Dear Tun Dr.Mahathir Mohamad,
Happy 57th Independence Day. Recently, Malaysia was shaken with your open criticism towards the Malaysian Premier, Dato’ Seri Najib Razak. Following this, some “political pundits” have even prophesised the downfall of Najib, after all that’s what Tun Abdullah experienced after your criticism and “out of UMNO” drama.
To make the record straight, I am neither UMNO’s nor “the other side’s” supporter. Nevertheless, being a civic-minded citizen of Malaysia, I would like to request your explanations pertaining to various issues, spanning throughout your 22 years of Prime Minister journey. Although I duly recognise your contributions to Malaysia, any flaw and mistakes happening under your long premiership should be taken as your mishandling. This is what real leaders do. Hopefully, this letter is not to be seen as seditious.
1. University and University Colleges Act 1971
- I, as a current undergraduate in a public university have seen how this UUCA has actually encroached the freedom of the university students to express themselves and engage in political activities. The students have been barred from partaking in politics (until in 2012, when the Court declares Section 15 of UUCA as unconstitutional), but even until this very moment, the students are not allowed to engage in political activities within the campus.
Being an alumnus of University of Malaya, you should know that the Student Union in the past had better opportunity to represent the students. Nowadays, the grandeur is just in the name.
The real impact of UUCA came when the then Education Minister in 1975, brought amendments by inserting new sections to the act especially the Section 15, which prohibits the students from politicking. The Minister is none other than you, yourself. Tun, incidents such as the Tasik Utara and Baling Demonstration by your former “favourite”, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim have caused you to stifle the freedom of the students. Ever since 1975 up to now, the students are facing the brunt of your actions. What is your explanation?
2. Malaysian Judiciary
- Following the crisis between your administration and the judiciary in 1988, you brought “many interesting ways to solve it”. I guess, you had enough when the High Court in 1988 declared that late Karpal Singh should be released from extrajudicial detention and the Supreme Court revoked the work permit of two foreign journalists that your administration froze. Maybe if you still remember, they are both from Asian Wall Street Journal and they wrote about suspicious financial transactions of some civil servants, before you started to take actions against them.
Seeing the meddling of the judiciary in your path, the Constitution was amended and since Barisan Nasional had two-thirds majority then, everything was a smooth ride. Article 121, which used to say "the judicial power of the Federation shall be vested in" the High Court. However after the amendment, Article 121(1) mentions "the High Court shall have such jurisdiction and powers as may be conferred by or under federal law". The power of judiciary has been significantly reduced and amplified the parliamentary supremacy. The courts are now reduced to adjudicate under the laws as approved by the government. What is your explanation?
3. Virgin Forests of Sarawak
- Tun, after you becoming the Prime Minister, the record shows rampant deforestation in the forests of Sarawak. However, the loggings have been long on-going for years. Tun Taib Mahmud himself has made allegations that his uncle,Abdul Rahman Yakub (the previous Chief Minister before you become the Prime Minister) has dished out numerous logging concessions to his family members and cronies. But, as far as I know, no action has been taken, what more to investigate against him.
Taib Mahmud, himself has been constantly linked with allegations of dishing out logging concessions to his cronies, squandering millions of dollars. Many Orang Asal lost their “Native Customary Rights” land due to irresponsible actions of many. Still, no action has been taken.
Perhaps, you would still remember Bruno Manser. The guy from Switzerland whom fought for the Penan tribe’s rights in Sarawak. He pressured the Malaysian Government to preserve the greeneries in the Penan settlement areas without being sacrificed to unwarranted development (like the “Monument of Corruption” Bakun Dam ) and unstoppable deforestations. Your administration took strict actions against the activists and caused more miseries to the ethnic groups. Tun, I don’t know how true this is, but you are even said to have sent a letter warning Manser saying “it is about time that you stop your arrogance and your intolerable European superiority. You are no better than the Penan”. If the words did come from you, is not this insulting the Penans, and even the other Orang Asal? What is your explanation?
4. Kota Setar Selatan 1969 Election
- Just a few days before the racial riot of 1969, in your election campaign vying for the Kota Setar Selatan seat, you are reported to say that “I don’t need the Chinese votes to win”, only to end up losing to a PAS candidate. Isn’t your statement seditious and racist in nature? Should it be even uttered by a leader? Have you ever apologised to the Chinese community, if you have really said so? What is your explanation?
5. Crony Capitalism
- Your administration was often linked to the debate of “cronies”. Why, even Tunku Abdul Rahman alleged in his book in the aftermath of the 1969 riot that “Saya yakin bahawa kiranya Dr. Mahathir menumpukan masa yang lebih kepada kerja-kerja parti dan tidak menghabiskan masanya di dalam perniagaan membuat rumah di Kedah bersama-sama dengan syarikat yang bernama Federal Construction Company, sebuah syarikat yang dipunyai oleh orang-orang Cina dan dalam perniagaan-perniagaan yang lain, maka kemungkinannya untuk menang dalam pilihan raya itu adalah lebih besar.”
“Menurut maklumat yang diterima, beliaulah yang telah mengambil peranan yang penting untuk menolong mendapatkan kelulusan Kerajaan supaya tidak kurang daripada 238 lot tanah Simpanan Melayu dikeluarkan dari simpanan itu bagi maksud projek perumahan yang tersebut”. To translate, he alleged that you had relations with Federal Construction Company owned by the Chinese and you had used your “connections” to convert 238 Malay Reserve Lands for the commercial use of the construction company. This allegation was made even before you assuming premiership. What is you explanation?
6. Suqiu 1999
- Before the General Election of 1999, several Chinese associations under the alliance called “Suqiu” produced a memorandum to push for a more equitable and just social and economic policies in Malaysia. Your administration, facing severe backlash after the expelling of Anwar Ibrahim used this memorandum as a springboard for future electoral victory by winning the votes of Chinese and others.
Although your Cabinet agreed and accepted the Suqiu memorandum, as soon as emerging victorious from the election, you rejected it by stating the memorandum questions the Malay rights and supremacy. What boggles me is that, did you not foresee the impacts of the memorandum before accepting it? You are also reported to have said that "we were threatened then as elections were just round the corner. That’s why they came up with the memorandum, as a threat to the Barisan Nasional, and that if we didn’t entertain their request they would tell the Chinese not to support us.This was deliberate and the timing was well-planned. What could we do then?" Isn’t this a betrayal of trust and a Machiavellian tactic? What is your explanation?
7. Others.
- After BN losing the states of Terengganu and Kelantan in 1999 GE, the petroleum royalty payments used to be paid to the respective states were channelled into Jabatan Pembangunan Persekutuan. This has caused the states to face lack of financial source and seen by the rakyat as incapable of building and developing the states. Perhaps this is what you wanted.
- When the Court declared that the election in Likas,Sabah 1999 as null and void due to existence of phantom voters in the electoral roll, the 1958 Elections Act was amended to not allow the judiciary to scrutinise the voters’ list after it has been certified and re-certified. Is this a way to allow the elections tainted with unscrupulous tactics?
- After the 1988 UMNO crisis, after which UMNO’s registration was annulled, the Parliament has decided not to allow the courts to challenge a political party’s decision. I do know that the Parliament and your administration (the Cabinet) are two distinct entities, but bearing into mind that amendments are proposed by the ministries and BN having two-thirds control in Parliament, your influence in such a decision can never be denied. Through such amendment, the rights of the members and the power of the courts have been significantly reduced.
What are your explanations?
I believe that all Malaysians would want to listen to your explanations and even better, a statement of apology if the fault lies in your side. Nevertheless, I would like to thank you for the changes you have brought to Malaysia. Your effort of opening up Maktab Rendah Sains Mara, albeit only 10% for the non-Bumiputera, had enabled me to study in the institution. Tun, several policies under your administration have also reduced the abject and relative poverty in Malaysia, although there are still some debates on the precise poverty rate. Thank you once again and God bless you.
