Mahathir Mohamad, the former prime minister of Malaysia, at his office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sept. 30. (Palani Mohan for the International Herald Tribune) |
Ex-leader uses blog to needle Malaysian government
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Published: October 26, 2008
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KUALA LUMPUR: In a vast office at the top of one of the world’s tallest buildings, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad sits at a broad, glass-topped desk, scribbling his thoughts on a pad of unlined paper. |
For 22 years Mahathir was the most powerful person in this land, and his thoughts were commands as he reshaped the country in his own grand image. |
But he has become an irritant and a spoiler five years after stepping down, turning against his handpicked successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and he has fallen victim to the press controls he perfected as prime minister. |
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Sir – heard from Rocky, Jeff’s going to be M’sia rep. Too bad it’s too far away…
In Malaysia, can’t imagine letting bloggers ‘berpesta’ … they’re often times thought of as reviled, repulsive creatures only fit for persecution and incarceration. Without trial, of course. Why should they have a fair trial? They’re sub-human anyway… the ‘wisdom’ goes. Hence the secrecy and selective ‘camps’ you see in the fraternity there. Apparently some are even suspected of being planted by certain government agencies to ‘infiltrate’ and sow discord. Hmm.
BTW, got a kick that some of my friends and colleagues here in B’pan, after reading the Jak Post article, thought you were Indo! Of course I was around to correct them. But honestly if it was me, Sir? I’d be flattered.
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