Mahathir did more harm than good to Malaysia

Mahathir did more harm than good
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/77253

Madhatter | Jan 21, 08 3:27pm

I refer to the Malaysiakini report Dr M: I don't have to explain why.

This is so typical of the man. But Malaysians will not forget this man who single-handedly destroyed many of the country's reputable institutions including the judiciary in 1988, not to mention lives, in his egoistic and egotistic management of the country for 22 years.

I lost all respect for him when he cynically remarked that Anwar Ibrahim had probably hurt himself and got the infamous black eye. I am no friend or admirer of Anwar but it was unbecoming of Mahathir to have been so cruel and callous. Not content with destroying his political enemy's career, he had to put his boot in when Anwar was already on the floor. That single remark showed me the kind of person he was, notwithstanding his intelligence. But intelligence without wisdom is folly.

Mahathir could have been the greatest leader the country ever had. A man of grand vision and courage, he failed to do what great leaders do - develop a team of other great leaders and leave behind a legacy of good management and healthy institutions. Instead he did the opposite and has left the nation a baggage he calls 'a rotten government'. Perhaps he forgot he was their former leader.

Often he is credited with the country's economic miracle but it is stretching the imagination. It was nature - not Mahathir - that deserves any credit. In fact, the billions he lost in 'white elephants' and failed projects could have provided housing for every squatter in the country. Today, five percent of the population still lives below the poverty line though I question the accuracy of this percentage. It makes me think more live in poverty than what the statistics tell.

The NEP and corruption drained the country. How much has been siphoned from the bureaucracy only God and the crooks know.

With such unbridled power and uncanny ability to destroy all who challenged him, Mahathir was in a firm position for 22 years to make the changes that the country needed to be established as a strong and solid nation like Singapore.

But Mahathir messed about with everything and tried to create a nation in his image. Way back the economic experts said the Malaysian car was doomed but did he listen? He forced everyone to buy it with manipulated pricing and coerced purchases by government departments. Despite that, the car is doomed. Then there is the Perwaja steel mill, Putrajaya, the Multimedia Super Corridor, the MAS bailouts, etc. Billions have gone down the drain and the man is a hero? Bah!

Today he is bad-mouthing the government which is what he left behind. Most of his sycophants are still there in the cabinet. Only then they weren't called sycophants. All of them have turned their backs on him, even the weeping woman who hugged him on stage.

Of course, Mahathir was the darling of the Chinese business people just like the ailing ex-president Suharto was to the Chinese but business people are fair-weather friends who will worship you if you let them make money.

Corruption is high because these business people will bribe the greedy bureaucrats so that they can enrich themselves and to these people, bribery is just another expense in their hot pursuit of money. In fairness, there are business people with principles but they are few and far in between.

Most business people are rotten like the government and they are one 'mega' reason why the country is corrupt. After all, corruption needs two parties, so who else apart from the corrupt government servants?

But I don't want to be unfair to the business people who have to give bribes. Sometimes it is not their fault. Bribery is robbery when demanded. So if a business man needs to have something done and he is forced to bribe an official, it is robbery.

While Mahathir can't remember the crucial details of his judge-appointing days, he will remember details about the crooked bridge and other matters he disagrees with the government. Some people simply can't face the truth or eat humble pie and Mahathir is one of them. They are masters of deception and double-talk and if Mahathir has achieved something notable it is in leaving behind clones of himself in the present cabinet.

Let his sycophants extol their great leader but to me in my independent evaluation of the man he has done more harm to the country than good. The problem with a lot of Malaysians is they have a slave mentality. A little 'pangkat' here, a little praise there, and they will follow the leader to hell. How else do you explain those Malaysians who are so blind to the truth, the injustices and the other wrongs that are committed