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Assalamualaikum and a very good morning to our guest assessor and my fellow coursemate. We will celebrate our 51th National Day this August. For the past 51 years since we were free from colonials, our lives had improve a lot. With five Prime Ministers, we had achieved so many things and either in our economic matters or other facilities. Out of five, Tun Mahathir Mohamed had brought Malaysia and Malaysians to the best level so far. Look around us, what do we have? Tun Dr Mahathir had shown a very excellent character as a leader. I consider him as a great leader in aspect courage, braveness and of his vision and planning also not forgetting his outspoken in uttering word. Few great leaders describe him as rebel who speak his mind against injustices and unfair practices of the world’s powerful capitalist figure.
Sun Tze in his book the art of war said; ‘More planning shall give greater possibility of victory while less planning, lesser possibility of victory. So how about those without planning?’
Do everybody know Tun Dr Mahathir? Before I go more deep on his achievement and leadership style, I will give a brief history on his background. Tun was born on December 20, 1925, in Alor Star, the capital of the northern state of Kedah. His father was a school teacher of Indian origin from the southern state of Kerala while his mother was a Malay. Despite being only half Malay and having acknowledged his Indian heritage, Mahathir generally considers himself to be Malay, and is known for the use of fiery rhetoric designed to invoke feelings of Malay nationalism, most recently using the term Ketuanan Melayu, or "Malay Supremacy/Lordship" to argue that the Malays were losing out to the minority Chinese and Indian races after the Barisan Nasional coalition's relatively poor showing in Malaysia's 12th general election.
During World War II, he sold pisang goreng (banana fritters) and other snacks to supplement his family income during the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Mahathir attended a Malay vernacular school before continuing his education at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Alor Star. Mahathir then attended the King Edward VII Medical College in Singapore, where he edited a medical student magazine called The Cauldron; he also contributed to the The Straits Times newspaper anonymously under the nickname "Che Det". Mahathir was also President of the Muslim Society in the college. Upon graduation in 1953, Mahathir joined the then Malayan government service as a medical officer. In 1956, Tun married Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali who is a fellow doctor and former classmate in college, they have five children, three sons and two daughters. Tun left government service in 1957 to set up his own private practice in Alor Star. Tun Mahathir thrived in private practice, and allowed him to own by 1959 a Pontiac Catalina and employ an ethnic Chinese chauffeur. Some critics have suggested this foreshadowed a later hallmark of Mahathir's politics, which focused on the "cultivation of such emblems of power".
In 1970 there was one book entitle ‘The Malay Dilemma’ which was written by an educated, progressive Malay, and because its deal frankly with the problem of racial harmony in Malaysia, certain party was offended. Hence the book was banned.
11 years later, the writer became 4th Malaysian Prime Minister.
From the day Dr. M took the oath as Malaysian Prime Minister until he retired on August 03, he had been in the office for 22 years and turned himself as one of the Asia’s longest serving leader. When someone lead his country’s politics for more than two decades, he not just faced a complimentary but also a tough stand against those who opposed him or threatened his power.
In his book Malay dilemma, he express his though about problem affecting the Malay in poor exam result partly are due to hereditary and environment. The view was generally disapproved because it imply that Malays are by nature inferior.
On aspect of Malay economic, he not hesitate to mention that Chinese businessman was the culprit to this situation He believed that this situation was created by British before we gain independent and the Malay accept this to occur.
He also explain the causes of 13th May 69 riots in KL. Of course due to that he was expelled from the party because of his open criticism of the present Malay leadership.
Until now Dr. M frequently accused that the bumiputra (sons of the soil) of being complacent and unwilling to work hard. Before he stepped down he said “I fell disappointed because I have achieved too little in my principal task of making my race a successful race, a race that is respected.”
He still believe that what he wrote in the book is still valid and no apologies are offered, what he has written is written with sincerity.
Relation with west always fluctuated. He describes westerners as proponent of ‘war, sodomy and genocide’. Few days before he stepped down he make a very open criticism against the Jews.Attack was his best form of defense and he always fought to win.
In 1990, he launched vision 2020 where Malaysia will become one of the modern country. Few has make this as laughing matters.
During the Asian financial crisis of 1997, IMF had prescribed a recovery package for Malaysia, but Tun Mahathir defied international pressure and conventional wisdom, in rejecting the package. Though economic prosperity has been mixed since then, Mahathir argued that Malaysia's recovery was relatively faster and better, as compared to many other Asian countries affected. After the financial crisis, the IMF and World Bank acknowledged that Mahathir's approach had worked.
In 22 years of becoming Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir embarked on various large scale national projects, such as the Penang Bridge, , Multimedia Super Corridor, the planned capital city of Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), the Petronas Twin Towers and KL Tower. Tun also archive his goal by initiate 1st National Car (PROTON), improving public transportation and facilities by introducing LRTs, commuters, monorails and North-South Expressway. He also didn’t forget about health, education and sport sector by upgrading Health Facilities around the country, Build a lot of stadium for sport and Formula One Circuit also introducing new education planning. For me he has archive a high stage of his life before he left the Parliament and inspired me to be a good leader for today, tomorrow and in future.
With that brief, I hope that all of you have some though about the points that I mention about Tun Mahathir and we can take his leadership skill and attribute to use in near future. Please set aside the way of politics, the episode of Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim been dismissed from his cabinet post and accused him of sodomy and corruption. I presumed that Tun Dr. Mahathir at that time has transformed himself to the dark side of the force. Sometimes man choose his path that difficult others to follow. Even though now Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been released, Tun Dr. Mahathir still believe in what he has done which show another strong character of him, man of his words. He walk the talk. Before I end, I will quote another Sun Tze words;
‘A leader is like a spoke of the wheel, if the connection is tight and complete, a wheel will be strong so will be the state. If the connection is defective, then the state will be weak.’ TQ
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