Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s most recent one hour twenty minutes appearance in London before a hall filled with a discerning, interested and concerned audience deserves closer examination by Malaysians who are here in Malaysia right now.
Indeed, despite all the doubtful and cautious sentiments or even some derogatory viewpoints being shared by netizens (including probably paid cyber troopers) over Mahathir’s appearance in London, it is necessary for us to look beyond the shades of grey that we may be wrapped with. Justified or not, the shades do not matter now, considering the state of health and future of Malaysia.
Some very humane questions we have to ask ourselves could enable us to refocus our lens of perception.
One, why should a man who had being in power for over two long decades and having fought so many battles still want to say something and do something for his country and at this ripe old age of 91?
Two, why would this nonagenarian want to fly all the way to London, suffer the lethargy and pain of a long haul, and despite his cough and recent recuperation from infection, stand for well over an hour and take questions without any prepared texts?
How many of our past politicians and top civil servants who are enjoying their ‘hard-earned’ spoils will ever want to do what Mahathir is championing today? They would rather keep enjoying the spoils and continued trappings and not rock any boats. You have so many of them around that we would have trouble counting them by our fingers.
Even a businessman who has reaped the fields would in his or twilight years, settle for a great paradise that earth has to offer.
These above two considerations would help Malaysians to see beyond the shades.
The argument being advanced by some quarters that he is doing this to make his son become the prime minister is not only hollow and amateurish, but worst sounds very bankrupt. Not only does such an argument underestimate Mahathir but exposes such thinking to be below the grade of a political novice.
The argument that he was the architect of the many woes created in the first place is like telling God: “Since Adam fell from grace, what can I a mere mortal do?” Or, since science made a mistake in its discovery, I should not accept any new corrective thinking but continue living with the defective invention.
Mahathir is what we can safely say, a wake-up call for all of us.
Not about giving this man a second chance
Malaysians must discard their shades of grey thinking and unite on the bare simple truths that Mahathir has laid before an audience in person. It is not even about giving Mahathir the benefit of the doubt. It is not about giving this man a second chance.
Mahathir openly spoke and very candidly too, about how he has been the target of blames i.e. the judiciary fiasco; he unashamedly stood there and said, “We need a lot of reforms”.
That is the mark of a man who has a conscience - the mark of a citizen who truly loves his people and nation.
Yes, we may stand to disagree with his past decisions and actions taken based on advice given. But here is a man not about himself or his son or his wife or daughter or even about his investments and grand pies.
Mahathir has proven beyond those shades of grey that are still enveloping segments of the political landscape, that the mission is about our Malaysia. All Malaysians must take the trouble to view the YouTube recording of his address in London.
Even opposition political parties and those sworn to protect and sink with Najib Abdul Razak should watch the video as it can be a soul-searching experience.
Hence, opposition political parties should openly screen this video if they are truly committed to the truth.
To judge whether he gave enough time to allow hard questions or whether it is this or that is merely allowing the shades of doubt, discrimination and self-denial to cloud the precarious future of Malaysia for Malaysians.
