Malaysia’s UMNO ‘Beyond Resuscitation’: Mahathir

Nani Yusof, Razlan Rashid, Hata Wahari & Muzliza Mustafa
2016.09.08
Putrajaya, Malaysia
160908-MY-Mahathir-1000.jpg Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is shown during an interview with BenarNews at his office in Putrajaya, Sept. 6, 2016.
Muzliza Mustafa/BenarNews

Updated at 9 a.m. ET on 2016-09-09

In an interview with BenarNews this week, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad answered questions ranging from his health to politics.

He expressed regret about some of the people he picked as his deputies during his two decades in office, and talked about allegations of corruption linked to the current prime minister that stem from the 1MDB financial scandal, among other things.

Now 91, Mahathir earlier this year quit the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the party that heads the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, in protest over the allegations against Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Mahathir and other senior ex-UMNO officials have just launched a new opposition party, the United Malaysian Indigenous Party (PPBM), whose application to register as a party was provisionally approved by the government on Thursday.

Here are excerpts from the one-hour interview at Mahathir’s office in Putrajaya.

BN: What actions do you regret most during your rule?

Mahathir: … Well, there are many actions. But mostly about appointing the wrong people. I don’t seem to be able to identify good people – or at least they appear good, but after they were given power, they abused it.

BN: Are you going to name them?

Mahathir: Yeah, well, it started off with Musa Hitam and then with Anwar Ibrahim, and then with Abdullah Badawi, and now Najib.

BN: How do you respond to criticism about registering a new political party which, people say, is race-based?



Mahathir: Well, initially we tried to avoid forming another party because it [could] split the electorate and make them very weak. We thought that we could revive an UMNO-race based party. It [the United Malaysian Indigenous Party] has a big role to play, and it has been shown over the years that a race-based party is accepted by all races and is able to [form] good governments, strong governments.

But we realized, however, that [UMNO] has bad leaders, bad leadership. At first we thought that if we can get rid of the leader, then we can resuscitate UMNO. Unfortunately today we find that UMNO is beyond resuscitation, beyond turning around.

It has become very bad. It has become very, obviously, very corrupt. The leaders are corrupt. They don’t express the views of the people. So we have no choice but to form another party. Now there have been a number of multiracial parties but the fact shows that they are not well received.

They couldn’t defeat UMNO, for example. They couldn’t win enough seats to form a government.

So although the elites, the intelligentsia, feels that racism is wrong, on the ground the people still [think] in terms of race and the Malays in particular worry about their future. They are weak financially, economically, and they see that they could only be saved through politics….

BN: Are you confident that [your new party] can topple Najib Razak’s administration … ?

Mahathir: Nothing is certain of course ... because we know that Barisan Nasional, headed by Najib, has tons of money and is not afraid of displaying its use of money.

In the by-election they gave money to people, they gave kitchenware to people openly. So we have to fight against corruption, and fighting against corruption is not easy.

But if you don’t do anything at all, this country will become worse over time and corruption will be widespread and will become a way of life in Malaysia ….

BN: Is the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) doing a good job now with the latest developments in [Malaysia]?

Mahathir: Well, yeah. In a way they are doing something ... but you know the biggest corruption cases are not being attended to.

Maybe MACC knows it. Actually, MACC has submitted their reports. Their report has been dismissed by the AG [Attorney General] and is now made [an] official secret. So the MACC is quite powerless to do anything because it cannot on its own prosecute – take the matter to court.

BN: On 1MDB … What more can be done to get to the bottom of the issues?

Mahathir: Nothing can be done for all the wrong things that are happening with 1MDB. This is simply because the rule of law is not functioning anymore in Malaysia.

If you make a report about wrong things being done on 1MDB, you will be questioned by the police, you will be detained and you will be charged in court for sabotage for all kinds of things ….

So due process is not working in Malaysia. The law is not working. You can go to parliament and ask for vote of no-confidence but, unfortunately, the government party – which is the majority – is beholden to the prime minister because these votes of no-confidence are against a prime minister. His men would not support the vote of no-confidence, so we could not get the support of the majority. So, the parliament is helpless….

So, within the country now, the law is not open anymore. The rule of law is just ignored or abused…. That is why we have to seek other means of bringing this matter to the attention of people.

BN: On the appointment of Malaysian Armed Forces chief Zulkifeli Mohd Zin as the director general of the NSC, analysts feel the appointment should not have happened in the first place.

Mahathir: I wish to talk a bit about the National Security Council. It has extraordinary powers. For instance, if a killing occurs in the area, there will be no inquest; there will be no post-mortem …. And this may apply to a military officer, police officer or the public.

So this is huge power and this is given to a general. He's the only one who can make a lot of decisions, and he is known as someone who is close to the prime minister. That's why he should not be appointed. It should be someone who has nothing to do with any party.

BN: What is your secret of longevity?

Mahathir: Well, firstly I don’t smoke. I don’t drink and am moderate in everything, including consumption of food. I do some exercise.

BN: … At 91, you are still standing strong and sharp.

Mahathir: Well I suppose as I said just now, my habits don’t undermine my health. I don’t smoke. That is extremely important. I don’t drink and also I am very moderate where food is concerned and whatever I am doing is concerned.

BN: How did you keep your stress level down when you were the prime minister for 22 years?

Mahathir: I don’t get too upset about things. I regard it as natural for a politician to be condemned, cursed and labelled and demonized, and all that.

That is normal. All politicians must accept that it is a price that they have to pay.

BN: How much longer will you remain in politics?

Mahathir: As long as I can stand on my feet and talk – and talk with sense –  I think I will remain in politics. Otherwise it will be very boring.

An earlier version incorrectly identified Najib Razak as a former deputy of Mahathir Mohamad.

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