YOURSAY | There’s admiration for Mahathir's chutzpah in walking into the lion's den.

'Say it to my face' – Dr M gatecrashes 'too old to be PM' forum

David Dass: A forum to discuss whether Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad is too old to be prime minister? Why did some people think that such a forum was necessary?

If this was the US, this would be the stuff of talk shows - and the discussion would centre around the extraordinariness of a 92-year-old former prime minister taking to the hustings and engaging in a whirlwind of activity.

Mahathir has a reputation for living a disciplined life, balancing exercise with a careful diet. His wife Dr Siti Hasmah Ali keeps a watchful eye over his diet - discreetly removing from his plate food that he likes but which is potentially harmful to him.

There is something exciting and reassuring about the sight of Mahathir on the campaign trail. His appointment as leader of the opposition was a controversial one. Not because of his age, but because of his past record as prime minister.

Many blame him for our present problems. But we also witnessed forgiveness and reconciliation between previous political foes - PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang with Mahathir.

And I think that he has realised his past mistakes, although he cannot bring himself to acknowledge them publicly. Well, this is democracy in action. Let the people decide.

Negarawan: It is truly amazing to see how Mahathir reversed the negative discussions about him by the three panellists, especially political analyst Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, and swayed the direction in his favour.

Before Mahathir walked into the forum, Kamarul was having a field day criticising Mahathir and Harapan's manifesto.

At least one of the panellists later spoke in favour of Mahathir, after listening to his statesmanly responses. Siti Hasmah spoke eloquently about her husband and herself in response to a question, and there was thunderous applause.

Vijay47: Before exploring or rather admiring Mahathir's chutzpah in walking right into the lion's den, cool as you please, I would say that holding such a forum to discuss the possible limitations of Mahathir's age is unadulterated insolence at its crudest.

The panel would have been convinced that they were about to reveal, accompanied by sagely nods from the others, secrets of how any man beyond the age the current prime minister may reach would be incapacitated and unable to fulfil the demands of whatever position he aspires to.

We know that the conclusion of these self-labelled intellectuals would be that Mahathir is past his use-by date, a pronouncement to be gloatingly reported by Utusan Malaysia and TV3 the next day.

Of course, with Mahathir sitting a few feet in front of them, they would have had no choice but to change tack.

It would have been heavenly to watch their faces when the door slowly opened and the man himself walked in. Those loud thuds you heard would have been their jaws hitting the floor.

I did not wet myself when Dr M turned up, analyst chides critics

Victor Johan: Kamarul Zaman, you are actually ‘betul betul ketinggalan zaman’ (genuinely behind the times) with those 10 criteria of an ideal present prime minister for all Malaysians that you shared in the forum.

We can all see the respect, or the lack of it, that you had shown when Mahathir and Siti Hasmah had walked into the hall. Of course, you were unpleasantly surprised, tongue-tied and all.

All three others on the platform had stood up and only sat when both Mahathir and Siti Hasmah were seated. You had not once stood up from your chair during this time. You clearly showed defiance and your “ungentlemanliness” and uncultured attitude were on display for all to see and understand.

Your display of uneasiness over Mahathir's presence in the hall and your challenges in any further utterances say it all. It certainly does not matter now whatever you say or write in the aftermath.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Kamarul Zaman, your inability to think and reason were already established when you attacked Selangor speaker Hannah Yeoh’s book as an attempt to convert others to her faith. Of course, you got it wrong then.

In your latest outing, you had the audacity to take on Mahathir, whom many consider a political mastermind and strategist.

And you looked foolish with your amateur and almost schoolboy logic trying to argue with a person considered, at one time, among Asia’s most influential personalities.

Goldee: Kamarul Zaman, you are trying to belittle the old man thinking he is unfit to be the prime minister. It is Mahathir's right to defend himself when you commented and criticised his fitness.

Age is only a figure and it has nothing to do with fitness. I am sure you have heard of "mind over matter".

What is so wrong for Mahathir to complain about his tight relay schedules and being forced to wait late at night as the last speaker? These are your own feelings about Mahathir, but it does not mean you are right.

GE14 - Last chance for change

Have A Great Day: "Few nations get a second chance; this is our tryst with destiny and we must not squander it." I share the sentiment of former ambassador Dennis Ignatius.

I have contributed what I can afford towards the opposition cause. I have just signed up as a volunteer for Invoke.

I feel strongly that if the cause for change cannot reach critical mass and tip the balance, we can look towards a very grim landscape - where dissent will no longer be tolerated.

I am doing what I can, and if we still come up short, I will have no regrets. We did our best, we gave it our best shot.

Anonymous 6489007512643862: A very well-written article on the current state of affair in Malaysia. Thanks for the effort.

I am afraid that people will only change the government when they have suffered enough. Malaysia’s name has been dragged through the mud and yet there are numerous people who are claiming nothing has happened.

It is so sickening to read the news on Malaysia every day. All the ugly things about this country are there in the news - corruption, misuse of power, racial and religious bigotry, lies, empty promises, arrogance, et cetera.

Will Malaysians ever wake up?

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