Tun Dr Mahathir: Democracy should be reflective of the majority

Fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that dermocracy should be reflective of the majority and not pander to whims and fancies of the minority.

“Bullying a small country is the right way to do things. They are democratic within their own country but not with other countries. They are hypocrites and their policy becomes the policy of the world”.

“Democracy failed in many countries. It is not neccesarily good. In China, there is no democracy. But they progress well. In some countries which is democratic (changed leaders every two years), they see no progress”.

“Globalisation is only if we can go anywhere and settle down anywhere”, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad interpreting ‘Globalisation’, “Not just the free movement of capital”.

“The interpretation is only one side and they practice discrimination. The only want to use the free movement of capital to exploit poor countries”.

“Why not allowed 150 million Chinese, 100 million of Indians and 20 million of Indonesians move and work in the US and EU? They are very hard working people. There should be free movement of people just like the free movement of capital. Its only fair”

“Citizens of the world should sit down together and discuss and not just only some small group of people , especially the rich. Everyone should have the right to voice their opinion and that is true global democracy”.

“There is no democracy in the world. The logic makes no sense. If they can’t kill one person, then they should not kill 1,000 persons. Killing as a solution to resolve issues is primitive and barbaric. No country should have nuclear weapons. When they have issues, they should sit down and negotiate”.

On the topic of ‘Media Liberlaisation’, “Everyone carried a ‘broadcasting station’ in their pockets”.

“There is no ‘Freedom of Media’ anywhere in the world. Maybe Government cannot control the media, but other people is able to control media. The owners appoint the editors and not the public”, relating his experience that one of Rupert Murdoch’s newspapers once reported that he was bribed RM60,000 for a contract for a British firm.

When talking about blogging as part of new media, he spoke about ‘digital democracy’. “It can be controlled by Government using technology. We hope media to regulate itself but its a hopeless notion. It is extremely difficult”.

“Government should look seriously into these ‘Liberal Media’. There are many good ideas. They should use this alternative media to understand the ‘feelings’ of the people”.

“Government should take heed what has been discussed and consider accordingly in their policies. Some people can be very critical.”

“Democracy failed in many countries because they failed to deliver. It is not easy to deliver but some people make promises because they did not expect to win”.
“This country should have a strong Government. You can do unpopular things and carry it through. What is popular does not mean it. Is easy not to do.”

“Anwar is now being charged with the same crime. It is the same Government who did not agree with me who released him in 2004 but later get him again for the same crime. They did not charge him for something else. Probably it could be true (that he did those crimes).”

courtesy of the "thirteen million plus ringgit" guy rambles....