Your 10 questions with Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir

I think the main problem is that there is so much hypocrisy. People in power want to enjoy all sorts of freedoms which they deny to others. What's okay for them, is not for others. It's the ultimate power trip, to be in an exclusive club where you can do what you like while others can't. So they spend all their time trying to make sure nobody else has these freedoms because how else do you keep the club exclusive?

THE STAR

1. How I wish you had raised the many positive and passionate matters that affects the nation, that you speak of, in your column Musings, during you father Tun Mahathir tenure as Prime Minister. I am sure, in the zeal and spirit in which he served the nation for over two decades, he would have had some sorted' out? Bulbir Singh, Seremban

I have written my column for something like 22 years, most of which was during my father's time in office. I don't recall NOT raising issues during that time. I do however tend to write about things that interest me women's rights, censorship, HIV, religious fanaticism and prefer not to write about issues I am not well-versed in. I also think that I have evolved a great deal since then. So, it may be that some issues did not enter my radar then.

2. You are farsighted and courageous in speaking your mind. Why can't more Malaysian men and women do what you do? Is it the school, the society, the politics, the police or our parents? H K Chan

I think it's a bit of everything, and certainly laws such as the ISA do a lot to suppress people's willingness to speak their minds. Perhaps I started off quite naive and just didn't realise what difficulties I could get into with what I say. I just wrote what I felt, and then could not stop. Also, I think I have a way of writing that makes oblique references to people but just enough for the attentive to get it and that protects me.

These days I think I have become less oblique and while I don't get any direct negative responses most of the time, I do get the occasional nasty SMS and I know of a lot of angst over what I've written. I truly don't understand why anyone should care what I think; I don't after all have any power. But these days I seem to get more criticism from pro-government types while the pro-opposition types keep silent. I think they don't know what to do with me.

3. What is the toughest challenge in juggling roles between being a career person and being a parent?Bernard Gideon Lim, Penang

Ohmigosh, it's always hard and anyone who says it's easy is talking rubbish. I don't have a career as such because I don't work for a large corporation but I do spend a lot of time away from my family speaking, conferencing, travelling and writing. I try and keep them posted on what I'm doing and I keep aside time to be with them especially on weekends and holidays. It's really hard when people invite me to some event on a weekend because I often have no excuse other than preferring to be with my family. Some people don't understand when you say that. I also don't socialise very much, except with very close friends and family.

4. Who or what experience would you attribute as the source for your worldview and opinions? Mustafa Bashar, Perak

In my formative years, the source of my worldview and opinions was my parents. They taught me all the most important values in my life, particularly to always be honest. These have been the underpinnings of everything I do to this day. I cannot take a position which I truly don't believe in. It is partly why I'm not in politics, because I never want to be in a position where I would be forced to justify something that goes against my principles.

When I first went to university in the UK, I came to realise that I actually had no opinions of my own. I tended to parrot what I had heard from my parents or other older people around me. It wasn't good enough because when anyone challenged me, I just could not answer adequately. That was when I took an interest in what was going on around me and decided that in order to have my own opinion on issues, I had to be knowledgeable.

My years working in HIV was definitely a major source of my worldview and I truly believe I would not be the person I am today were it not for those 12 years. That was when I learnt about the link between health and human rights, that your health is affected by whether or not you were able to enjoy your full human rights. I saw how people who are marginalised by society were more prone to disease, how stigma is an enabler of disease, and how a disease can in turn stigmatise even the most upright of citizens. I came to learn how the concept of morality can be so distorted that for the sake of it, people were willing to let other human beings die.

5. How do you deal with people who pick on your fiery reputation? Jonny Wang, Cheras

Do I have a fiery reputation?! Generally I ignore all the stuff online. But if people are willing to talk respectfully, then I will engage with them. I don't set out to convert them to my point of view but if they respect my right to have an opinion, then I respect theirs too. The ones I don't have time for are the abusive types who immediately yell “censorship” if you block them.

6. I sometimes feel that society has so much to catch up on in attitude and mindset in order to be truly progressive and the few who are “already there” have to bear with narrow-mindedness or ungrounded fears. Do you feel frustrated with the pace of change or the lack of it for the things you champion? What can you or others do about it? Lara Jean Goh, Penang

Yes it is frustrating. We live in a globalised world and today things are changing everywhere. Most human beings pretty much want the same things; education, opportunities, good health. To have all that, they must have the most basic freedoms, the most basic rights. There is nothing Western or Eastern about it. Look at the Middle East now. The people, not the leaders, just want the freedom that they know others enjoy.

I think the main problem is that there is so much hypocrisy. People in power want to enjoy all sorts of freedoms which they deny to others. What's okay for them, is not for others. It's the ultimate power trip, to be in an exclusive club where you can do what you like while others can't. So they spend all their time trying to make sure nobody else has these freedoms because how else do you keep the club exclusive?

7. How do you think the children and youth of Malaysia should be educated right now? What values do you think need to be instilled more or what values are lacking for the betterment of the society? Juliana Cheng, Puchong

This will take until next year to answer! I wish we could really start all over again, take all the politics out of education. We need to start with thinking of education as a basic human right for each and every person, young and old. For our children, we need to teach them the skills to make informed judgements about everything they read and see, i.e. the facility for critical thinking. I see so much unthinking these days, as well as a total lack of common sense, that it's alarming. Sometimes I think it's more important than learning all the usual subjects.

8. You once said that you would never go into politics but would you consider it now, seeing that you have pertinent causes to fight for in the Malaysian context? Why or why not? Hazlinda Razali, KL

I have a real aversion to politics and politicians. It's the hyper-partisanship I detest, the idea that if someone is in a different party, then they must always be wrong. Also, I don't like uniforms, either in thinking or in clothes!

But seriously, I really prefer being a non-politician where I can hold on to principles, rather than party lines. Politics isn't the only way to contribute to society. I think civil society has a big role to play.

9. Who is the person or people you would like to be an inspiration or role model to and why? Khor Eng Sim, Klang

I don't know if I am a role model to anyone but I like working with young people, especially young women. I try and make time to comply with requests to talk to young people as much as I can because they always energise me and give me hope. I was recently in London talking to our students there and their enthusiasm and interest in so many issues, as well as their insistence that every perspective gets an airing, were so infectious. I just hope they stay that way and don't become like some of the jaded oldies here.

10. If you were granted one wish, what would it be? Candace Sivalingam

I'd just like more time to do all the things I want to do; write a book, speak French fluently, travel to interesting places, sit quietly and read everything I want to read.