Mahathir: My regret is not with what I had created

comments     S Thayaparan     Published     Updated

“Don't follow the crowd, let the crowd follow you.”

- Margaret Thatcher

The following is the second part of an interview with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The first part appeared yesterday.

Critics have asked for some form of regret or repentance on your part. So far this has not been forthcoming. Does Tun have any regrets for the system you helped create and nurture that gave us Prime Minister Najib Razak?

My regret is not with what I had created. My regret is with regards to the changes in the mentality of Umno members. Once they get into a position, they prevent people with calibre, good people from joining Umno because they are not thinking about Umno, they are thinking about their position.

That, I regret, because I am willing to give up my position as PM. Nobody asked me to, nobody even knew, and I thought that would be a lesson to them - when people think you are overstaying your welcome, please go. It wasn’t that I was unpopular, I could still win elections but I decided to go.

These people once they are in positions they do not want to go. I have met senators, and they want to go on and on and on, so they prevent other people from being nominated as senators. I limited that to two terms only so others can have a chance.

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