By Dominic Tham
ONE usually doesn’t get fired after just a day on the job. If it does really happen, it reflects badly on the worker who may have committed gross misconduct. Or the hirer, who could do with better judgement.
But this is Bolehland where anything is possible, including sacking the ex-Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas, the country’s top prosecutor, one day after clocking in. And the man who hired him was none other than former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
This revelation came from Thomas himself in his still unreleased memoir, My Story: Justice in the Wilderness, where he recounted that Dr Mahathir had wanted the former’s resignation. This follows backlash from right-wing Malay groups’ upset over the appointment of the country’s first non-Malay AG in 2018.
That Dr Mahathir almost buckled under pressure should come as no surprise. The author of The Malay Dilemma had a Malay-centric streak. And it’s not just during his first stint as the PM.
Who could forget the good doctor attending the Malay Dignity Congress (Kongress Maruah Melayu) in 2019, much to the disappointment of his coalition partners in Pakatan Harapan (PH)?
Thomas’ revelation only confirmed the suspicion that the country’s longest-serving PM is someone who put the Malay agenda first – not justice and impartiality which he so often advocates.
It also indicates that Thomas was not Dr Mahathir’s preferred candidate for the AG’s post, but that of his coalition partners like the DAP and PKR.
With hindsight, it is now clear why Thomas had tried to stay out of the limelight soon after his historic appointment. It was only weeks later when the agitated Malay ground had somewhat eased did he publicly settle into his high profile role. Now we know why.
With the Malay agenda topmost on Dr Mahathir’s mind, it was no wonder that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) regime fell after a mere 22 months in power. Back then, there was general unease from pro-Malay groups about the purported dominance of the Chinese-majority DAP in government.
Several top leaders in PH like Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin and Datuk Seri Azmin Ali then took advantage of the groundswell within the community and pushed for a Malay-centric government by cobbling together a coalition of unlikely partners dominated by Umno, Pas, Bersatu and renegade PKR MPs.
As a seasoned politician, Dr Mahathir would have seen this coming and some say, may have given his tacit support for the move.
Those who need further proof of Dr Mahathir’s racial inclination need not look further than his willingness to do battle with other world leaders, but succumbed to pressure from Malay groups on Thomas’ appointment. – Jan 28, 2021
Dominic Tham is an avid FocusM reader.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Photo credit: The Star
