Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad faced a firing squad of questions from Malaysian students after delivering a heavily political keynote address at the Malaysia in the New Millennium conference at Cambridge University yesterday.

The prime minister was interrogated at length by students on several controversial issues, including racial politics, justice and judicial impartiality, and government corruption and collusion which Mahathir himself had raised in his 45-minute speech.

Addressing a crowd of 450 students and academicians at the Lady Mitchell Hall, Mahathir was forced to dodge an array of embarrassing questions critical of his government and leadership from at least three Malaysians angered by propositions made earlier in the prime minister's speech.

Expounding on Mahathir's assertions that opposition parties and other "extremist" groups in the country were inciting racial hatred, the first student to speak up accused the prime minister of being guilty of the same.

"I think you yourself are not adverse to playing the racial card as well," the student said before proceeding to elaborate upon instances where she felt the prime minister and his government were manipulating racial sentiments for a political purpose, such as the recent furore accompanying Suqiu's[#1] 17-point election appea[/#].

Mahathir's response was that issues of this nature ought not to be discussed in public and asserted that, after their meeting with him, Suqiu had "realised" these matters are not for public debate but should instead raise these concerns with the relevant ministers privately.

The student also seized on a point made by the prime minister in his keynote address that there was a cholera outbreak in Kelantan at present because the PAS-led state government could not manage their water supply, asking Mahathir to comment on his government's inability to contain the Coxsackie and Nipah viruses.

Mahathir in reply drew a distinction between the containment of preventable diseases, such as cholera, and those which are caused by uncertain viruses, and questioned the capability of a government which failed to provide basic amenities, such as clean water in this day and age.

'Hidup Mahathir'

When pushed by the student for a deadline for his tenure - "when are you going to resign?" - Mahathir gave his standard reply of his intent to retire in 1998 prior to the Anwar Ibrahim saga. He said he planned to resign "in glory" after the Commonwealth Games and quipped "before my deputy decided to misbehave himself".

His answer was met by a round of applause from students accompanied by shouts of "Hidup Mahathir!" ("Mahathir Lives!"). A worn-looking Mahathir, who had his head bowed and shoulders bent across the podium at this juncture, straightened up and gave a wry smile.

Later, a senior law student took Mahathir to task for commenting on the pending Al-Ma'unah trial, and questioned him on the discrepancies in the citing of people for contempt of court.

She asked why many people were cited for contempt, including Far Eastern Economic Review journalist Murray Hiebert, for commenting on ongoing trials, while Mahathir himself was free to remark and pass judgment on cases pending in court.

Mahathir had, during the course of his speech and answers during the "interactive dialogue" session, mentioned the Al-Ma'unah case and referred to members of the Al-Ma'unah group (alleged to be involved in the Grik arms heist and stand-off in Sauk) as "extremists" and accused them of murder and torture.

The prime minister replied that it is for the courts to decide on the issues of contempt and denied that there were any executive interference in the cases. Mahathir appeared to have misunderstood the student's question when he added that Hiebert's position as a journalist made no difference as "the rule of law applied to everyone".

When pressed on this issue at a press conference later, the prime minister alluded to the fact that his comments on the Al-Ma'unah trial was made "outside the country" and that he should not be restricted in carrying out his duties as the nation's security was his responsibility.

Politics of hate

A common theme running through the prime minister's address and his answers during the 40-minute "interactive dialogue" was the issue of "hatred" and the incitement of such "hatred" by the groups affiliated to the opposition.

His speech contained many references to PAS and its perceived intolerance towards Malaysians not of the Muslim faith and the uncertainties in economic and social stability should the Muslim-based party come into power (see[#2] PM: Malaysia unstable under PAS)[/#].

Mahathir was invited to speak at the conference organised by the Cambridge University Malaysia Society (Cumas) which boasted a programme of influential Malaysian speakers, including de facto law minister Dr Rais Yatim, Bank Negara governor Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, and Institute of Strategic and International Studies chairperson Dr Noordin Sopiee.

Cumas president Tan Khoon Tee later told malaysiakini that he was pleased with the end-result of the conference which was aimed at educating the public on the current situation in Malaysia and of the challenges which lay ahead for the country.

He also noted with encouragement that both the audience and speakers were forthright and open in their discussions. "The people participated very openly, they aired their views, they spoke their minds, and so did our speakers and I think that is the way. That's what we wanted. We wanted people to speak up and be heard."

On criticism by some participants that the conference was too "political" rather than academic, Tan said it was inevitable that politics will become entwined with academic interests, adding that it was not the society's policy to vet the content of speeches and that the floor was allowed to express disagreement with the speakers' points of view which they invariably did.