Lest We Forget IV

The Edge says Dr M at centre of Umno’s many problems
Malaysian Insider - 5 April 2008

The Edge has waded into the political battle between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, urging Malaysians not to forget that many of the problems facing Umno and Malaysia happened under the former prime minister’s watch. This article could set the tone for a weekend of fireworks.

Abdullah is scheduled to speak to party members tomorrow and will list down the reasons for Umno and Barisan Nasional’s reverses in Election 2008. He is also being urged to address many of the accusations levelled against him by Dr Mahathir.

Earlier in the day, Dr Mahathir will address another Umno gathering. He will continue to demand for Abdullah’s resignation. He may also have to respond to some of the points raised by the Edge and one of its writers.

In an editorial headlined “Lest We Forget”, the influential financial weekly said that despite Dr Mahathir’s selective memory, he cannot absolve himself from the sacking of the Lord President and two other judges in 1988. Nor should he forget that it was he who put in place the rule that anyone who wants to contest the party president’s position must receive nominations from at least 30 per cent of the divisions.

The paper said that contrary to assertions by the former PM, Umno tends to have a crisis every 10 years. There was the quarrel with Musa Hitam, the jailing and sacking of Anwar Ibrahim and now he is attacking Abdullah.

“Three crises in three decades and the central figure in each of them is Mahathir. Mahathir ‘mudah lupa’ but we hope the rest of the Malaysians will not forget that easily,‘’ said the editorial.

The paper upped the ante in an accompanying article. Its writer noted that Dr Mahathir challenged the authorities to get foreign agencies to investigate him.

“Perhaps it is high time Abdullah called his bluff and launched an international investigation into all the alleged misdeeds of Mahathir during his 22 years in office, with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as his first key witness,‘’ said the writer.

It is unlikely that Abdullah will order any investigations into the Mahathir era. Throughout his political career, he has not exhibited a ruthless streak or a willingness to get down into the trenches and fight. Tomorrow, he may aim some barbs at Dr Mahathir but it will fall a long way short of what his supporters want him to do.

It is also unlikely that Dr Mahathir will lose any sleep after being painted as a hypocrite by the Edge. Throughout his 22 years in office, he has shown an unerring ability to stay on message.

...more