FORMER Prime Minister (PM) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is certainly not thinking of retirement like most nonagenarians; instead he is thinking of running for Prime Minister again!
This is what he told Vice News in a brief interview released on YouTube last week. Dr Mahathir indicated that if his followers and party put pressure on him, he will run for PM-ship again.
While running for PM again may not surprise many because the old fox – being a political animal – will not know how to retire, he also dismissed the notion that Malaysia will recognise same-sex marriage, blaming the West for an open society whereby, according to him, parents condone free sex.
All-in-all, Dr Mahathir who is known for his humour and cynical reactions in interviews did not disappoint in the Vice News video by Ushar Daniels, a former Malay Mail journalist.
“A lot of my followers and supporters want me to stand. I don’t want to run for election, but if they feel that my participation would enhance the possibility of the party winning, then I cannot reject their request,” he said.
When Vice News asked the two-time Malaysian Premier if he would still consider such a possibility at 96, he said, “Well, as a last resort, yes!”
Dr Mahathir went on to request for proof that he was a dictator during his first tenure as PM.
“When people accuse me of being a dictator, what is the evidence? Why was I accused of being bad? It was because the people who accused me are my enemies who want me to be brought down.”
Dismissing same-sex marriage in Malaysia, Dr Mahathir said they (the Westerners) have to realise that the Malaysian society is different.
“For example, in the west, there is no respect for marriage or family, and young girls, even teenagers, sleep around and are tolerated by their parents,” he argued. “Parents used to give contraceptive pills to their daughters, knowing full well that their daughters will be doing all kinds of things that the older generation would not tolerate.”
On transgenders, Dr Mahathir claimed that while one out of every five young Malaysians considers themselves to be non-heterosexual, Malaysia or his own political party may not be able to fully represent or fight for them.
“But there are things that they care about which we can accommodate. For example, the environment, climate change, and the temperature rising all over the world. All these things are of interest to the young people and we share the same views.”
He nevertheless repeated his attacks against ex-PM and protégé Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) issue, saying he is being treated differently now by being allowed to get his passport back, for example. – Nov 7, 2021
