Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s duet of ‘My Way’ with Datuk Siti Nurhaliza Tajuddin last Wednesday has gone viral. The former prime minister had criticised the ‘red shirt’ rally organised by Malay rights groups on Malaysia Day as pointless. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 23, 2015.
As most of Kuala Lumpur were transfixed on the “red shirt” protest last week, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was rallying up a different kind of crowd when he belted out the Frank Sinatra classic “My Way” with songstress Datuk Siti Nurhaliza Tajuddin.
Speaking at a leadership forum in Cyberjaya last Wednesday, Dr Mahathir was asked by organisers if he would sing a song, a request to which he readily agreed.
After first turning down the first few song options, the crowd of about 300 cheered on as the 90-year-old former statesman delivered an almost-pitch perfect rendition of Sinatra’s song with Siti.
“My Way” has long been known as Mahathir’s unofficial theme song and the former leader has himself readily embraced it as a tribute to the often unconventional decisions and policies he undertook during his 22 years of leading the nation.
From refusing to seek financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and imposing unpopular foreign trading restrictions during the 1998 Asian financial crisis, to his long-standing snub of international critics, Dr Mahathir has always been unapologetically recalcitrant in his leadership.
Even after retiring from politics, Dr Mahathir has refused to conform to being a silent observer. He is currently at the centre of a growing chorus of influential former leaders calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Dr Mahathir turned heads when he showed up at last month’s Bersih 4 rally twice. He continued to shock many within his ruling Umno party when he slammed last Wednesday’s street rally – which was a call for greater Malay dominance – as unnecessary.
The video of his duet with Siti is being shared widely on social media.
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