THAT twice former Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was left unsheltered under the little hazy sunny Putrajaya sky during the 69th Merdeka Day parade yesterday (Aug 31) has sparked a patriotic-themed cyber war between Madani backers and detractors.
“How dare they let TunM like that as if there is no place in the VIP stage? He had done so much for the nation and deserves to be celebrated more than the current PM. Very sad indeed,” decried Threader @cloudyspace__.
Such sentiment was seconded by caterer Faizan Dasuki (bos_katering) who, too, found it a tad absurd that the centenarian who had served the country for 22 years and 22 months was left “to sit by the fence with spectators”.
“It would be better if Tun is given a more comfortable seat considering his great service to the country,” sympathised the founder & director of Rasa Catering Group which serves royal and VVIP clientele.
“Moreover, he’s a senior citizen who’s already over 100 years old. What’s wrong with giving him a better seat?”
Added Shah AK (@mshahbak) in a somehow neutral tone:
Many felt sorry to see TunM sitting like that. He’s already over 100 years old wheelchair-bound after falling earlier this year and the weather is hot, too. It does look a bit difficult.
Some say he should be given a special place or a VIP seat on the stage as a twice former premier.”
“But there’re also those who praise him for choosing (or being forced) to sit with ordinary citizens by the roadside for this makes him look humble.
At his age, the important thing is that he still managed to attend and watch the Merdeka parade with the rakyat.
This was when mother of a teenage boy T A K Y A H (@nadiahisaa) who happened to be on-site claimed that “TunM upon his arrival was escorted into the fenced are with VVIP treatment”.
“No need to wait, queue and be crowded like others. Nobody was unruly to Tun. Nobody was impolite to Tun. Everything was calm when he arrived,” witnessed the entrepreneur who sells “seasonal car bonnet nasi lemak”.
“Maybe Tun chose to sit on his wheelchair and greet the people in a crowd like that. Don’t make slander posts like this. TunM’s service will be eternally remembered. ❤️❤️ Chill OK everyone ❤️❤️”
Interestingly, a media statement by the Communications Department late yesterday did not offer much of help but in fact further fuelled anger between both factions of Madani and TunM loyalists.
An apparent TunM critic LagaCawan (@lagacawan) likened the elderly statesman to being a “Joykiller” by condensing/interpreting the statement by the National Day and Malayia Day 2026 Secretariat chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah as follows:
1. Since Madey (impolite moniker of TunM by his detractors) became PM for the second time in 2018, there has been no such practice of inviting former PMs (to attend national level Merdeka Day parade) automatically.
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Can come if you want. Can be arranged if you apply.
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Has Madey applied?
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Madey was supposed to be overseas between Aug 28-31. Use public funds (our tax money).
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PMX has approved.
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Still want to come and be a Joykiller.
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That’s all.
Even then, TunM loyalists insisted that on account of his deeds for the nation – that he is dubbed the “Faither of Modern Malaysia” or that Putrajaya is his legacvy – perhaps he deserves to be accorded automatic invitation pass to the Merdeka Day parade as “basic recognition and respect”.
“After all, PM8 Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and PM9 Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob are going up and down the court for corruption cases,” observed one commenter to an Astro Awani Threads post on the statement by Halim who is also the Communications Ministry’s secretary-general.
“Meanwhile, PM6 Datuk Seri Najin Razak is serving his jail sentence.” – Sept 1, 2026
