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One should not believe a word ex-PM Mahathir says on face value. There’s always a hidden agenda somewhere. So, if he says Samy Vellu should go (short of harakiri-ing), or that Nazri should be dropped from Cabinet, or Isa Samad is not fit to be a candidate, there’s something else happening behind the scenes. Let’s look at his comments (also available in Malaysiakini):

“If we look at other countries, whenever a leader fails, he resigns. In Japan he commits harakiri. We’re not asking him (Samy Vellu) to commit harakiri.

“You (Samy Vellu) have failed to lead the MIC until you yourself lost,” he said.

Citing the example of former prime minsiter Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who resigned after his poor performance, Tun Dr Mahathir said: “Samy Vellu performed worse than Pak Lah (Abdullah) but he did not want to relinquish the post.

“He should have resigned before things got to this stage.”

He said he had a right to criticise anyone for the sake of the Barisan, and added: “I’ve criticised Pak Lah, who’s Samy Vellu that I cannot criticise?” [Where is Samy going to hide after this? Does this mean more MIC staunch supporters will propose or even garland Mahathir’s pictures with slippers? Anyone supporter will self-immolate like in Tamil Nadu? I don’t think so 🙂 ]

And Mahathir extends this by adding:

“This is not directed at Samy Vellu alone because there are others who are like him,” he added. [Ahhh…so there’s something else here…]

He said he had wanted to resign in 1998 but, because of the economic and the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim issue, had to continue leading the nation until 2003.

“I resigned not when people criticised me. I resigned because I had stayed too long.

“Malaysian leaders still do not understand that when they fail they should resign of their own volition, no need for others to tell them. When you fail, your party fails. You are responsible,” he said.

This is more important revelation:

Asked what the Barisan could do in view of its principle not to interfere in the affairs of component parties, he said that when the matter became a problem for the Barisan, the coalition would become the victim if it did not intervene.

He said Barisan leaders must admonish Samy Vellu because as Barisan leaders they were responsible not only for the performance of their own parties but also that of the Barisan as a whole.

“If I know that a person will cause the Barisan to lose, that is already a Barisan problem, no longer an MIC problem. We cannot keep saying don’t interfere. This is a Barisan affair. Because of him, the Barisan lost. [Wah..so convenient le..blame it all on one person! Like this, I also can be famous la. Blame it on the chicken that crossed the street for loss in previous election.]

“Previously there was no Hindraf. Now there are scores (of pressure groups from the Indian community.) It’s him that the people don’t want but he still wants to be president,” he added. [But why still got 630,000 members in MIC? So many people easily fooled?]

He said leaders who resorted to money, pressure, abuse of power and threats could remain as party presidents but would not win elections.

On Samy Vellu’s chosen leaders winning the party elections last week, Tun Dr Mahathir said they could win party elections but would lose in general elections because the people would not support them.

He also criticised Samy Vellu for not playing a role to stop the building of temples without approval despite having promised to do so. [which temples were newly build without approval, presumably during Samy’s time? Is there a list somewhere? How many of them? Tens? Hundreds? Thousands?]

He said Samy Vellu became popular because he (Tun Dr Mahathir) had helped him.

“He wanted to build a university, I persuaded the government to give a RM50mil allocation and I’ve helped in many more of his projects,” he said. [Well, if the government can give money to MARA in bucketfuls and also to TAR College, why not AIMST? And why just RM50 million? It should have been more.]

Reflecting on his past duties as prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir said he had to persuade the Malays to allow the Barisna to place MIC candidates in Malay-majority areas because no constituency in the country had an Indian majority. [I thought this was the power sharing concept initiated far before Mahathir’s time? Or are the school text books lying?]

“Besides that, I also strove to get the MIC candidates supported by the Malays. Without support from Umno members and the other Malays, the MIC could not win. So that’s is my service to the MIC. [Correction, that is service to BN, and by extension, his own party!]

“But when the MIC does something that will cause it not to be supported by of the Indians, Chinese and Malays, I have to criticise,” he said. [But the candidates think otherwise? So, is he belittling the democratic process of a political party?]

By saying the above, he seemed to have put the MIC in its place – “nobodies” in this land who survive due to the piety and support of a political party. But he also forgot to mention that his beloved party won in some hotly contested seats due to the Indian votes as well, as they were loyally, blindly voting for the “dacing” all this while. And to blame Samy for the lost of a mighty coalition is giving too much credit to Samy. Indirectly, is he admitting HINDRAF is the tsunami that caused the grand old ship to nearly sink?

He also promoting the policy of interference among coalition members for the greater good of the coalition. Why? I think indirectly, its related to impending MCA EGM. Perhaps some quarters not interested to see the return of a tainted person to helm a political party?

Or maybe its related to the findings by Samy Vellu in Bagan Pinang? Perhaps coalition is worried his presence will cause more damages, thus enacting this drama to win over voters? Another loss or even reduced majority won’t be good.

Samy meanwhile likens himself to a bride (what is it with Samy and his examples, always related to brides and women…]  and says that his not hurt by the comments. He also reveals that his retirement plans are in place, with PM Najib in the know:

Meanwhile, Samy Vellu said Friday that he had already discussed his retirement plan with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last June and would stick to it.

“I had a frank discussion with the prime minister when I met him in Sarawak where I told him of my (retirement) plan.

“I will keep my word to the prime minister and I will not change (my plan),” he said when contacted here.

He said Najib was aware of his retirement plan but he declined to reveal it, saying that it was between him and the Barisan chairman.

On former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement that he was a liability to the BN, Samy Vellu said Dr Mahathir was entitled to his opinion.

“I’m not hurt by his comments and my respect for him will never diminish,” he said. However, he said, he was sad that Tun Dr Mahathir had labelled him a liability now “but when the Barisan was winning (in general elections), I was considered an asset“. [Melayu mudah lupa lah, don’t know ah?]

“I’m not at all surprised at his comments but I think he refuses to understand that the Barisan lost (many seats) in the last general election not due to me.

“An experienced man (politician) like him should understand that,” he said.

Samy Vellu described Tun Dr Mahathir’s comments as akin to “telling a young wife that she is beautiful and an asset, but when she becomes old, she is branded a liability”.

On a side note, what really made me smile was when Mahathir literally gunned down his own people by telling that he received worse insults from fellow party leaders. Really a slap in the face for many including KIMMA.

While many, including his son, rushed to Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s defence over the ‘slipper garland’ remark, the former premier however had a different take.

Recalling how he was attacked by Umno leaders during the reign of Abullah Ahmad Badawi, Mahathir pointed out that nobody gave two hoots then.The former Umno president then zeroed in on his chief critic in Umno, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

“This is not the first time I have been insulted. People might have forgotten how Umno leaders insulted me. Nazri (left) and the previous menteri besar of Kedah (Mahadzir Khalid) wanted me expelled from Umno.

“However, then no one gave any reaction. No one dared to say anything,” he told Bernama.

“Suddenly I have become popular. Everyone is defending me. As I said… previously when I was insulted, asked to be expelled from Umno, no one showed any reaction. Why the reaction now?”

“Then no one defended me. At least not openly. Some did on the quiet but the big names dared not,” he said, adding that he was saddened that people from his own party and who sat with him in his cabinet had resorted to such action.

… It was insults from Umno people, he stressed, that hurt him and this one from the MIC member was just like “pouring water on a duck’s back.”

“I have been with Umno since its formation (except for short spells when he was expelled and when he resigned as a member). The people who talked bad about me weren’t even born yet,” he said.

The 84-year-old statesman added that if he were back in power now, he would drop these people from the cabinet. [Hint! Hint!]

On Sukumaran’s wish to apologise to him, Mahathir said: “Apologise also okay, don’t want to apologise also don’t matter. It’s only when my own people hurl insults at me that I feel slighted.”

He said Sukumaran now had become his own victim because of his action.

Why Mahathir not bothered with the garland suggestion? Magnamanious? Petty stuff? Realisation that as ex-leader of BN, he is also subject to criticism by BN members? I mean if others can criticise Samy Vellu, sure they can also criticise  Mahathir right?

Mahathir had big plans for our country, and steadfastly implemented them to develop the nation. Indian community was  just collateral damage.

Samy, meanwhile is supposed to meet Mahathir to offer apologies. What for? The guy not even bothered la!

Meanwhile, Samy Vellu said he will personally apologise to Mahathir over the ‘slipper garland’ issue. He said he will seek an appointment with the former prime minister to tender his apology.

“I will meet him personally to explain the whole episode and extend my apology,” he said in a statement.

The MIC chief said he and the MIC regretted that the incident happened.

“I have always had the highest respect for Mahathir. He is a great leader and a statesman.

“He will always be respected by us and all Malaysians,” he added.

Hindraf’s Waytha weighs in with his own views (excerpts only):

… “Having observed Mahathir ever since I heard him speak at a student function in London in 1989, I know how the man thinks,” Waythamoorthy told Malaysiakini.

“When Mahathir says he’s not interested in something, I know he means it.”

According to this school of thought, Mahathir did not do anything at all for the Indian community during his 22 years as prime minister. Hence, he does not expect Indians to be grateful to him.

“So, if any Indian insults him, he knows that he has to just grin and take it,” said Waythamoorthy.

“In fact, he’s probably surprised deep down that he has not been insulted at all so far and Samy (Vellu) instead gets all the blame, a situation he encourages.”

… The Hindraf chief noted that Samy Vellu has come under all around fire including from Mahathir and Umno for not doing enough for the Indian community “but this is just to cover up their own sins.”

“The fact remains that Samy Vellu is not the prime minister of Malaysia. If he were, we can blame him for not doing enough or anything for the Indian community,” he said.

“It is Mahathir who should be blamed. He’s trying to shift the blame on to Samy Vellu. Mahathir failed to be the prime minister for all Malaysians. He was more interested in his own petty racist agenda.”

So, it’s not surprising that someone in MIC suggested a ‘garland of slippers’ for him, he added.

Waythamoorthy also called on the MIC president to stop parroting about Mahathir being a great leader, a great man, a great statesman and a builder of the nation, among others, “since he (Mahathir) didn’t do anything at all for the Indian community and in fact set out to hurt them and others as well.”

“After all the prime minister is supposed to be the leader for all Malaysians, under the Federal Constitution, not just for some Malaysians,” he said.

I think if the delegate wants to apologise, then he should. Don’t be pressured into it. Must sincerely feel the need to apologise. Apologise for saying “suggest to garland with slippers”. That’s all. No need to add sugar and spice to it.  Even if the delegates feel Mahathir is to be blamed for the plight of the community now, its pointless. He is no more the PM. Crying now is just waste of energy. But, remember that no one is above scrutiny, more so public figures. Mahathir was the ex-PM and ex-BN head for more than 2 decades. Many of us have the right to question him and his actions, sans the slipper garlands! At the very least, there’s always something to learn from the old folks like him.

A side note to the side note: By the way, heard that RM500 was the minimum offered in MIC elections for a delegate’s vote, but real amount much more? Betulkah? Some took the money, but voted for the other party? Just curious.  Any delegate dare to verify 🙂

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