Dr M bombs Anwar's 'unity govt' with WW2 ordnance

 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, once criticised by his detractors as an iron-fisted ruler during his first tenure as prime minister from 1981 to 2003, has now accused Anwar Ibrahim of exhibiting dictatorial tendencies.

Mahathir, who will be turning 100 in June, also harkened back to World War II to launch a barrage against his successor’s claim of leading a “unity government”.

He recalled that during this period, Winston Churchill led a coalition government, which focused on wartime leadership and strategies, that included members from different political parties including those in the opposition.

“It was effectively a unity government. All parties - the Conservative Party led by Churchill, the Labour Party led by Clement Attlee, and the Liberal Party led by Archibald Sinclair sat in the cabinet. Attlee served as deputy prime minister, Sinclair served as secretary of state for air.

“Accordingly, the decisions of the cabinet were made by all the parties in the coalition government. There was no requirement for the parties to be loyal to the Conservative Party or the prime minister. Their loyalty was to the nation,” he added.

In contrast, Mahathir remarked that strict adherence to toeing the line was required in Anwar’s “unity government”, warning that criticism of the prime minister could lead to punitive actions.

“Parties whose members of Parliament do not support the prime minister are not accepted in the government.

“It is questionable whether the government is a unity government. It is a coalition of the willing supporters – yes. Not a unity government,” he added.

During his 22-year reign as prime minister, Mahathir was frequently accused of exhibiting an unwavering intolerance for political dissent. His government faced widespread criticism for stifling opposition and curbing freedom of expression.

Under his rule, more than a hundred individuals were detained without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), a controversial piece of legislation that allowed for preventive detention.

Anwar, once a staunch critic of Mahathir’s authoritarian regime, is now confronted with similar accusations from the opposition. - Mkini