This Is Mahathir Style Obfuscation.
Why did Dr Mahathir criticise the Prime Minister? According to the Tun, "because no one else is able to!" Rubbish with a capital R. This is the typical Mahathir-style of making up his own questions and answering them to give it the spin he wants.
"The mainstream media including radio and television are not allowed to admonish the prime minister,'' he says. Did the good doctor tolerate even a little criticism during his tenure? Zilch. In fact he totally shut out every avenue of information that the Opposition had resorted to. Ask Lim Kit Siang or Tok Guru. The Tun above anyone else in government played the May 13 1969 card at every turn and ruled in the true fashion of the demagogue using the mainstream media to frighten one section of the citizenry into silence while unabashedly appealing to the prejudices and fears of the other.
"Pre-paid telephones are now required to be registered so that anyone who transmits SMS will be known by the government and action can be taken." Or so he would like us to believe. He knows very well that this country counts among its citizens some vile rumour-mongering scum who have been misusing the SMS to spread all sorts of communal and 'religious' falsehoods. To say that this rule has been introduced to prevent criticism against the PM is absurd and laughable. It is specifically to guard against morons who send messages saying that Indonesians are buying every parang in town and an attack is imminent or some religious zealot who had a dream that his religion is under siege and calls for 'holy war' via SMS and such equally crazed messages from mentally deranged individuals.
"The Internet and the websites will be electronically bugged and action taken against anyone who criticises the prime minister." Again he is blindly throwing darts at the government. Anyone who reads Malaysian blogs knows that his statement is a blatant untruth designed to frighten and perhaps garner support from netizens.
"I myself have been blocked using all sorts of means to stop me from criticising the prime minister." There is no way for us to verify that, but on balance I believe him. He's got a point there.
"A climate of fear has enveloped this country. No one dares to comment, criticise or oppose anything that is done by the prime minister." That statement is more appropriate in describing the Tun's tenure than that of Pak Lah.
"The questions and issues I raised have not been answered." True. And the government should answer them.
"Attempts are made to disparage me so badly that I am made out to be of unsound mind. Repeatedly, allegations were made that the administration during my time was worse.Their media make out that my criticisms of the prime minister are despicable and reprehensible." Whoever questions the former PM's sanity should in my opinion have his head examined.
"But the current prime minister cannot at all be commented upon, criticised or advised. He is almost a saint who is free from any human weaknesses or wrongs." This again is just his own conjectures and conclusions that have no proper basis.
Basically I find his spin of events as he sees it as jaundiced and imprecise. He's merely trying to score points with the people, especially those upset or disappointed with this government's performance. I'm no admirer of Pak Lah and have criticised him in this blog, calling him wishy-washy but I simply cannot accept the description of him by Dr Mahathir, painting him as a dictator and tyrant.
Finally I must state here emphatically that Dr Mahathir has every right as a citizen to voice his objections and displeasure towards the government. The same rights that we have, to question and rebut his claims and to dismiss those we feel are untenable and/or self-serving.
"The mainstream media including radio and television are not allowed to admonish the prime minister,'' he says. Did the good doctor tolerate even a little criticism during his tenure? Zilch. In fact he totally shut out every avenue of information that the Opposition had resorted to. Ask Lim Kit Siang or Tok Guru. The Tun above anyone else in government played the May 13 1969 card at every turn and ruled in the true fashion of the demagogue using the mainstream media to frighten one section of the citizenry into silence while unabashedly appealing to the prejudices and fears of the other.
"Pre-paid telephones are now required to be registered so that anyone who transmits SMS will be known by the government and action can be taken." Or so he would like us to believe. He knows very well that this country counts among its citizens some vile rumour-mongering scum who have been misusing the SMS to spread all sorts of communal and 'religious' falsehoods. To say that this rule has been introduced to prevent criticism against the PM is absurd and laughable. It is specifically to guard against morons who send messages saying that Indonesians are buying every parang in town and an attack is imminent or some religious zealot who had a dream that his religion is under siege and calls for 'holy war' via SMS and such equally crazed messages from mentally deranged individuals.
"The Internet and the websites will be electronically bugged and action taken against anyone who criticises the prime minister." Again he is blindly throwing darts at the government. Anyone who reads Malaysian blogs knows that his statement is a blatant untruth designed to frighten and perhaps garner support from netizens.
"I myself have been blocked using all sorts of means to stop me from criticising the prime minister." There is no way for us to verify that, but on balance I believe him. He's got a point there.
"A climate of fear has enveloped this country. No one dares to comment, criticise or oppose anything that is done by the prime minister." That statement is more appropriate in describing the Tun's tenure than that of Pak Lah.
"The questions and issues I raised have not been answered." True. And the government should answer them.
"Attempts are made to disparage me so badly that I am made out to be of unsound mind. Repeatedly, allegations were made that the administration during my time was worse.Their media make out that my criticisms of the prime minister are despicable and reprehensible." Whoever questions the former PM's sanity should in my opinion have his head examined.
"But the current prime minister cannot at all be commented upon, criticised or advised. He is almost a saint who is free from any human weaknesses or wrongs." This again is just his own conjectures and conclusions that have no proper basis.
Basically I find his spin of events as he sees it as jaundiced and imprecise. He's merely trying to score points with the people, especially those upset or disappointed with this government's performance. I'm no admirer of Pak Lah and have criticised him in this blog, calling him wishy-washy but I simply cannot accept the description of him by Dr Mahathir, painting him as a dictator and tyrant.
Finally I must state here emphatically that Dr Mahathir has every right as a citizen to voice his objections and displeasure towards the government. The same rights that we have, to question and rebut his claims and to dismiss those we feel are untenable and/or self-serving.
posted by The Malaysian. at 10/27/2006 04:56:00 PM
3 Comments:
Once, Reynard the Fox managed to catch Chanticleer the Cock by the throat via deception. By mounting a charm offensive, Chanticleer tricked Reynard into letting go, and therefore flew away from him and perched up in a tree safely out of reach. Seeing how he lost his prey, Reynard began his old tricks again in order to persuade Chanticleer to return back to the ground.
\"No, no,\" said Chanticleer. \"You will not catch me again. A man who shuts his eyes (1987) when he ought to be looking deserves to lose his sight entirely.\"
So Reynard turned to flee. \"The man who talks (2002) when he should be silent deserves to lose what he has gained,\" he said as he sped away through the woods.
With apologies to William J. Bennett
It seems only now that he is suffering what everyone of us has been suffering long long long time ago.... What a fortunate one.
Dr. M and his supporters are incapable of distinguishing BETWEEN Freedom of Speech AND a Government Elected by the Masses.
Pity.
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