Do we really need more Ibrahim Alis?

The Dr Mahathir Mohamad-Ibrahim Ali afflliation is certainly not in the best interest of the nation.

COMMENT

The nation’s most opinionated politician, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, seems to be having a problem leading a quiet life. Instead, the former prime minister is unable to do without the public glare, never mind that it often ends up revealing the ugliest of truth about him.

Yet, Mahathir, who is no stranger to controversies, seems to thrive each and every time he opens his mouth.

From calling his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi “stupid” to doubting Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s leadership qualities, Mahathir has practically opened up his own can of worms.

For a leader who has been revered as a “statesman”, Mahathir has time and again proven that he has little to boast of as a statesman.

On the contrary, he has gone on post-retirement to expose himself as a racist bigot, a politician who plays to the gallery only to fulfil his own personal agenda.

Recently, Mahathir did it again, earning the ire of the rakyat when he said that the country will only be safe if it has more “Ibrahim Alis”.

Just what was the 87-year-old Mahathir thinking of to come out with such a ridiculous suggestion?

How long more should Malaysians tolerate the nonsensical antics of Mahathir or for that matter why should the rakyat pay any attention to what this longest-serving prime minister has to to say, if Mahathir continues to insult the intelligence of the people whom he once served?

Mahathir, who is patron of Perkasa, has urged Barisan Nasional to field Ibrahim under its banner in the coming general election.

Should BN oblige, Mahathir says, he is willing to travel to Ibrahim’s constituency of Pasir Mas to campaign for the ultra-Malay politician.

Enemy of the nation?

While he has been lauded for taking Malaysia to greater heights, Mahathir has also done his fair share of harm to the nation, by not only leaving behind “shackled” mindsets but also by widening the racial chasm.

It was Mahathir who belittled the non-Malays when he reprimanded them to be eternally grateful to the Malays for allowing them to call Malaysia their home.

And now while he is busy endorsing extremists like Ibrahim, all that the rakyat can say is that they regret having given Mahathir the 22 years to lead Malaysia: the damage done by this fourth prime minister is irreversible.

Ibrahim, 62, meanwhile has never shied away from threatening the non-Malays when it comes to the issue of Ketuanan Melayu or Malay supremacy. It is also Ibrahim who showed no respect when he suggested that the Malay-language bibles be torched for using the word “Allah”.

To Mahathir, it was no act of disrespect and malice on Ibrahim’s part. Defending his “understudy”, Mahathir said Ibrahim, the Pasir Mas MP, was merely referring to a common practice of burning publications that have been identified as illegal.

The Mahathir-Ibrahim Ali afflliation is certainly not in the best interest of the nation, despite the former’s claim that Perkasa is a “force” to be reckoned with, boasting of a 400,000 membership.

Time to retire for good

The rakyat clearly are not interested in Mahathir’s rantings, so why then does the good old doctor not get the message?

Or has Mahathir become immune to feedback coming from the people and remains recalcitrant in wanting to speak his mind, albeit it being nothing but crap – be it about the nation being in safe hands with leaders like Ibrahim or that the Rosmah Mansor biography is an asset in shaping the minds of generations to come?

The people have moved on post-Mahathir and it is time that Mahathir did the same, putting an end to his never-ending hunger for glory.

Had Mahathir spoken words of wisdom, the scenario would have been otherwise; instead, to the rakyat’s horror, he has started relishing his role as the devil’s advocate, serving to achieve no one’s interest but that of himself.

With the country now abuzz with the 13th general election, one hopes Mahathir takes the cue and calls it quits as far as seeking attention and praise go.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.