THE DAY NAJIB THE 'DICTATOR' OUTSMARTED HIS 'SIFU' - MAHATHIR THE 'DESPOT'

Today, Malaysia is divided. We may have lived peacefully beside one another, despite being of different races and religions, but we are no longer tolerant of our neighbours. We eye one another with suspicion. Muslim parents tell their offspring not to befriend non-Malay children. It is shocking that some Malay teachers encourage disunity and seek to prevent Malays from fraternising with 'kafirs'.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Lessons Numbers One and Two: Lesson One is to keep the Malays ignorant, because they are Umno-Baru's powerbase, and a thinking Malay is a dangerous Malay. Lesson Two is to divide and rule.

When Mahathir was the Education Minister, between 1974 and 1978, English medium schools became Malay medium. It is shameful that Najib, who went to a Church of England school, cannot advise his Education Ministry officials, that speaking English is not unpatriotic, or that the cross on the walls of Mission schools will not convert Muslims to Christians, or that singing Christmas carols will not have the same effect.

Najib prefers to keep the Malay ignorant, so that his mind can be moulded to Najib's will.

Lesson Three: Few Malays would dare to question the ulamas, or Jakim, because of Islam.

The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, Jakim, was Mahathir's creation. It succeeded the Islamic Affairs Division (BAHEIS) in the Prime Minister's Department, but in 1997, Jakim's dominance took off, to consolidate Mahathir's power.

Today, Najib uses Jakim to dictate, to Malays, how they should, or should not, live their lives. Thus, we have the dress code, the ban of non-Malays using certain words like Allah, the supermarket trolley debacle, and children, who attend boarding schools are converted, without the knowledge, or consent, of their parents.

Lesson Four: Grandiose projects, funded by the taxpayer, give cronies ample opportunity to charge unlimited commission, besides creating a fitting monument, to remind future generations of the Malaysian leaders.

Anyone who looks at the Petronas Twin Towers tends to associate it with Mahathir. People see this gleaming tower as Mahathir's handiwork, in his drive to "modernise" Malaysia.

Little wonder that when Najib said he was going to build the Warisan Merdeka Towers (now called KL118), Mahathir was furious. Why? Because Najib's monument will tower over the Twin Towers and dominate the KL skyline.

Lesson Five. Think of yourself, not the rakyat.

Mahathir, who had a searing mission to industrialise Malaysia, as quickly as possible, during his 22-year tenure, had a small band of trusted businessmen, all successful in their own right, to further his dream. Thus, affirmative action policies, like the NEP drove a wedge into society, but he allowed himself to hold court over rich non-Malay industrialists, to further his aims.

Today, Najib has drawn Mahathir's wrath. It is alleged that during Mahathir's era, all the Umno-Baru and BN cronies enjoyed extensive use of the national treasury, to extend their business, as well as their influence. On the other hand, Najib, it is alleged, has permitted only his own select band of cronies to benefit. With the worldwide recession, the sidelined BN cronies are hurting and some allege that this probably sparked Mahathir's spat with Najib.

Mahathir is desperate to oust Najib from power, and has told the rakyat, that Najib must step down. Instead of an interim caretaker government, with the Opposition and BN, ruling together until GE-14, Mahathir insists that Umno-Baru rules. Mahathir refuses to accept that Najib is not the only problem, and that Umno-Baru is also a big problem for Malaysia.

Mahathir cannot complain, can he? Both men wanted Malaysia to be recognised internationally. Malaysia will follow Zimbabwe, as a once wealthy country, which became morally bankrupt and poor, because its leaders were self-serving and consumed with greed.

It is ironic that Mahathir should complain about Najib, as his pupil has merely perfected the teacher's techniques. Without a doubt, Najib is the best pupil Mahathir ever had. - http://www.theheatmalaysia.com/