Dr.Mahathir Mohamad has left an indelible mark on Malaysian politics, shaping the nation for decades. Serving as Prime Minister for an impressive 22 years, from 1981 to 2003, he steered Malaysia through a period of rapid economic transformation, earning widespread acclaim for his visionary leadership. But his political saga didn’t end there. In a stunning comeback at the age of 92, Mahathir toppled former Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2018, reclaiming the top office and becoming the world’s oldest serving head of state at 92 years and 141 days. What sets Mahathir apart is his unique political journey—he became the first Malaysian Prime Minister to break away from UMNO and remains the only leader in the nation’s history to be sworn in twice.
Despite his impressive resume, Dr. Mahathir was no stranger to controversy. During his time as Malaysia’s 4th Prime Minister, he presided over Ops Lalang in 1987, which saw the arrest and detention of more than 100 individuals without trial under the infamous Internal Security Act (ISA). Those detained included opposition politicians like Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh, as well as activists, students, artists, journalists, and others. Adding to the outrage, media freedom took a hit shortly afterward, with publications like Watan, Sin Chew Jit Poh, and The Star having their publishing licenses revoked. Mahathir’s tenure also saw efforts to curb the powers of the royalty, and, in one of his most memorable moves, he dismissed and had then-Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim arrested.
It appears Dr. Mahathir has no plans to “retire” his image as a controversial figure. On November 18, 2024, he stirred up a storm on Facebook with a personal rant that many viewed as divisive. The post quickly went viral, amassing over 17,000 reactions, 3,400 comments, and 2,400 shares. His Facebook post reads as follows:
"𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗫𝗘𝗦
1. Weekends I drive around Kuala Lumpur.
2. Sometime I drop in the shopping complexes.
3. KL’s shopping complexes are great.
4. The new ones are fantastic.
5. They are bigger and better than the shopping complexes in London or Tokyo.
6. The other day I dropped in one of the new ones.
7. Wow. It is great.
8. But suddenly I felt I was in China.
9. Then I realised why.
10. All the signboards are in Chinese with English translations.
11. Nothing in Malay. Not at all.
12. So is this Malaysia.
13. Or have we become a part of China.
14. English I can understand why.
15. Even in Japan signboards have English translations.
16. But big Chinese characters.
17. I was told that some Chinese TV refer to Malaysia as Little China.
18. Why?
19. Because among the Southeast Asian countries Malaysia displays the Chinese characters all over; large and prominent.
20. Must be because we have so many Chinese visitors.
21. But translation in small characters yes.
22. But our national language is Malay.
DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
18 November 2024"
This post oddly reminds me of a similar one Dr. Mahathir shared on Twitter on July 11, 2023, about shopping complexes. In that post, he opined that much of Malaysia’s development has been driven by Malaysian-Chinese. He argued that the Malays have accepted the Chinese dominance in the economy, stating that "the Malays cannot compete against them." Mahathir also reflected on the past, noting that the Malays once dominated the political arena while the Chinese controlled the economy, creating a sense of balance. However, in his view, the Chinese have been gaining political influence in recent years. He questioned what would be left for the Malays if the Chinese also dominate the political landscape. He concluded by urging the Chinese not to deprive the Malays of their country and history, emphasizing that they should “allow the Malays to have their share.”
As we reflect on Dr. Mahathir’s latest post, it becomes clear that his political tactics remain rooted in division. This is not the first time he has stirred up sentiments aimed at pitting Malaysia’s ethnic communities against one another. By drawing sharp distinctions between the Chinese and Malays, he perpetuates a narrative that seeks to create tension where there should be unity. This is undeniably one of his old tricks—fueling divisive rhetoric to maintain his influence. As Malaysians, we must ask ourselves: are we willing to let these divisive tactics define our future, or will we rise above and work towards a more inclusive, harmonious society? The choice, as always, lies with us.
Aaron Colt is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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