Tun M the peddler of lies (unless history lies)
By P. Ramakrishnan
former president of ALIRAN
FORMER prime minister (PM) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has come out with some startling statements without batting an eyelid. That is typical of him!
But these are nothing but blatant and unvarnished lies – and Dr Mahathir is a master at this!
What he recently said and claimed left many flabbergasted and in shock. He painted PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim “as an oppressor – one that is worse than the British colonials”.
“During the British era, we can speak out, form parties, and fight for the Malays. During my time Malays could speak out too but in Anwar’s ‘democratic’ era, Malays can’t speak up” was Dr Mahathir’s outlandish and outrageous claim.
FORMER prime minister (PM) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has come out with some startling statements without batting an eyelid. That is typical of him!
But these are nothing but blatant and unvarnished lies – and Dr Mahathir is a master at this!
What he recently said and claimed left many flabbergasted and in shock. He painted PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim “as an oppressor – one that is worse than the British colonials”.
“During the British era, we can speak out, form parties, and fight for the Malays. During my time Malays could speak out too but in Anwar’s ‘democratic’ era, Malays can’t speak up” was Dr Mahathir’s outlandish and outrageous claim.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (right) and wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali
When he asserted that “in Anwar’s ‘democratic’ era, Malays can’t speak up”, wasn’t Dr Mahathir speaking up as a Malay? Or has he gone back to his roots in order to speak boldly? Has there been any consequence for Dr Mahathir when spewing his lies?
He refers to Anwar’s ‘era’. What is an era? It is “a long and distinct period of history”. But Anwar has been in office for hardly four months and Dr Mahathir refers to that as an era! Can these four months be referred to as an “era”? Is there any substance in Dr Mahathir’s reference?
Anwar has declared an unrelenting war against corruption. People without a clean past have reason to fear. For them, each day Anwar continues to be in office is a long period of time! And they feel threatened! They feel entrapped!
Spewing lies
The atrocities the British committed in Malaya cannot be compared or equated to Anwar’s time in office. The British had all the time at their disposal to do whatever they wanted – and they did a lot to oppress, to rob the country of its wealth, to live as they pleased and lord over us.
They discriminated against us even after our independence. Certain clubs were barred to Asians. It was common to have “whites only” clubs and spaces – even certain urinals were exclusively for whites only!
We must ask Dr Mahathir, did Anwar outdo them in all this in less than four months?
During the British era, there was the infamous Batang Kali massacre of innocent people. Did Anwar massacre anyone within these four months?
Dr Mahathir boasts vainly, “During my time Malays could speak out too ….”
But Dr Mahathir, do you remember what happened on Oct 27, 1987 to those who did? You locked them up without any charge and robbed them of their freedom. A total of 106 (or more) of them!
Let me refresh your memory, Tun. Some women who were locked up on that day of infamy had their period while in detention, and they faced difficulty getting sanitary pads. How callous and cruel could one be!
Tun, do you remember your inspector general of police IGP) Tan Sri Rahim Noor’s cowardly assault on a blind-folded Anwar with his hands tied behind him? Anwar appeared with a black eye in court on Sept 29, 1998 to face charges of corruption and sodomy.
When he asserted that “in Anwar’s ‘democratic’ era, Malays can’t speak up”, wasn’t Dr Mahathir speaking up as a Malay? Or has he gone back to his roots in order to speak boldly? Has there been any consequence for Dr Mahathir when spewing his lies?
He refers to Anwar’s ‘era’. What is an era? It is “a long and distinct period of history”. But Anwar has been in office for hardly four months and Dr Mahathir refers to that as an era! Can these four months be referred to as an “era”? Is there any substance in Dr Mahathir’s reference?
Anwar has declared an unrelenting war against corruption. People without a clean past have reason to fear. For them, each day Anwar continues to be in office is a long period of time! And they feel threatened! They feel entrapped!
Spewing lies
The atrocities the British committed in Malaya cannot be compared or equated to Anwar’s time in office. The British had all the time at their disposal to do whatever they wanted – and they did a lot to oppress, to rob the country of its wealth, to live as they pleased and lord over us.
They discriminated against us even after our independence. Certain clubs were barred to Asians. It was common to have “whites only” clubs and spaces – even certain urinals were exclusively for whites only!
We must ask Dr Mahathir, did Anwar outdo them in all this in less than four months?
During the British era, there was the infamous Batang Kali massacre of innocent people. Did Anwar massacre anyone within these four months?
Dr Mahathir boasts vainly, “During my time Malays could speak out too ….”
But Dr Mahathir, do you remember what happened on Oct 27, 1987 to those who did? You locked them up without any charge and robbed them of their freedom. A total of 106 (or more) of them!
Let me refresh your memory, Tun. Some women who were locked up on that day of infamy had their period while in detention, and they faced difficulty getting sanitary pads. How callous and cruel could one be!
Tun, do you remember your inspector general of police IGP) Tan Sri Rahim Noor’s cowardly assault on a blind-folded Anwar with his hands tied behind him? Anwar appeared with a black eye in court on Sept 29, 1998 to face charges of corruption and sodomy.
Former IGP Tan Sri Rahim Noor (left) and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s black eye (Pic credit: HarakahDaily)
Tun, you and Rahim Noor explained that Anwar’s black eye was “self-inflicted” by “pressing a glass over his eyes”. It took a royal commission of inquiry to expose that both of you had lied! How shameful it was that the PM and the IGP back then were exposed as liars!
Tun, has any political opponent been beaten up in the lock-up during Anwar’s term in office? Has any adversary of Anwar been detained for speaking up? Name them if it is true! You can’t because nothing of that sort has taken place under Anwar’s watch.
Tun, do you recall how thousands of Reformasi protesters were brutally treated by the police with water cannons and baton charges? In contrast, have any protesters been assaulted cruelly during Anwar’s term in office?
Tun, you have lost your credibility and your followers. We understand your desperate situation and your helpless position. But that should be no excuse to resort to blatant lies – unless you are a compulsive and pathological liar! – March 22, 2023
P. Ramakrishnan is the former president of ALIRAN, a reform movement in Malaysia promoting justice, freedom and solidarity. He remains in ALIRAN as a veteran columnist and committee member.
Tun, you and Rahim Noor explained that Anwar’s black eye was “self-inflicted” by “pressing a glass over his eyes”. It took a royal commission of inquiry to expose that both of you had lied! How shameful it was that the PM and the IGP back then were exposed as liars!
Tun, has any political opponent been beaten up in the lock-up during Anwar’s term in office? Has any adversary of Anwar been detained for speaking up? Name them if it is true! You can’t because nothing of that sort has taken place under Anwar’s watch.
Tun, do you recall how thousands of Reformasi protesters were brutally treated by the police with water cannons and baton charges? In contrast, have any protesters been assaulted cruelly during Anwar’s term in office?
Tun, you have lost your credibility and your followers. We understand your desperate situation and your helpless position. But that should be no excuse to resort to blatant lies – unless you are a compulsive and pathological liar! – March 22, 2023
P. Ramakrishnan is the former president of ALIRAN, a reform movement in Malaysia promoting justice, freedom and solidarity. He remains in ALIRAN as a veteran columnist and committee member.
They all appear like kaki pukul, those 19 picked in swoop, especially the strong man of the evangelical Christian party.
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