| End of Mahathirism and the Last Keris Standing? |  |  |  |
| Posted by admin | |
| Friday, 11 April 2008 09:41 | |
| The impending fall of the Abdullah Badawi empire is a symbol of the strong winds of change that continue to be fuelled by the advent of Internet technology, the widening of democratic spaces, and the growing threat to the dominance of Pax Barisan-Nasionalisma. Dr. Azly Rahman I recall this theme of deconstructionism eulogised by the German rock group Scorpions in their song 'Winds of Change'. Fukuyama, then an analyst with Washington-based neo-conservative think-tank RAND Corporation, became an American idol in political science, thanks to Time magazine and the American corporate media sympathetic to the cause/civilising mission of the American Empire. Partly incorrect and one not so visionary of an analysis however, was his prediction that the world will not see any more 'struggles via revolutions' as the thesis-antithesis or the dialectical-materialism of international relations will see the triumph of the 'forces of democracy'. What eventually happened was not the end of history but the beginning of another form of history, one analysed by a prominent political scientist Benjamin Barber as 'Jihad versus McWorld'. The world is seeing the growth of anti-globalisation forces as a threat to the empire. A 'Balkan-isation' of international relations was in progress instead of Fukuyama's prediction of the total hegemony of the American Empire. Small states continue to revolt against the McDonald-isation of American ideology and the inscription of its totalitarianism onto the landscape of the modern world, giving rise to the idea of the continuation of dialectical and historical patterns and not ones that signified the end of all histories. End of Mahathirism? Here at home - are we witnessing the end of 'Mahathirism'? I see a parallel to this syntagmatic idea in the current happening in Malaysian history. The continuing implosion that is destroying UMNO and the rise of progressive forces of Malaysian politics in the post- March 8 2008 era, represents the symbolic end of Mahathirism's dominance and the beginning of the 'total rupture' in Malaysian politics. We are witnessing the end of an epoch and the beginning of deconstructionism. It is an exciting time looking at it from postmodern perspectives, analyzing it from the worldview of postmodern sensibilities. The impending fall of the Abdullah Badawi empire is a symbol of the strong winds of change that continue to be fuelled by the advent of Internet technology, the widening of democratic spaces, and the growing threat to the dominance of Pax Barisan-Nasionalisma. I see the metaphor of 'tearing down the wall' in Malaysian political ideological scenario and see the image of Mahathir as metaphor of 'the last man' and the end of 'history as we have learned to be shaped by'. One speaks of 'isms' as process-oriented ideological march founded upon the hegemony of an idea whose time was made to come. I see it as a 'monad' or a 'moment in history' or as Antonio Gramsci would say, a 'historical block' that has come about as a consequence of a crystallisation and sub-crystallisation of an idea promoted as 'intellectual and moral leadership'. Because Mahathir articulated well his interpretation of the Malay Dilemma and because the Malays in general see it as a document that analysed the past, present, and future of the Malays, the writer of the banned book subsequently gained ascendancy as prime minister. Dilema Melayu/The Malay Dilemma, as scrutinised by the anthropologist Dr Syed Husin Ali for example, was flawed in its analysis of Malay socio-culture and 'genetic-based' argument on the inferiority of the Malays. It became popular because Malay politicians did not read enough to critique the presentation of the dilemma and that the time was ripe to counter any effort to establish a multi-cultural political front to divert the nation off the entrapment of race-based politics. Like Reaganism, Thatcherism, and other forms of 'isms' associated with the primacy of corporate-capital nexused in a post-Fordist form of corporate-industrial-political-intellectual complex, Mahathirism is an ideology. While many may disagree with the 'personification' of a neo-colonialist agenda in that term 'Mahathirism', and in fact one that might further glorify the person, I see it necessary to continue to have it 'named' so that one may deconstruct and rename it. Total power Mahathirism, is a symbol of the dominance of one person whose political life- history revolves around the maintaining of, acquiring, sustaining, consolidating, and homogenising total power through a clever crafting of a succession of hegemonic formations. It rests on the philosophy of 'we versus them' and the dichotomisation of political forces and on the practices of a more sophisticated version of the colonialist divide, conquer, and rule strategy. These Machiavellian-formulations rest upon a more advanced system for capitalist formation fondly called 'the Asian-style democracy'. It is understandable then that the current administration called the nation to embrace the concept of Ying Yang in a nation that dances the hip hop and the elected representatives doing the be bop while the teenagers are going back to doing the rock and roll. Mahathirism is a moment in history that benefited from the pre-War on Terrorism period of global economic boom, pre-9/11 historicity, and one that helped fuel the economy through borrowed monies and borrowed paradigms of economic development, and one that gave a blank cheque till the year 2020 (Wawasan 2020) to the ruling party. Mahathirism, psycho-socially is a paradigm that recast the thinker Syed Hussein Alatas' thesis of the image of indolence, dullness, and laziness amongst the natives. This time, the 'ills' are remedied by the imposition of Japanese work ethics, productivity, non-unionisation laws, and other structures of control imposed to turn the Malaysian labour into better human-machines. This in turn will help the national engine of growth run well, so that foreign owners, in collaboration with the new 'glocal capitalists', may exploit it more efficiently. In the now world-renowned political-anthropological study of 'the lazy natives', the colonialists painted the image of indolence amongst the Malays, Indonesians and the Filipinos. In today's analysis, the image of the native is the industrial and modern agricultural worker transformed into lazy thinkers and happy consumers through the structurations of the hypermodern capitalist system. In Mahathirism, technology shapes consciousness and changes the social relations of production, transforming landscapes of nature into huge real estate projects such as the Multimedia Super Corridor - changing the way we live, transport/teleport ourselves, and the pattern of consumption and leisure. Those who own the means of importing technology from abroad, with paid advice from International Advisory Panels, own the means of transforming consciousness and hence will define the existence of the natives, through the hyper-modern Asiatic mode of production. I think of Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' as a symbol of the theme song of this historical block and quite incidentally a favourite song of many of the Cabinet ministers and Chief Ministers. Mahathir the author of Mahathirism, through his authorship, created autocratic systems that automate the minds of the natives so that they may become automatons in a system that continue to this day to embrace and celebrate authoritarianism, Asian style. There are many other areas of Mahathirism that I think can be of research interest to Malaysian scholars, especially to those from the Institut Pemikiran Tun Mahathir, Universiti Utara Malaysia itself. But I suggest these scholars equip themselves with the tools of critical cultural analyses, critical ethnography, radical anthropology, or reflective sociology in order to produce commendable work on Mahathirism - to understand what makes Malaysians afraid to think and speak up and how they have become, as the American sociologist Herbert Marcuse calls, 'one-dimensional' beings. Tearing down Mahathirism Spaces of dialogue are being created, a symbol of the tearing down the walls of Mahathirism. The deafening call for an inquiry into the award of Approved Permits, the setting up of the Malaysian Institute of Integrity, the repeated calls to provide the academic community with signs and symbols of academic freedom, the boycott of campus elections, and the growing demand of the economically marginalised to be attended to - all these represent the possible end of Malaysian history as we know it. All these culminated in the major rupture of the empire of the National Front. Teh end fo Mahathirism signalled the beginning of three fronts-- Barisan Nasional, Barisan Rakyat, and Barisan Bloggers -- vying for power in a world increasingly mediated by digital communication technologies. The Axis of Contradictions (National Front-People's Front-Bloggers' Front) present an interesting synthesis out of the dialectical materialism of the evolution of Malaysian radical-alternative politics. Mao's theory of knowledge can be tested here if one wishes to study the cognitive aspects of the "Malaysian Revolution" or "Asian Implosion and Evolution or Implovolution" of March 8 2008. 'The centre cannot hold' goes the cliche for post-modernism borrowed from the words of WB Yeats, one apt to be applied to this Fukuyama proposition in Malaysian politics. Speaking of the incapacitation of our thinking and reflecting capacity, I am reminded of the lyrics of Pink Floyd's 'Brick in the Wall' which goes, 'all and all we're just another brick in the wall..' as we look at the condition of human existence in the world of the global production system. Mahathirism represents that world - of silencing the masses so that they may work and produce with unquestioning devotion/bakthi and dharma to the new colonial masters of Japan, the United States and Europe. The slogans Kerja Sebagai Ibadat, Kepimpinan Melalui Teladan, Bersih, Cekap, Amanah and I.T. untuk Anda represent the slogans for the monad/Gramscian historical block/Asian Despotism that characterised the socio-political milieu of the Mahathir era. This is the sangsara of the philosophy of economic development based on the pursuit of artha (harta= material wealth). The system creates the Duryodhanas (durjanas=corporate pirates and raiders) of the global capitalist system that become 'glocalised" in the neatly but hegemonistically explained language of Friedmanian economics. As a keen student/observer of totalitarianism and hegemonic systems created by human beings, I am interested in analysing how these struggles for a cosmopolitan, cosmotheandric, and 'conscientisation'-ised pattern of struggle continue. I am reminded by the theme of an essay 'Postmodernism, or the cultural logic of late capitalism' by American literary theorist Frederic Jameson as I write about the ruptures, the waning of affect, the sense of fragmentation, and the clichés and subalternisation of the Grand narratives in Malaysian politics in general, and in the deconstructionism of Mahathirism in particular. Will the events after April 14, 2008 tear down the wall completely? Or a second 'mental revolution' to debunk and revise Sanusi Junid's thesis in Revolusi Mental, produced in the late 1970s do that?. But Sanusi Junid's thesis is also well-debunked as it is derived from the paradigm of Mahathirism and the urge to promote the ethos of Reaganomics and the ideology of Asian corporate capitalism. Sanusi Junid in fact need to read Lacan and Derrida to deconstruct his own worldview on mental revolutions. I suppose the "utopianism" conjured by the intelligentsia will always contain the seeds of dystopianism that have germinated as evident by the destruction that has happened in the four years of the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi rule. A nation does not live on borrowed ideology of JD-Rockefellarism alone. I suggest Malaysian social scientists interested in deconstructionist theories study these developments - so that we may construct newer theories of hegemony and totalitarianism, inspired by and in honor of the work of Syed Hussein Alatas. Let us explore what the new myth of the lazy natives mean through our analysis of 'the end of Malaysian history and the last man', or rather to analyse the end of Mahathirism and the last keris standing. After Mahathirism and the end of history, what must we expect? Will the perfect society organized around truly egalitarian principles with transcultural philosophy as the guiding light be the end of it all? Or will we see perpetual peaceful, Internet-inspired revolutions laced with creative and ethical anarchism be the feature of this Malaysian state? Let us talk about this.Comments (75)  ... written by NickChan, April 11, 2008 09:50:23 boring same old article from dr azly again report abuse disagree 39 agree 11 ... written by colorsinlife, April 11, 2008 09:58:00 Yeah boring stuff .... this guy belong to University lah ... This Mahathir guy... is so fun so humurous and witty, well read, speaks well so wicked, so corrupted... I wish Hollywood, sorry since he is *****, Bolly Wood can do a movie on him ... Somebody you LIKE to HATE .... Wonder why he opened a bread shop, and NOT a ***** NASI KANDAR ..... report abuse disagree 13 agree 77 ... written by quietguy, April 11, 2008 09:58:42 Yeah, this guy uses too many big words that goes *whoosh* way over my head. report abuse disagree 11 agree 23 ... written by jammary88, April 11, 2008 10:12:02 Appreciate if he can summarise his essay, it's too long n boring. report abuse disagree 6 agree 35 ... written by Capt Siva, April 11, 2008 10:27:59 while it is true that the author uses many difficult english words and vague concepts of literary grandeur, the piece is relatively easy to understand. Old Man Mahathir thought he was the cleverest of us all. He was of the opinion that the sweating masses are ikncapable of deciding their own futures. He created, forged and machined to perfection (in his ideal world) a system that uplifted and enlightened the average peasant. And this was not a good thing because ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAN and ALL MEN SHOULD BE MASTERS OF THEIR OWN FATE. What a load of crock. Tun Mahathir was probably the only saving grace for this country. All men are not created equal, at least not as far as ability and survivability is concerned. In each race, there are the geniuses and the dullards. The only point of difference is the percentage of each within different races. Races that created civilizations earlier e.g. Iranians of Mohenjo Daro and those whose past is cluttered with starvation, overpopulation and disease are doomed to have an increased sense of needing to survive no matter the cost. These people will work their brains and bodies out to get enough to eat. Whereas the races that did not have to struggle to survive, like those in the polynesian islands, did not develop this killer instinct to survive. They have become or are becoming like the dodo bird, that went extinct because it could not fend off the rats, cats and dogs that were introduced into the dodo's native habitat. But all is not lost. Survivability can be taught, though the lessons will be harsh and may be unacceptable to the sensibilities of a so called "gentler" race. If the "gentler" race is molly-coddled into thinking that they are entitled to "manna from heaven" just because they are the "gentle" race, then they are doomed to become stupid, inefficient and poor. Mahathir tried to change the mindset of the people receiving the manna in his last days. But nobody wanted to listen. It is far easier to say that it is our right to receive a good life for free because we are the "gentle but lazy" people. Genetics be damned. The people can be trained. but we need a good leader. Is there a hero out there............................... report abuse disagree 10 agree 55 ... written by LC Teh, April 11, 2008 10:37:01 My interpretation of this mind-boggling argument: Moving from a manipulated population under a dictatorial government to a hopefully participative citizenry who provide feedback to a democratic government. report abuse disagree 1 agree 9 ... written by mykantree, April 11, 2008 10:44:21 Dear Dr. Azly Rahman, I am actually quite impressed with your incisive analysis of the Malaysian political and social developments over the last 2 to 3 decades.However I do agree with some of the commentaries and feed back from your readers that your tendency to use bombastic words may be a little too much for the readers. If your intention is to communicate, and communicate effectively with all of your readers, please tone down the bombastic lingo sikit, so that we are completely with you and more importantly, following you and following you correctly. Sorry to say that there are't many English language professors or historians amongst us.Hope you are not offended!. report abuse disagree 2 agree 58 ... written by JaguhKampung, April 11, 2008 11:10:46 Everytime I read Dr Azly's stuff, I have to call dictionary.com flipping back and forth as I track word by word in each sentences. It's a learning experience reading each of Dr Azly's pieces everytime. Most of the time, I have to re-read to understand the message. I like it.  He sees things from a very different angle and in multiple dimension. It's good political and English lesson. report abuse disagree 7 agree 18 ... written by Dr Azly Rahman, April 11, 2008 11:13:26 Folks, I appreciate your honest comments on the way I approached the subject matter. I am assuming that different people will read it differently and comment accordingly. Indeed this piece can also be a "university stuff". I am assume that MT readers are of a different breed -- critical and always looking for new ways of looking at things. Many of you can handle challenging materials like this, I think. We must constantly be challenged at the highest possible level of thinking because we must learn to understand and analyze how others can colonize us by using sophisticated language. Our national leaders have used language of "development" that mesmerize the poor and the dispossessed. We must be able to critically read the language they use. One way is to be exposed to the innerworkings of sophisticated language, master it, and use it to understand totalitarianism. We have so many intellectuals in our public universities who are now well-versed in teaching our students the nature of language of domination, including the language of Mahathirism, Reaganomics, Thatcherism, or even Islam Hadhari-ism. Let us learn from them. Shall we try to understand this piece that I humbly offer us as this week's reading? All thoughtful comments are highly appreciated as you have taken the time to read and to learn. In our forum, no one idea is more superior than another. The idea is to question everything, especially authority so that we can break newer grounds of thinking. report abuse disagree 4 agree 56 ... written by notsosmart, April 11, 2008 11:25:27 ............The impending fall of the Abdullah Badawi empire.............. ================================================= Above should be rewritten as " The impending fall of UMNO empire". report abuse disagree 1 agree 9 ... written by Nick Chong, April 11, 2008 11:34:37 The corruption of Mahathir SOROS REPLY TO MAHATHIR adapted from Bangkok Post I have always said Dr Mahathir is a menace to his own people. Now only you can see the effects of his foolishness when the ringgit has halved its value overnight and your economy goes kaput. Single handedly you have caused hardship to millions of your own people. You have built useless mega projects at tremendous cost to the country.The telecoms tower in Kuala Lumpur and the highest building in the world show how stupid you are. Not only does it cause massive traffic jam, it has totally no purpose. If you need high ground for telecoms antennae a nearby mountain is there for free. This tower has no purpose from the ground up to 300 metres. The satelites make this totally unneccesary. A fool and his money are soon parted. The only thing is you are the fool and the money belongs to Malaysians. You make 20% in evey project, you have real estate in Japan and billions of shares corruptly acquired. Your 3 sons are worth 8 billion US$. Where do they get this money? Of course, corruption. You are known as the Marcos of Malaysia, having enriched yourself to the tune of billions. You dare to shed crocodile tears during UMNO delegates meeting about the ills of corruption. Yet you are the most corrupt of all the prime ministers before you. A thief is crying thief and hopes people look the other way. Who dares to say anything when the chief is caught with his hands in the candy jar? You said wisdom is not the monopoly of the West. So is foolishness. You have more foolishness than most people would believe. Billions are used to build two high rise Petronas buildings that benefit nobody. It now stand tall, a symbol of stupidity and irresponsibility Instead they just add on to traffic jam. What is this reclamation of 10 islands off Kedah? Totally absurb and stupid. Of course your benefit is 20%. And the bridge across from Malacca to Sumatra across international waters? Why not build a bridge to the moon? I am sure you still can get your 20%. You called me a Moron. How can a Moron make so much money. By allowing short selling and borrowing millions of shares from your banks we fund managers made millions out of your inexperience and poor regulations. You lose all Malaysians money, therefore you are the Moron. Now you know too late and start crying over split milk. In Australia you are known as the recalcitrant ego maniac; in UK the corrupt bastard because of your stupid purchase of our movie studio and the 290 million ringgit Lotus racing car plant and the shady Pergau dam loans from the UK. They are useless to us and you still want to buy them. What about buying British reject submarines through your agent, of course. The agent/ broker is designed to make millions out of Malaysian government. Your purchase of our battleships is at least 50% more than others are paying. Your purchase of 9 hospitals from UK lock, stock and barrel does not support your local architects or your industry and the British send you obsolete medical equipment. The design is atrocious, one end to the other is half a kilometer and there is no CT-scan, an absolute necessity. In the Uk your face appears in no less than 17 newspapers as a corrupt dictator. In Malaysia you are known as the (IBM) International Big Mouth. In Japan they call him the 'smallest one' (brain size). In Pacific island the Santa Claus (giving advice left and right). In south America they call him the parrot (he talks a lot but does not know what it is about). In Manila the living Marcos. report abuse disagree 6 agree 62 ... written by Nick Chong, April 11, 2008 11:35:27 cont In Malaysia they are spending millions to lure tourists and you talk rubbish scaring every foreigner away. "When he is dumb he is doubted a fool, when he opens his mouth it removes all doubt." While I agree the West does not have the monopoly to wisdom, your actions are not the wisest either. Your EAEC has totally no support even in Asean. Your South-South dialogue mets with the same fate and what is this I hear of the Bridge from Malaysia to Indonesia covering 20 miles across International shipping lanes? How crazy can one get? Even the Japanese don't have the money. This world's stupidity seems to be concerntrated in one man's mind - yours. The multimedia super corridor - MSC -. Well in USA its most stupid concept because we Americans, would have thought of it light years before. Even if it makes money, we can copy this concept can't we? Why do you want to spend your hard-earned money doing questionable projects? It will be like the Bakun project. Abandoned fund wasted and another white elephant. I always say politicians should not be involved in business. Your ministers are also businessmen and almost every official is enriching himself. Look at Rafidah Aziz, selling thousands of Approved Permit for cars each worth 20-30 thousand Malaysian dollars. Why not your government sell them and make the money?She has acquired millions of shares meant for bumis for free before she agrees to list them. Look at your Selangor Chief Minister collecting millions for approving high rise buildings from businessman. He is worth a few billions. Unfortunately he was caught with a few millions pocket money in Australia.Every Chief minister is awarding useless projects to his cronies then collecting secret pay offs on the side.The Land development Boards and the Economic Development Boards are used to bailout any loses suffered by politicians. The profits they keep, the loses they force the Government bodies to absorb.How can your poor ever close the gap when every good deal is snatched by your politicians? How can your country get out of poverty if all the billions of corruption money is taken out of the country? Look at the Sarawak Chief Minister selling billions worth of timber concessions under the table; selling every piece of state land to businessman without tender; using his own companies to obtain lucrative government contracts; selling approval signatures for a fee 'you pay I approve'. He has 8 billion US stashes overseas. Thousands of acres of land are given to one or two companies while thousands of poor people still live in cardboard makeshift homes; have no water and shit into the river. Thousands of acres of land are sold to companies for plantations while the native don't have even one acre to their name. He is selling sand near the beaches to one company for earth filling and then ask the government to spend millions to protect the coastline when erosion occurs. He lost 300 millions of the sarawak government money trying to make computer chips. He has built a port in Northern sarawak town in water so shallow it needs dredging every year. The Prime Minister built highways without tender, your cronies get the deal and the price double. Your Langkawi airport runway is built is double the cost by your own company Ekran. report abuse disagree 4 agree 36 ... written by Nick Chong, April 11, 2008 11:36:18 cont The Malaysian nation has lost at least 30 billions during your last 10 years of corrupt rule. One billions lost from the purchase of phantom skyhawk war planes nobody has ever seen (are they still in the Nevada desert USA?). 3 billion lost from the London tin scandal (you thought you could corner the London tin market without knowing the Americans have a stockpile! Stupidity at its best. 6 billion Perwaja steel mill where nobody even know where the money goes, 3 billion bank Bumiputra scandal where George Tan bribed all the bank officials to lend him the money. 6 billion forex lost by Bank Negara (the fool and his money are soon parted) and 6 billion to build three of the worlds tallest buildings (built by Japanese and Koreans and furniture imported from France - not Malaysia) and 1 billion lost from purchase of British warship including fees paid to the broker and under the table. Add the 10 billion you stole and 5 billion taken by Ministers. In the 1997 the World Journalists meeting voted Dr Mahathir the Prime Minister of the Decade. It sounded strange to everybody until it was revealed those who voted against are threatened by IRD officers and with losing their jobs. In New York the United Nations 1997 meeting, the most corrupt Prime Minister of the decade is President Suharto and second Dr Mahathir (Actually Dr Mahathir should take first place but bribed the Indonesian to take honour of Number One. There are Fifty thousand of your university students are not given places in Malaysia but are good enough for places overseas resulting in billion of dollars lost.The British and the Australians are thinking how stupid.Your best students are sent overseas raising their standards while as in most countries the best are kept in local universities and the rejects sent overseas. A university student in Hong Kong is much more prestigeous than any Australian counterpart. You have been colonised by the British so long you cannot even educate your own people. Look at Hong Kong or Singapore less than 5% study overseas. All the money saved. Your country could save billions if every student overseas is recalled to a local university, and at the same time raising your own standards. report abuse disagree 4 agree 35 ... written by Nick Chong, April 11, 2008 11:36:57 cont Your people are still without shoes, without land to farm, without homes, bathing in rivers shitting in hole in the ground, without water and electricity. Your cities are concrete jungles without greenery and open spaces. Your KL is jammed with traffic. Yet you still keep on building high rises. You should come down from the clouds and stop daydreaming and firmly plant your feet in the ground. Your schools are cramped 500 students to an acre and thousands of acres are given free to some politician who leaves them idle. Your parks are being taken by politicians to build shophouses and every cabinet minister is a landgrabbing businessman who build roads only to their cronies' land. The Malaysians' prayer "Ya Allah, we thank you for your gifts of timber, oil and grain. But then the devil sent us corrupt Mahathir without a Brain And look we are back to square one again So just take Dr Mahathir back to Hell And we will be alive and well." In China people have been shot for embezzling one thousand dollars. With 8 billions you have stolen therefore you would be shot 80 thousand times. Now you are leading an anti-corruption campaign. We all know what you should do. Look yourself in the mirror. You see the crook there? Then use your left hand and handcuff your right hand. You have put the opposition leader and his son in jail when they said in parliament you are the richest PM in the world. And his colleague Mr Karpal Singh too for 2 years. So I get a reward or bribe if I now say you are the poorest PM in this world? Your 3 sons are sitting in the board of directors of more than 200 companies. They must have been educated in Harvard school of business and obtained distintions? Or is it "you don't know me you don't do business in Malaysia" law that applies. Billions of ringgit of Employee's Provident Funds and public Petonas funds are used to bail out your sons who make losses investing in every venture you thought you could make money. How unethical and corrupt. Every one of your politicians are sitting on the boards of tens of companies making thousands without any effort, lending their VIP names to borrow millions from local banks without collateral. Now these have become non performing loans. Now you want 20 millions Malaysian to sacrifice for the folly of ONE man? Why not the fool resign and admit he wasted and took most of the money. I could teach you how to put your economy on tract but first you must apologize to the Jews and the Malaysian people as well. 'SOROS' report abuse disagree 5 agree 43 ... written by Loh, April 11, 2008 11:48:57 ///Because Mahathir articulated well his interpretation of the Malay Dilemma and because the Malays in general see it as a document that analysed the past, present, and future of the Malays, the writer of the banned book subsequently gained ascendancy as prime minister./// In the modern world where pattern rights are legally recognized, the inventors’ rewards are protected. The first person who called the airline company to sell the information about a bomb onboard, a hoax it might be, was duly rewarded. Since then bombs have actually been smuggled onto airplanes, and suicide bombers got into airplanes to ensure precise timing for explosion. The author of the book intended to showcase that he was a Malay hero. It was a first, and the book served to prove the ethnicity of the author as Malay, which might not have been easily accepted then, based on the cold words of definition written in the Federal Constitution. It should be noted that non-Malays were admitted as UMNO members in the 1960s. When the founders of UMNO kept to their words on the Pakatan as Alliance, and governed the country for all Malaysians, the voice of extremism giving promise to the powerful beneficiary groups the rewards based on the concept of zero sum and ‘less men more share’ became the guiding light for UMNO members. Since then politics within UMNO has become the best paying profession ever created for men. The inventor was rewarded as prime minister. With oil money flowing, the prime minister was able to treat them as carrots for 22 years, distributing as he pleased, and some when not totally wasted are standing to show TDM’s contribution in development. His destruction of the mindset of his adopted race will remain to haunt them for generations to come. A man who has retired after having enjoyed the power as prime minister was jealous of the position held by his successor, appealed to voters not to return 2/3 majority to BN, and yet accused his successor of harming UMNO because the election results answered to his wishes, could not be sincere in wanting to see the nation prosper. When the head of government for 22 years was willing to see ‘political instability’ under his successor just to spite the current prime minister, one has to reexamine the sincerity of the author in writing the book in the first place. The book had to be viewed together with the fact that the author was calling for the resignation of the then prime minister, just like the father-and-son are doing to the current prime minister. Mahathirism is permanent interest to the person, through the games where the welfare of the people and nation are pawns for sacrifices. report abuse disagree 4 agree 21 ... written by FFT, April 11, 2008 11:56:27 And for Malaysia to go forward and evolve, "Mahathirism" must henceforth be classified as a symptom of psychiatric illness. And the man behind the name should be placed in a strait jacket and held in solitary confinement before he unleashes another round of destruction on the nation. report abuse disagree 2 agree 16 ... written by sampalee, April 11, 2008 12:10:00 The problem with academician[the majority]is they do not know how to articulate simply so that readers understand.Leave the same subject matter to RPK and it comes alive.Now you can realised why I often say RPK is God's gift to us. report abuse disagree 0 agree 8 ... written by mei yen, April 11, 2008 12:27:06 Dr. Azly Rahman: How is it possible for readers’ to approach a subject matter which they cannot really comprehend? Excuse my pun but your writing to a Malaysian audience at MT is similar to a woman going to the kampong in a mink coat. I am sure you can tell by readers’ comments day after day even on some very simple subject matters presented by MT that more often than not they do not understand by the same repetitive comments made over and over again without delving on the issues articulated by the authors . I agree, the MT readers are of a different breed -- critical alright but … not always looking for new ways of looking at things. You said, “Many of you can handle challenging materials like this,” …. Sorry Dr. I don’t think so. report abuse disagree 2 agree 9 ... written by astina, April 11, 2008 12:36:10 Dr Azly...wrote the following 1)Mahathirism, is a symbol of the dominance of one person whose political life- history revolves around the maintaining of, acquiring, sustaining, consolidating, and homogenising total power through a clever crafting of a succession of hegemonic formations. 2)Mahathirism represents that world - of silencing the masses so that they may work and produce with unquestioning devotion/bakthi and dharma to the new colonial masters of Japan, the United States and Europe. 3) Mahathir the author of Mahathirism, through his authorship, created autocratic systems that automate the minds of the natives so that they may become automatons in a system that continue to this day to embrace and celebrate authoritarianism Dr Azly probably has an axe to grind with TDM and TDM is no saint anyway .. The above 3 paragraphs implores that the natives are "stupid & lazy" in nature and TDM created this system to exploit their weakness.. Can any one of our sons of soil agree to this ?? Sorry if its offending and my appoligies. Dr Azly tends to promote his belief on Mahathirms as ideology thats similar to neo-nazi brain washing system. TDM has many flaws in his leadership but the aftermath of his modernization was a accelerated IT world which was dominant and used to the maximum by the opposition at the last GE Fortunately the rulings elites they were still very primitive in their thinking and forgot the younger IT savvy urban voters. TDM did infact encourage the natives to develop and shed the subservient culture inherent to them since the colonial days. Dr Azly may have his opinions on "Mahatirsms" however its best confined to Uni Lectures as case studies instead .. Still feel that TDM was not a bad influence in my thinking and me growing up as a person.. We welcome good practice and disregard bad ones based on our own belief and nots on some ideology .. report abuse disagree 12 agree 6 ... written by Malaysiaku, April 11, 2008 12:48:37 Yes, we are looking forward to the day that this ***** will no longer be with us. I remembered vividly that he is the father of corruption, the father of cronyism, the father of maginalisation, the father of cable riggings, the father of the collapse of Malaysia, etc. Boy, and he now wants us to believe that he is now the father to saving UMNO and Malaysia? report abuse disagree 1 agree 17 ... written by cruzeiro, April 11, 2008 12:54:41 Tun Mahathir was probably the only saving grace for this country. ================== Siva, With captains like Mahathirites around, the ships sure as hell would sink ..... Soros couldn't have summed it all any better. He was a disease inflicted on the nation, masquerading as the medicine for all the ills ..... and many unthinking peasants cheered him on! Cheers, Dr. Azly - nice piece! report abuse disagree 3 agree 14 ... written by cruzeiro, April 11, 2008 13:00:42 Mahathir tried to change the mindset of the people receiving the manna in his last days. =============== No Siva - he tried to perpetuate a certain mindset. Only people who benefited from his methods and gullible fools would think that way, buddy! And it didn't work when the coffers were empty - and he shed those tears cos he couldn't get his "manna". That's why he's trying quite hard to get Mukhriz up there by hook or crook, ASAP - and he's wetting his pants now that DSAI is on the comeback trail .... report abuse disagree 2 agree 11 ... written by cruzeiro, April 11, 2008 13:08:16 astina writes:- "TDM did infact encourage the natives to develop and shed the subservient culture inherent to them since the colonial days." ==================== Pardon my ignorance, astina - but which part of his policies discourage the subservient mindset? As far as I know, after "demolishing" the "colonial Gods", the locals were given a new an equally greedy "local Devil" of corruption to be subservient to ..... and money & selfishness has become God. That was my "growing up experience". report abuse disagree 1 agree 11 ... written by harrbm, April 11, 2008 13:12:37 > < I dont know about you guys but to me no such thing as Mahathirism. Great grandmaster Tun Dr.Mahathir had it all. TWENTY TWO YEARS in power ! Got almost everyone in his finger tips. You tell me how and why was this possible ! Grandmaster extraordinary Tun Dr.Mahathir is a brave man. He not only stood and speak up but put his foot down while others just let their noses being pulled around like heard of buffaloes. > < report abuse disagree 7 agree 8 ... written by Countach, April 11, 2008 13:13:26 Dr Azly, Mahathir has sodomised the country for 22 years. For more than 22 years actually, Mahathir , have con the Malays especially and stolen hundreds of billions from the country. Compare Singapore and Malaysia, Malaysia is just a backwater to developed Singapore. Why? For every mega projects Mahathir makes commissions in hunhreds of millions . Multiply that by 22 years and you will notice that Malaysia is now broke because of Mahathir. Mahathir is the Father of Corruption. Mahathir is the father of all things wrong in Malaysia. You put in Najis as Pm. Horrors of all horrors. No mongolian girls will be safe. report abuse disagree 2 agree 29 ... written by harrbm, April 11, 2008 13:13:55 > < Ooops forgot something. Please help to get YB Manoharan release from prison. > report abuse disagree 0 agree 7 ... written by Countach, April 11, 2008 13:14:38 Dr Azly, for 22 years Mahathir has a new colonial Master who is not white. Who is that colonial Master whoo is not white and who had stolen from the country? Mahathir. The Father of corruption. report abuse disagree 2 agree 12 ... written by technoboy, April 11, 2008 13:15:00 In short TDM thought that he could fool the people all the time, BUT the truth is you can fool people only for some time and not forever. So now we see a desperate old man at 82 trying and using every means at his disposal to bring down AAB with the aim of establishing his once powerful influence thru his son and the few leftover die-hard loyal he can still gather. What is going to be the end result of such efforts, UMNO will eventually be destroyed due to its' own internal destruction, none of the "so called" potential leaders can claim very much in terms of moral integrity; in fact their lack of credibility is a direct product of the type of political system and culture put in place by TDM himself. report abuse disagree 2 agree 18 ... written by Countach, April 11, 2008 13:15:35 cruzeiro, yes agreed. Mahathir is the evil of all evils. report abuse disagree 3 agree 17 ... written by raja seputeh, April 11, 2008 13:33:53 Which came first, the chicken or the egg? is the question of identity not one that most populations on earth are facing? Certainly the class and social revolution that has taken place in the UK since the end of WW2, the organic emergence of the concept of youth/teenager, the exponential development of technology, rejection of institutional religion, the acceptance of a new Sovereign (the European Union and the UN), amongst others, has caused every native Brit to contemplate the personal and national identity navel buttons. The truth is, the Brits are still none-the-wiser and are still grappling for a hold on any constant - but only for none to appear. a similar pattern is developing in Malaysia, with similar introspective questions raised. Again there will be no answer. Partly because as we globally homogenise, our distinguishing characteristics inherently disappear, partly because the tumult of tumultuous times wont allow us to crystallise long enough for the entrenchment of characteristics. i am naturally delighted to watch as the rakyat has grown from the inside to split and cast off its old, scarred, ugly skin on the 8th March. i am also delighted to see that the alloy underneath is strong enough to criticise even the revered RPK in his last few posts. But this strength will be sorely tested by coming events; global recession and depression of our major trading partners (USA, Europe), energy price hikes, environmental impact (including regulatory impact on business), food shortages, water issues. Historically, recession swings public sentiment to the right, with all the division that it may suggest here, let us hope that pakatan rakyat's achievements are swiftly gained and long-lasting. You are wasted as only a critic, Doc, I would love to read your thoughts on the future, a detailed description, an artist's impression painted in words, of an obtainable utopia for this country. report abuse disagree 1 agree 3 ... written by harrbm, April 11, 2008 13:42:23 > Dr.Azly wrote . . . Mahathir the author of Mahathirism, through his authorship, created autocratic systems that automate the minds of the natives so that they may become automatons in a system that continue to this day to embrace and celebrate authoritarianism, Asian style. > Dear Dr. Azly, Can you please elaborate in simple language how this "autocratic system" works to creat "automatons" Was DSAI refused to be automatons ? Thanks > < and please release YB Manoharan now! < > report abuse disagree 2 agree 2 ... written by SYXL, April 11, 2008 14:48:52 Even for Mahathir-admirers, the good things they can say about him cannot go beyond arguments that he (1) has his own vision for the nation; (2) was a man of action; and (3) stood up to the predatory West and their tricks. Was he also a nationalist? That depends on what “nationalism” is supposed to mean for Malaysia. Mahathir destroyed Malaysia’s most fundamental moral values and institutions. He was a one-man show. Like all dictators, to him, the “end justifies the means”. Like all dictators who fail to ultimately bring ANY GOOD AT ALL, the “ends” were defined by only he himself, as only he himself understood it. He could not put any value on anything that is not his own thoughts or convictions. Direct interference with the judiciary can never be justified on moral grounds. However, while the idea of an all-encompassing judicial objectivity is a myth inherited from the double-standards- practising West, Mahathir was not prepared to leave to chance that perhaps some in the judiciary, according to their own conscience and moral convictions, might be more flexible on their own accord when it came to arbitrating vital affairs of state. Convinced of his own mission, he felt justified in smashing up the judiciary, as he did with whatever other obstacles he encountered. Thus, inevitably, his legacy is total wilfulness and utter destruction – corrupting and debasing Malaysia’s politics and morals to depths that will continue to ruin and handicap the nation for decades to come. But Mahathir’s sins are no less UMNO’s sins, though it would and can never admit this – not only in its complicity in the corrupting acts of Mahathir (and enjoying the fruits thereof), but also in its inherent inability to move even a small step beyond pure, unadulterated racial politics. Though lacking real clout, the clowns MCA and MIC are no better. The saddest thing is that I fear that gradually from now to the next GE, we’ll see UMNO playing the race card in more extreme and sinister ways – because its very existence is inseparable from racial politics, just as it is inseparable from the race-based NEP or whatever new name that UMNO may cook up for it.. This is UMNO’s and Mahathir’s legacy to the nation. report abuse disagree 1 agree 15 ... written by 1st2stay, April 11, 2008 14:50:50 Dr. Azly Rahman, one of your best pieces written! Thanks! I really wonder who you mean when you state "I suggest Malaysian social scientists .."? Never seen or heard of them. And definitively not read their many articles in relevant journals. (Except of the few, a handful.) Would the developed country, a la 2020, not have real faculties of human sciences, psychology, sociology? Real ones, not those puppets who fight each other at snapping up a 'research' with an outcome defined before it starts; simply pleasing 'higher authorities'? I witnessed one, conducted by [academic scumbags in] a public university. Conducted for the previous MoHE, and corrupting all and any academic standards. No wonder, though. With appointments down to HoD being approved by the ministry, and the University and University Colleges Act in force, what to expect? That's actually the only item missing in your analysis, as well from all those declarations made by BR: Immediate and unconditional repeal of University and University Colleges Act! Malaysia needs, like any other country, independent jurisdiction and independent academicians, with freedom of research and teaching; only bound by science and truth. report abuse disagree 1 agree 9 ... written by Fart Fart Wah, April 11, 2008 15:11:30 the world was duped by an Indian wolf in Malay clothing..telling the Malays that for 22 years they were all stupid..no other Malay can fit the PM's shoes... 800 Billion OIL money was manipulated.for 22 years or is it more..where it went??? no accounts..with the riches Malaysia had any intelligent Malay/Malaysian with good advice( the ***** had good advisers too) can and could have done a better job..why give him a Tun...he was only doing his job as a PM....he was accountable to the people...I think it is time he be jailed and rot there... report abuse disagree 0 agree 10 ... written by apanama, April 11, 2008 15:15:09 wahlauwe SO SO SO boring one. people want to read cerpen lah bro. not drama 22 episod. kalau aku nak tulis cerpen, aku akan guna tajuk yang sama. tetapi, aku hanya nak tulis satu perenggan saja: THE END OF MAHATHIRISM BEGINS WHEN WE STRIP HIM NAKED IN PUBLIC, AND THEN WHIP HIS ARSE 22 TIMES FOR EACH YEAR HE RAPED THE COUNTRY. SEKIAN. report abuse disagree 0 agree 9 ... written by Thiru, April 11, 2008 16:57:56 Mahathirism ought to be recorded in history. HOW WITH ELEMENTARY BUSSINESS SENSE YOU COULD MAKE A RICH COUNTRY BANKRUPT? Take 20 % on all dealings. Let others do the job first and bill the government for a higher bill which will be paid, off course , less the agreed sum. How else could a road project go into billions and continued with the TOLL despite annual budget for public utilities. report abuse disagree 1 agree 7 ... written by Thiru, April 11, 2008 17:02:58 In short pure reckless management, if audited we will have heart attacks to see blantant mismanagement. report abuse disagree 0 agree 7 ... written by Countach, April 11, 2008 17:22:36 Dear Malaysians, Mahathir is kind of evil. He is a *****. So what is Mahathir? Malay? But Mahathir did not help the Malays. Indian? But Mahathir never help the Indians. Mahathir helped himself the the coffers of the country. Mahathir has sodomised the country for more than 22 years. Now Mahathir wants to sodomise the country into the future by pushing botak aka Mukhriz to be Umno youth leader. One Mahathir is already enough, Umno members please remember. No more ***** to lead the country to destruction. Mahathir shouls go into exile in Argentina. report abuse disagree 1 agree 11 ... written by Countach, April 11, 2008 17:25:12 astina, under Mahathir he has institutionalesed corruption to a perfect art. No evidence all the way. That I suppose under Mahathir, corruption has reach the ISO 2020 standard. Perfect. Ag and Police sats all no case. That astina I suppose is good practice under Mahathir. report abuse disagree 0 agree 8 ... written by Countach, April 11, 2008 17:26:46 Fart, Fart wah, where is thee the Petronas money of 800 billion? Mahathir has taken hundreds of billions of ringgit from Petronas. Where is the account for Petronas. Where are the auditors? report abuse disagree 0 agree 6 ... written by StevenO, April 11, 2008 18:08:34 Find out the truth of Madhatterism here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...re=related It's fake, it's over blown....... report abuse disagree 0 agree 2 ... written by FuLinYu, April 11, 2008 18:17:16 Astina wrote: TDM has many flaws in his leadership but the aftermath of his modernization was a accelerated IT world which was dominant and used to the maximum by the opposition at the last GE TDM did infact encourage the natives to develop and shed the subservient culture inherent to them since the colonial days. Still feel that TDM was not a bad influence in my thinking and me growing up as a person.. We welcome good practice and disregard bad ones based on our own belief and nots on some ideology .. Come on! Without being the PM, any average Tan, Deva or Zairi with some commonsense can do these. Is that all you expect from a leader? Or, yourself? Instead of raising the ante, you lower it for BN leaders? Sorry - isn't that the b** influence in your mind - being consciously unaware of accepting low, or worse, bad standards. Malaysia has better leaders. Let's give them a chance. report abuse disagree 1 agree 7 ... written by renoir, April 11, 2008 18:21:29 >I suppose the "utopianism" conjured by the intelligentsia will always contain the seeds of dystopianism that have germinated as evident by the destruction that has happened in the four years of the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi rule.]] The tragedy was that few, if any, Malaysian ever indulged in utopianism during the Tun's rule. This was largely because of 1)the dictatorship that excluded any idea of alternative forms of government, and 2)the world was undergoing its cycle of economic boom. This state of affairs WAS temporarily undermined by the Anwar affair, when the Reformasi movement occurred and visions for a better, kinder Malaysia arose. Still, the relatively well-off country was not ripe for utopianism, which flourishes best during times of distress and hardship. In this regard, it's not surprising that the recent electoral revolution - and hence high hopes for the future - seems to coincide with the current economic downturn. About the only merit of the Tun could be his independent stance vis-a-vis the big powers (as pointed out by Cruzeiro). Even that could be a put-on - a cheap show of nationalism as it was under his administration that the US nuclear-powered navy was allowed to dock at Port Klang, a violation of the ZOPFAN principle (as Syed Husin noted). Otherwise, Mahathirism was worse than Caesarism. If we take Julius Caesar as the embodiment of Caesarism, then we can say that, at least, the Roman wanted to rule because he truly felt Rome would be better off, and not because he - Caesar - wanted to to rich (that is, if we can believe Shakespeare's version). This, sadly, apparently isn't true of the Tun. What the future holds is difficult to say, but the fact that, with the new political climate and the rise of the internet, there's now room for more democratic - what Bakhtin might call "carnivalesque" - contestations, there's reason to be more hopeful. But we cannot, like Monte Cristo's advice to the son of his benefactor M Nortier, wait for that better future. We've to contine to struggle for it. LChuah report abuse disagree 0 agree 9 ... written by Malaysiaputra, April 11, 2008 20:49:49 Have a good laugh folks, for a change. This joke was sent to me by a friend. When Dr. Mahathir was Prime Minister of Malaysia One lousy day in the middle of the economic crisis, PM Mahathir was feeling extremely frustrated and wondering how a neighboring country can be doing better than Malaysia. One of his aides said, I heard that the leaders consult Feng Shui masters to ensure prosperity for the country. Dr Mahathir thought if that was the case, Malaysia Bomoh also can, and went to seek the top bomoh's advice in the country. After reviewing the case, the bomoh told Dr M that there were 2 things that he must do : Bomoh : Step 1. You must blame the crisis on SOROS for everything. Dr M : But Why ? Bomoh: Because SOROS stands for 'Speculate On Ringgit Or Stocks'. You must blame him, and look at ways to control the ringgit and stock market. Bomoh : Step 2 - You must get rid of ANWAR. Dr M: What! why him ? Bomoh: Because ANWAR stands for 'A Nation Without Any Ringgit'. Dr M: But how ? This is most difficult to do, he is popular with the people. Bomoh : Aiyoh, you bodoh lah! Look at your name, MAHATHIR. Make Anwar Homosexual And Then Highlight It Repeatedly. report abuse disagree 0 agree 13 ... written by Countach, April 11, 2008 22:18:12 Dear Dr Azly, Mahathirism =Corruption. report abuse disagree 1 agree 6 ... written by Experienced, April 11, 2008 23:17:39  That is true Dr. Azly. Everything was to be centered around him and his legacy. He didn't mind Malaysia's losses vis-a vis the world, so long as he was a hero at home through condemnations of the West and a hero outside through 'leading' or 'misleading' third world countries. What have been our losses?Our currency vs. Singapore's Paying Mitsubishi royalty for design of every Proton produced, when in fact Mitsubishi would have waived the royalty upon getting a whole Malaysian market Again one-sided agreements with toll operators despite soft loans where govt. subsidised the interest Privatisation or piratisation of tax-payers assets, viz. GLCs which were supposed to become more efficient, yet later charged more to show enhanced profits and purportedly paid more tax etc. over to others for more examples. The theory that can be advanced for this is that some people became richer, helped to propagate his leadership (for 22 years) and both became admired, so many of the masses dreamt they would be in the same shoes some day. But the emperor's clothes showed up and was not confined to the few around-thanks to the internet and SMS. The country was in debt for the sake of glorification. The sin was human resources were not developed, instead a dream place of physical monuments kept them drugged and sedated. Never mind if foreigners built them and we lost foreign exchange. The Malay Dilemma was not to send others for training overseas to come back and serve, but to bring inferior qualified human resources to marginalise them. Historically, the British were blamed when migrants were brought in, but migrants continue to come and are welcomed. Won't the natives lose again and be kept backward?  report abuse disagree 2 agree 5 ... written by SBennit, April 11, 2008 23:22:28 Good write, one of the best pieces..... ..... definately better than many of the other articles written in MT for the lower class peasants, like the one written by you know who, challanging one, you know who. To a duel to death! Now lets get back into discussions on not only the so called Mahathirism, but lets divulge into the person himself as he is still alive. Are we bluffing ourselves if we allow him to walk the streets with his head high as if nothing has happened. Are we allowing overselves to be bystanders, just like the Germans did during Hitler's time?? sbennit@yahoo.com report abuse disagree 1 agree 6 ... written by Dr Azly Rahman, April 12, 2008 09:06:53 Folks, These comments are getting interesting. Many of you understood the article well. Yes, I have thrown in some "postmodern terms"  My believe has always been that Malaysians now have good grasp of the English language, after 50 years of independence.Back to the article. Focus on the "ideology" of Mahathirism and not on the individual. Paradigms are in question here as they shape people into beings controlled by those who create paradigms. One nagging academic question is: how does the mind of Dr. Mahathir work? I suppose for students of cognitive science, semiotics, and totalitarianism like me, I am interested in analysing this from a scholarly point of view. report abuse disagree 1 agree 6 ... written by SUV, April 12, 2008 12:21:14 20 the century was the century of dictators..some of the were good,some of them were pure evil(stalin,hitler,mao etc etc..)...one sociologist frm usm(d article appeared in aliran) showed the simalrities between mahade n mussolini...but why evil rises frm time to time,why soul grabbing mofonuttons come to power,n control the entire population? report abuse disagree 7 agree 1 ... written by Countach, April 12, 2008 12:26:10 Dr Azly, how does the mind of Mahathir's work? 1) greedy, extremely! 2) jealous, extremely! 3)coveteous, extremely, 4) evil, extremely! 5_racist, extremely, 6)bigitry, extremely! 7)corrupted, extremely! Dictatorial, extremely!and ..........................much more extremely! report abuse disagree 1 agree 6 ... written by Countach, April 12, 2008 12:27:13 Experienced, absolutely right. Mahathir is the Father of Corruption. Mahathir is the cause of all things wrong in Malaysia. report abuse disagree 0 agree 4 ... written by Dr Azly Rahman, April 12, 2008 12:40:13 Dear all, Why did Malaysians allow one man to be in power for 22 years? How could this have happened? Will this continue to happen? What mechanisms allow the 22-year rule to sustain? report abuse disagree 0 agree 4 ... written by cruzeiro, April 12, 2008 19:42:24 Doc, You've asked a very good question - "What is Mahathirism?" It is many this to many people, just as Stalin's ideas were back then .... until of course he was totally discredited. Pardon my "French", but in "hardhitting" peasant language, it can be summed up in one word - "Bull". Almost everything he did for posterity, was simply that - he had set up numerous white elephants that lined pockets, which were covered up with more "bull" from the press. It means "Asian Values" as a front for absolute power. It also means that you suppress competition so that you look good. It means playing "race-politics" and preaching racial supremacy, while enslaving the minds of your own people. It means settling for mediocrity, while inflating the ego of "peasants" in Gucci suits. It meant creating jet-setting "rent-seekers" masquerading as successful entrepreneurs. Ethics be damned - Anything was game to him as long as it meant more power and money for his designates (including Family). You can bet your last buck that that is all that mattered in Mahathirism - and he'd be the first to call others shameless and whack them for it all! It also means that you should be able to shoot your mouth off, thinking that others are stupid. It means, the peasants should go "Oooh" & "Aaaah" looking at the shiny steel cages you build around them, while they feed on the scraps within. Last but not least, It means shamelessness! As for the academics' take on it .... I'll need to get my grey matter (or what'a left of it) working on a few papers before I articulate it. Tq. report abuse disagree 0 agree 4 ... written by SUV, April 12, 2008 21:20:41 dubya bush's is belived 2 b 91.hitler was just an ordinary foot soldier,and an average painter.and stalin was an intelelctual pigmy compared to trotsky,but,dubya,hitler,stalin all rose up,destruyed human lives,and almost destroyed the world.macam mana i ni boleh terjadi?ordinary mofonuts,having tremendous power? report abuse disagree 7 agree 1 ... written by SUV, April 12, 2008 21:33:45 i mean dubya's iq.imagine aah,mr 91 iq,leading a republic 4 8 years..macam mana ini boleh terjadi? even his shrink knows dat dubya is a sicko,yet,dis ordinary ex alcoholic sicko rose up,and has in a very short period of time created a huge mess all over the wold.as a result of this mofo,usa is divided.tun mahade is also in the same category report abuse disagree 6 agree 0 ... written by miwaki, April 13, 2008 00:15:41 I was intoxicated by the author's verbosity ! report abuse disagree 0 agree 2 ... written by Milo, April 13, 2008 01:27:10 If we can't understand Dr. Azly writings or words used, we can always read simpler stuff, which are plenty in MT. Our ignorance should not be used as a yardstick to bring others to our level. Those of his level probably find it less omph not to apply the rich linguistic asernal of words available to them to express their thoughts. Nearly all the books written by wellknown authors of best sellers are filled with words out of the vocab of most people. I enjoyed his writing even where there are many words I do not understand, but I used the online dictionary and learn more new words by the day. Isn't that a better attitude and more fun? report abuse disagree 2 agree 8 ... written by Milo, April 13, 2008 01:50:40 Dr. Azly: Why did Malaysians allow one man to be in power for 22 years? How could this have happened? Will this continue to happen? What mechanisms allow the 22-year rule to sustain? -------------------------- Because the system allows such leaders to rise to power. And there were no track record to guide or tell us this system was rotten - until now when we can look back and analyse based on the results. TDM'S leadership was not in question (that's his words still carry weight today tell a story); it was some of his policies and methods used that were in question. Abdulla's premiership failed precisely because of the lack of leadership and drive, even where the earlier declared policies and intentions were "right". Malaysians now have the "experience" and the wisdom of hindsight - and the last election demonstrated the intention not to allow history to ever happen again. With new "enlightened" leaders emerging both from UMNO-led BN and PR, the balance of powew, and the support of intellectuals like yourself, we have hope for the future. report abuse disagree 0 agree 5 ... written by SUV, April 13, 2008 14:09:45 Because the system allows such leaders to rise to power. ---------------------------------------------------------- how does one explain the rise of hitler,mao..etc etc..germany was the centre of scientific n industrial revolution,the land of arts culture,and mind numbing philosphy..and yet,frm this land,rose,a legion of possessed mofonuts,n turned ultra modern germany in2 a cold,dark,devilish,saruman.aah,find the primer,all riddle will b solved report abuse disagree 7 agree 0 ... written by SUV, April 13, 2008 14:13:37 and in soviet,see the differnce between trotsky and stalin..trostsky,gigantic intellec,and military genius,stalin pulak,paranoid,dumbo,soul grabber.how come,2 contrasting personalities rose 2 power at the same time? report abuse disagree 8 agree 2 ... written by Countach, April 13, 2008 19:54:20 Cruzeiro, Mahathirism = greedy for power and money and egoistic = racist =megalomaniac= Father of Corruption. report abuse disagree 0 agree 6 ... written by SUV, April 13, 2008 21:40:14 dalai lama vs mao anwar vs mahade trotsky vs stalin any more? report abuse disagree 8 agree 2 ... written by defendermalaysia, April 13, 2008 23:50:31 The media should publish "the corruption of Matahir " ref to the letter Soros send to Matahir adapted by Bangkok Post.Let everbody read this letter by Soros. Please refer to the posting send by Nick Chong at the top 10 comment on this page. Malaysia is in deep shitt today is because of dictator and corrupt of Matahir. AAB is not in position to clean this shit and so he choose a easy way out is by running the country auto pilot mode. so now it is Mahatir interest to back Najib so that to protect all his cronies and continue to pull strings from the back of Najib whereby everybody knows that Najib has a mongolian skeleton in his cupboard. Matahir can use this weapon to blackmail and control him from behind the scene. I hopethe other UMNO vice president do not fal into matahir trap. both Najib and AAB need to be replace in order to free UMNO from Matahirism. report abuse disagree 0 agree 6 ... written by Countach, April 14, 2008 09:47:35 defendermalaysia, thank you for the reminder. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by alan cheong, April 14, 2008 16:44:17 Doc, it isn't and shouldn't be abdullah badawi's empire alone. the mahahypocrite's empire, cronyistic empires, napoleonic empires and ALL dictatorial empires should never be allowed to form, grow or reign AT ALL. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by speakofthemind, April 16, 2008 17:46:55 Is this ‘Implovolution’ suggesting a real change in our Malaysian politics and society in general or it is only a perception of change? Let us ponder on this 'hope' of change. Just like Obama's hope for Change that is rallied by millions of Americans, It is something we can only know until the real change began. Promise of change gives a certain perception of positive future, a hope for the masses. This is what everyone loves to hear, and this is what gives the perception of reality to come, but when the reality is different, what then this change means? We can contemplate, but isn't politics is more about perception rather than reality? report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by Malaysiaputra, April 17, 2008 10:12:20 written by Dr Azly Rahman, April 12, 2008 | 12:40:13 Dear all, Why did Malaysians allow one man to be in power for 22 years? How could this have happened? Will this continue to happen? What mechanisms allow the 22-year rule to sustain? === To me Mahathir uses two approaches, to the Malays he touted the carrot of NEP and all its corruptions. To the non Malays, he uses the threat of May 13 if Umno/BN looses. The Malays choose him as they get so many free or easy material and monetary goodies. The non Malays choose BN thus Umno because of fear of another massacre as warned by TDM through reference to May 13 should Umno/BN looses. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by roguetrooper, April 18, 2008 11:09:42 How would you describe the man? Machiavellian, cynical, acid, strategist, sarcastic, witty, visionary, vindictive, intelligent, suave, debonair, diabolical? You can't really, at least not in a single word. In 1999 the BBC described him a 'strong man' (http://nva-nva.blogspot.com/) report abuse disagree 1 agree 1 ... written by Fart Fart Wah, April 18, 2008 15:33:51 tHE INDIAN WOLF IN BAJU MELAYU WAS ONCE A BRANDY SELLER ..FRANCISING HIS LICENCE TO A CHINA MAN IN IPOH...TODAY HE IS A BREADSELLER. 22 YEARS THIS SERIGALA HAS WHACKED..ALL OUR MONEY..WE COULD HAVE USED THE MONEY FOR BETTER PURPOSES LIKE FREE EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN AND BETTER UNIVERSITIES.. THIS SERIGALA...MUST ANSWER THE MALAYISAN PEOPLE..OPENTHE ACCOUNTS FOR THE 900 OVER BILLION OIL MONEY...NO ACCCOUNTS.... THIS IS WHY THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY UMNO, MCA OR MIC ..THEY WOLLOP OUR MONEY QUIETYLY AND BUILD PALACES LIKE MAT DEROS..OVERSEAS.... report abuse disagree 1 agree 2 ... written by Rhan, April 19, 2008 00:12:43 someone here mention dalai lama? the one who did cheap laboring for the west? pity him until now couldn't cant find a proper job to earn a decent living, like mahathir, still trying to keep on bull shit us into believing that their voice are relevant, and unlike mahathir, this dalai lama only have big mouth and no chances yet to misuse power to become corrupt, but again like mahathir, this monk favorite dirty tactics is always to incite racial tension in the hope to return for power. ya, one more below dalai lama = mahathir report abuse disagree 1 agree 1 ... written by Hiley, April 19, 2008 10:15:40 There was this Japanese guy. He’s got style. His father was in the construction business. In other words, father is a contractor, lah. His favorite band is scorpion. He follows the American Idol. His friend Neo (maybe mispelt from Neoh, a Malaysian) is a bit of a con and a cuckoo, he thinks he is a tank. Watched too much 'star wars' movie but still couldn’t get it –which is the villain – the Empire or the little guys. He got it wrong in his thesis. He thot he was doing science but actually it was just history. In his youth, he helps dad buys materials. He gets them cheap coz he speaks the dialect. Spends his barber money to go to McDonalds. So keeps his hair long like Che Guevara. I think the part about mahathir quite straight forward lah. So you guys manage it yourself lah. But just to help you a bit on that word “syntagmatic” – it’s when you use petronas lubricants on yr auto cars. The moral of Dr Azly’s brilliant discourse is – don’t be dogmatic! Oops sorry! Dogmatic – it’s a dog without a clutch! report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by SUV, April 19, 2008 10:54:06 rhan the lil red riding hood=mahade  report abuse disagree 1 agree 0 ... written by SUV, April 19, 2008 10:59:11 apasai owang macam mugabe,mahade,papa doc,franco,berkuasa lama..macam mana depa boleh naik "takhta" dgn cepat,dan bertahan lama dan utk menumbangkan mereka,revolusi diperluakn( utk sepak meraka keluar?) rhan,the mao lover can try anwering? report abuse disagree 1 agree 2 ... written by Just Gan, April 19, 2008 13:21:15 Couldn't resist posting my earlier comment - "Mahathir is Untouchable because he is a PARIAH !!!" . On a more serious note........ While Badawi is merely the Prime Minister, Mahathir was the Emperor to whom everyone, including the Agung and Sultans, were answerable - no one dared to say that the Emperor was naked during His Majesty's 22-year rule. Mahathir was so powerful that he could take on the traditional rulers, who were until then "above law", and reduced their powers and influence. The Emperor may have "retired" but he continues to wield immense power and influence. He has got a hold on practically everyone who matters in the running of this country - Badawi, Najib, Hishamudin, Ku Li, Anwar, the Sultans, Rafidah, the UMNO warlords, Taib, Samyvelu, Keng Yik, Kah Ting, Liong Sik, etc., etc. Even Karpal, Kit Siang and others in the Pakatan Rakyat are afraid to face Mahathir -If they are not afraid of Mahathir, why have they not proceeded with civil suits or at least set up a committee to investigate and publish Mahathir's wrong-doings (similar to investigative journalism). Even respected Human Rights activists such as our Pete (RPK) have been muted when it comes to Mahathir - Have you seen a "No Holds Barred" on Mahathir by RPK? As for the Rakyat, a segment of them are still mesmerized by Dr. Mahathir and can't see any wrong in what he has done and is doing. Another segment of the Rakyat had been so terrorised by the Emperor that they are still terrified and shrink in fear at the mere mention of "M". Mahathir is so confident of his power and strength that he challenged Badawi to set up a committee to investigate him, and what has been Badawi's respone? ................. (silence). Mahathir may not be sitting on the throne in Putrajaya but he is still the Emperor of Malaysia. Hence,is it suprising that he is "Untouchable"? I have no doubts that, when the final day comes, Mahathir will pass away without having apologized or answered to anyone. He is a Goliath. Unless a David emerges, the Goliath will pass away unscathed and would have left his legacy intact. Who is going to be the David, that is the question? report abuse disagree 0 agree 4 Write comment This content has been locked. 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