Papa Mahathir don't preach violence, reacts Umno Youth leader

Federal Territory Umno Youth leader Razlan Rafi launched a broadside on Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who said earlier today that violence is sometimes needed but should be the last resort to topple a regime.

"Of late, Mahathir is always asking people to demonstrate. This is not good advice for the people from a father," Razlan said in a statement.

Mahathir, who made the remarks during his keynote address at the Kuala Lumpur Summit 2015 this morning, later clarified that he was speaking in general and not in the context of Malaysia.

However, this did not prevent Razlan from responding to the former prime minister.

"When (the nation is) peaceful, you want to ask people to demonstrate, go to the streets, be violent. If not peaceful, what would be said then?

"There no leaders who want to see their people live in fear, except for those who wish to satiate their own hearts," Mahathir added.

Razlan said Malaysia practises an election system where the government is elected every five years.

"Once the election is over, work on developing the nation. If (we are) preoccupied with demonstrating alone, when do we develop (the nation)?" he said.

In his speech, Mahathir also pointed out that overthrowing dictators through violent protests had led to instability.

"In the end, what they get is extreme instability, so much so that the situation is much worse than when the authoritarian rulers were ruling the countries.

"We see a total destruction because someone feels that the countries should be ruled in democratic way, but they went about it in the wrong way," he said.

Ever since Mahathir made a double appearance at Bersih 4, he has come under criticism from Umno leaders for endorsing street protests, on which he clamped down during his time in office. -Mkini