by Hussein Hamid
“[Mahathir Mohamad has] . . . created a legacy so monumental
that no one could have presumed his mantle.” That was what Abdullah Ahmad
gushingly said of Mahathir when the ‘Great Man’ announced his resignation as
Prime Minister. Tan Sri Abdullah was Group Editor-in-Chief of the New Straits
Times when he wrote the above on 26 June 2002 following the News of Mahathir’s
intention.
I believe that came from Abdullah’s heart for you cannot
write anything so ‘Moving’ if it . . . does not come from the heart.
Now let me tell you what comes from my heart when I read
that.
Who would be foolhardy enough to presume the Mahathir mantle
?
This man used money and power like no other PM of Malaysia
has ever done ! Like no other Leader in most parts of the civilized world has
ever done, save for some parts of Africa and some parts of our world where
accountability for one’s action is easily dismissed through the barrel of the
Gun !
Who would dare to presume the monumental mantle of this
Mahathir who was instrumental in bringing into our way of life such concepts as
Operasi Lalang ( ISA and the ends justify the means of preventive detention ),
nepotism, money politics, greed, privatization, IPPs and Perwaja ; the
monumental mantle of this Mahathir that displayed such utter vindictiveness to
[ destroy ] those who simply do not agree with his point of view ?
It is a monumental mantle to have left as his legacy –
negotiated tenders, a tainted judiciary, Bakun, Renong and its horrendous
debts, Khir Toyo, Daim Zainuddin and the list is endless. The monumental man
almost left us a crooked bridge as well.
Every government machinery, every high public office
appointment, every political decision made during Mahathir’s time was at his
pleasure and made to do your biddings.
Not Dollah, not anyone . . . nobody would be foolhardy enough
to try and assume that mantle.
All the personal excesses that we now talk about had its
beginnings, development and reached its zenith during Mahathir’s time. Samy
Velu, Rafidah, VK Lingam, Augustine Paul, L iong Sik, Daim, Vincent Tan,
Abdullah Ang, Eric Cheah . . . the mind boggles at the billions these people
made at the expense of the Nation !
Sir, you need to take responsibility
What defines greatness in a
man ? “It’s not what you take but what you leave behind that defines
greatness.” – Edward Gardner.
Billions
in debt
Mahathir left us with debts measured in billions, not
millions !
This man left us with monuments of First World stature but
failed miserably to prepare our then third-world mentality to be ready for
these iconic structures. If you bring a nation into an era that it is not ready
for, you are being irresponsible !
If you cut corners and award projects to people who YOU think
can do the job and they fail to do that job – you take responsibility !
If you do nothing about a Leader that robs his own people
blind – like Samy Velu did to the Indians – then you take responsibility.
If you take power away from the Sultans and empower UMNO with
the same power and UMNO abuses that power – you take responsibility !
When you remove two of your deputies and in so doing caused:
1) Within UMNO, a factionalism that forever weakened the party;
2) and had one of these removed deputies, Anwar, come back 10
years later and inflict upon UMNO its biggest defeat, you take responsibility.
When you take a dentist and make him Menteri Besar of
Selangor – and this MB then proceeds to enrich himself so excessively that it
finally culminated in the loss of Selangor to the opposition – then you take
responsibility.
When you take Oil Royalties away from Terengganu and Kelantan
because the people voted for the Opposition, you take responsibility for the
suffering of the people within that state who are now without the funds for
development.
When you use Petronas Money to bail out your son’s shipping
company to the tune of hundreds of millions, then you take responsibility for
abusing the trust the people placed in you as the guardian of public monies.
Can
he walk down a street unmolested?
That a man of your previous stature would require me, a
62-year-old man living in Adelaide, Australia to write this biting and hurtful
article about you simply indicates the depth you have allowed yourself to sink
to.
Once you told us to look East. We looked East.
You told us to buy British last. We bought British last.
You told us to buy Proton, we bought Proton – albeit with a
little arm-twisting. Possibly all those were relevant at that point in time. So
Tun, using that analogy, let me respectfully tell you this: “Tun, you are no
longer relevant”.
You are no longer relevant in UMNO except to serve the
selfish purpose of certain factions. “ Hear ! Hear ! ” or as ( the blogger )
Antares said for the benefit of Ibrahim Ali, “ Dengar, Dengar ! ”
You are no longer relevant to the Malays. You have done
enough damage to us and we see through your deceptions.
You are no longer relevant to the people in this country. We
have all moved on and demand a more open and responsible government. We see
through your duplicity and untruths.
Tun, you are only relevant to those that still love you for
what you are – a Grandfather, a Father and a Husband. Is it not time that you
return their Love and their Need to have you back in their fold ? And that you
return the Love and Respect that they give to you for what you are today ? An
84-year-old Grandfather, Father and Husband.
Sir, you would need all the goodness that is in Mecca, all
the forgiveness that Mandela has shown to the very people that imprisoned him,
and all the love that the families of Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan and Aminulrasyid
have for their loved ones if you are ever to be forgiven by the people of
Malaysia.
And I know that even with all that, you would still have a
hard time walking down the streets of KL without worrying that someone might
spit on you . . . and that Sir is the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth . .
. so help me God !
Source
: http://steadyaku-steadyaku-husseinhamid.blogspot.com/
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