Mahathir shirking responsibility?

Categories: Malaysia

Dr Mahathir is at it again. He had said that the approval of according the Naza cars the national car status was not done by him but by the International Trade and Industry Ministry and not by him. [The Star Online Oct 10, 2005] He was then the Prime Minister. This is like slapping himself in the face as being the Prime Minister, he has the ultimate responsibility. If he disagree with any of his cabinet minister, then he should have stopped them. If he did not stop his minister then, a tacit agreement is implied. He cannot says that he is not responsible.

This brings back memories of the spat between Singapore and Malaysia some years ago regarding the railway land in Tanjung Pagar in Singapore. That negotiation was carried out by Datuk Daim, his trusted man back then. It was agreed that Malaysia will relinquish the Tanjung Pagar site and in return given a piece of land of the same value in Bukit Timah. A MOU was signed by Datuk Daim on behalf of the Malaysian government. However a year later, Dr Mahathir claimed that any document not signed by him does not stand. What a joke. A highly respected leader making such a childish comments!

Well, in the current spat, I think Dr Mahathir is only expressing his anger and frustration because his pet project - Proton - had to be partly sold to a foreigner, in contradiction to his "Malaysia Boleh" slogan.

Maybe he should retire gracefully and let people remember him as the few Asian leaders who has the gut to stand up to the United States, and nothing less.