"Well, that is his opinion. He managed to become a minister because of me. If I want to tell old stories, it will turn ugly. I don't like digging up dirt from the past...we all have committed sins, but some just don't want to talk about it."
Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir said this in an interview with a news portal when asked to comment on the remark by Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi that the current government should not be blamed for the high cost of living as it was merely cleaning-up the mess left behind by previous leaders.
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I think Dr Mahathir was giving his forethought. Nothing's wrong with that because Zahid did not name the 'past leaders' and did not even criticise him.
Zahid himself - among the first things he did after being appointed deputy prime minister - was paid Dr Mahathir a visit, sought his advise and guidance. Zahid did that out of respect for the elder statesman and for having served him when he was No.1.
Remember when Dr Mahathir said he 'endorsed' Zahid's appointment as DPM? I believe he reckoned his former Ketua Pemuda. Zahid himself, in an interview with The Star, said the former PM deserves respect and recognition for what he had done for the country.
However, Zahid was only a Member of Parliament under Dr M's leadership. He got no Cabinet post, except for positions at Bank Simpanan Nasional and Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB). As the Umno Youth chief, he should have gotten it.
Zahid entered the Cabinet as the Deputy Tourism Minister and Minister at the Prime Minister's Department under Dr M's successor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Maybe Pak Lah appointed him at Dr M's recommendation. Could be. Maybe that's why Dr M said Zahid became a minister because of him, and maybe Zahid himself didn't know about it.
But Zahid went to Kamunting under the Internal Security Act (ISA) under Dr Mahathir's administration. Maybe Zahid should thank him too if that was the opening for him to reach the pinnacle of his politics.
Many of these are in past tense. We all know about it but some who don't will attribute Zahid's elevation to Dr M's charting. And whether its fact or not, does it matter?
Dr M himself said he didn't like digging up the past although he said 'Zahid's secrets are in his hands'. Nobody knows what they are but if we keep raking the past, we could end up digging the graves of our ancestors... and also Altantuya Shariibuu.
For what? What is our gain?
I agree with Dr M that we all have sinned. And its up to us to correct it. Like others, Dr M himself (I believe) are correcting or have corrected his. Our sins are between us and the Almighty and between the person(s) we had sinned.
So, what's the point of raking the past?
Also, a blog post by former Cabinet minister about the emergence of a new breed of neo-Malays in the country.
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Zaid Ibrahim chided Zahid for participating a religious function at the Dataran Merdeka on the eve of New Year, describing it as reflecting the values closer to that of the Talibans and militants of Islamic State.
Zaid described how the group, led by Zahid and Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor welcomed the New Year at Dataran Merdeka dressed in Islamic gear and prayer recitals while other Malaysians across the nation preferred to dance to music and play fireworks.
“Is this a new brand of Malay power?” Zaid asked of the men dressed in robes, serban and skull caps.
He noted they even saluted with clenched fists, much like the Nazis saluted Hitler and asked why they were even bothering to celebrate a Gregorian New Year that contained no element or historical significance to Islam.
Calling them 'neo-Malays', he said if Zahid ever came to power himself, most probably our politics and our new year celebration will drastically change as well. The very idea of it should send a chill through all our spines.”
Many were shocked with his statement. Describing them as neo-Malays equates them with radicals. Are they radicals for celebrating the New Year with a religious function?
Maybe Zaid was expecting the Malays and Muslims to celebrate New Year by attending parties, dancing and singing to the rock music and sipping beers, wines, tequila, champagne and vodka? That would get them out of his 'neo' labeling!
He was not aware that there are also other non-Muslim groups who celebrated the New Year by organising their respective religious events. And that also make them 'neo-Chinese' and 'neo-Indians' who are also equal to that of the Islamic State?
Maybe Zaid belongs to that 'Western-style' Malays but what Zahid and others did on that evening had nothing to do with how he is (or would) run the central administration. Maybe Zaid was petrified with his own hallucination about the future of the country if leaders like Zahid takes over the helm one day - no more New year celebration, dine, fireworks, beers and wine!
Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir said this in an interview with a news portal when asked to comment on the remark by Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi that the current government should not be blamed for the high cost of living as it was merely cleaning-up the mess left behind by previous leaders.
Zahid himself - among the first things he did after being appointed deputy prime minister - was paid Dr Mahathir a visit, sought his advise and guidance. Zahid did that out of respect for the elder statesman and for having served him when he was No.1.
Remember when Dr Mahathir said he 'endorsed' Zahid's appointment as DPM? I believe he reckoned his former Ketua Pemuda. Zahid himself, in an interview with The Star, said the former PM deserves respect and recognition for what he had done for the country.
However, Zahid was only a Member of Parliament under Dr M's leadership. He got no Cabinet post, except for positions at Bank Simpanan Nasional and Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB). As the Umno Youth chief, he should have gotten it.
Zahid entered the Cabinet as the Deputy Tourism Minister and Minister at the Prime Minister's Department under Dr M's successor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Maybe Pak Lah appointed him at Dr M's recommendation. Could be. Maybe that's why Dr M said Zahid became a minister because of him, and maybe Zahid himself didn't know about it.
But Zahid went to Kamunting under the Internal Security Act (ISA) under Dr Mahathir's administration. Maybe Zahid should thank him too if that was the opening for him to reach the pinnacle of his politics.
Many of these are in past tense. We all know about it but some who don't will attribute Zahid's elevation to Dr M's charting. And whether its fact or not, does it matter?
Dr M himself said he didn't like digging up the past although he said 'Zahid's secrets are in his hands'. Nobody knows what they are but if we keep raking the past, we could end up digging the graves of our ancestors... and also Altantuya Shariibuu.
For what? What is our gain?
I agree with Dr M that we all have sinned. And its up to us to correct it. Like others, Dr M himself (I believe) are correcting or have corrected his. Our sins are between us and the Almighty and between the person(s) we had sinned.
So, what's the point of raking the past?
Also, a blog post by former Cabinet minister about the emergence of a new breed of neo-Malays in the country.
Zaid described how the group, led by Zahid and Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor welcomed the New Year at Dataran Merdeka dressed in Islamic gear and prayer recitals while other Malaysians across the nation preferred to dance to music and play fireworks.
“Is this a new brand of Malay power?” Zaid asked of the men dressed in robes, serban and skull caps.
He noted they even saluted with clenched fists, much like the Nazis saluted Hitler and asked why they were even bothering to celebrate a Gregorian New Year that contained no element or historical significance to Islam.
Calling them 'neo-Malays', he said if Zahid ever came to power himself, most probably our politics and our new year celebration will drastically change as well. The very idea of it should send a chill through all our spines.”
Many were shocked with his statement. Describing them as neo-Malays equates them with radicals. Are they radicals for celebrating the New Year with a religious function?
Maybe Zaid was expecting the Malays and Muslims to celebrate New Year by attending parties, dancing and singing to the rock music and sipping beers, wines, tequila, champagne and vodka? That would get them out of his 'neo' labeling!
He was not aware that there are also other non-Muslim groups who celebrated the New Year by organising their respective religious events. And that also make them 'neo-Chinese' and 'neo-Indians' who are also equal to that of the Islamic State?
Maybe Zaid belongs to that 'Western-style' Malays but what Zahid and others did on that evening had nothing to do with how he is (or would) run the central administration. Maybe Zaid was petrified with his own hallucination about the future of the country if leaders like Zahid takes over the helm one day - no more New year celebration, dine, fireworks, beers and wine!