BN man gives ‘evil’ Dr M a tongue lashing

Seeing red over the former premier's call for Najib Tun Razak to quit if he does not secure a two-thirds majority, S Vell Paari fires a vitriolic salvo.

PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s call on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to relinquish his post if he is unable to secure a two-thirds majority for Barisan Nasional in the next election has ruffled the feathers of a ruling coalition leader.

Without mincing his words, MIC strategy director S Vell Paari fired a vitriolic salvo on the former premier’s “evil actions” during his 22-year tenure in office.

He also reminded Mahathir that his constant rantings and his association with groups like Perkasa were among the main resons why Najib would find it difficult to obtain the desired majority.

“Was it not Mahathir who said ‘even if I win by one vote, I would still rule’. Was it not Mahathir who said ‘under the Westminster (British) parliamentary system even if we win by one seat, we would continue to rule’.

“Mahathir defeated Tungku Razaleigh by a mere 43 votes (in the Umno election). Did he not continue to rule for another 15 years. So why should Najib resign?” he asked.

To illustrate his point further, Vell Paari quoted the words of the “great soul” Mahatma Gandhi to criticise the “not so great soul” Mahathir.

Gandhi, he quoted, said that the spirit of democracy was not a mechanical thing to be adjusted by abolition of forms and that it required a change of heart.

“Mahathir treated democracy as a mechanical object that he could control to suit his whims and fancies via policies of racism and inequality to remain in leadership,” he told FMT.

Taking a swipe at the former premier for criticising his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s leadership, Vell Paari said the latter inherited a government that was replete with Mahathir’s “evil policies”.

“Abdulllah returned sanity into the government via a change from dictatorship to freedom,” he added.

Quoting Gandhi, who said that leadership at one time meant muscles, but today meant getting along with the people, Vell Paari said Mahathir ruled with an iron fist, using the courts and draconian laws against citizens and political opponents.

“Abdullah brought back justice and independence into our justice system when he compensated the judges who were victimised by Mahathir.

“Najib, on the other hand, introduced the 1Malaysia concept to cement racial ties while Mahathir continues to drive a wedge between the people to remain relevant. Najib also repealed the draconian laws which Mahathir used to silent dissent,” he added.

The ‘evil Mahathirism’
Vell Paari also recalled another quote from Gandhi, where he said that constant development was the law of life, and a man who always tried to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drove himself into a false position.

“Malaysians have evolved and want a better Malaysia. But Mahathir cannot accept this Malaysian renaissance of equality and he lives in an illusion of what he believes is the right Malaysia,” he said.

On the quote that one could imprison a body, but not the mind, Vell Paari said: “One does not have to be a rocket scientist to know who I am referring to, Mahathir’s favorite person called Anwar Ibrahim.”

“PKR would not exist if not for your action against Anwar. It is your actions that bolstered the opposition and not the doing of Abdullah or Najib,” he added.

Taking a swipe at the former premier over his role as the patron of Perkasa, Vell Paari said it was difficult for Mahathir to shun evil.

“This is because for 22 years, he used an evil ideology called ‘Mahathirism’ and now he refuses to give this up as shown by his support for Perkasa.

“But then we must give Perkasa credit that despite being a Malay extremist movement, it has been gracious enough to appoint a man with strong Indian roots as its patron,” he added on a sarcastic note.

Acknowledging that Mahathir had brought about development for this nation, Vell Paari however said that because of his actions, history would only remember his misdeeds.

“I firmly believe in the words of Najib that he is willing to right the wrongs made in the past, and so I am confident that Najib would undo the evil legacy of Mahathir to build a better Malaysia,” he added.

When pointed out that his father, former MIC president S Samy Vellu, was a staunch supporter of Mahathir, Vell Paari said MIC, like Malaysians who once venerated the former premier, had evolved.