign?

If, on the other hand, Umno (God forbid) feels that Mahathir is a poor leader and burdens the party, why not let him go? The Umno party has clearly indicated to me that it does not have any leader of calibre to take over the chair of Barisan Nasional. Poor Umno! A party with only an old man as a single leader with the rest nothing more than trifling minnows.

In conclusion, I wish to say that for whatever reasons Dr M has made the dramatic announcement, he has proven to the world that the so-called Great Malay Leader is nothing more than a spoilt child or at the very least an irresponsible professional.