The proclamation Dr Mahathir Mohamad is harping on appears to confirm he is the biggest failure with regard to uplifting the socio-economic position of the Malays, said former Sabah chief minister Salleh Said Keruak.
He was commenting on the 12-point proclamation, which blamed the “economic and political predicament” of the race on the “carelessness” of Malay leaders themselves.
In other words, Salleh described it as a “self-incriminating proclamation” because it suggested that Mahathir is the most “careless” of them all.
“He had been prime minister for 22 years (from 1981 to 2003) and later for 22 months (from 2018 to 2022). He headed two different governments but still failed.
“The proclamation suggests that his handpicked successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also failed. The person he supported to overthrow his successor, Najib Abdul Razak, also failed. The person he collaborated with to topple the successor to his successor, Muhyiddin Yassin, also failed.
“Apart from failing himself, Mahathir had a significant role in choosing others who supposedly failed the race as well. So, the conclusion is simple. He is the biggest failure,” he told Malaysiakini.
Noting how the proclamation claimed the last general election witnessed the race losing political power, Salleh again turned the clock back to Mahathir’s undisputed reign for more than two decades.
“He was heading a government which was triumphant in all the general elections. BN had controlled two-thirds of the seats in the Lower House. Despite this, the proclamation claims the race is still in the doldrums.
“So what good is political power when it does not benefit the race?” he asked.
Be part of the solution
According to Salleh, the proclamation has nothing to do with the race but rather to ensure Mahathir remained relevant after his trouncing in the last general election.
On the contrary, the former chief minister said the proclamation suggested that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his coalition government should be considered the best hope because this combination has not been put to the test.
“What is the point of going back to leaders like Mahathir, who according to his own proclamation, are careless leaders who failed?” he asked.
Therefore, Salleh said if Mahathir is unable to be part of the solution, he should not be part of the problem.
Mahathir has blamed Anwar for several venues cancelling the booking to hold a gathering for the launch of the proclamation.
Among others, the proclamation states:
The Malays have never controlled the nation’s economy. Even their little stalls have been taken by others.
Of late, the only power they possessed, political power, has also slipped out of their hands.
The Malays at present and in the future can no longer determine their fate.
The cause for this is the carelessness of Malay leaders themselves.
The Malay party built on the foundation of religion, race and nation has been turned into a party to enrich oneself.
Jostling for power and money has destroyed Malay unity.
The Malays are so weak that even the sovereignty of their homeland will slip from their hands. Their future is bleak. Poverty is forcing the Malays to sell their lands. - Mkini
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