Less than three months after his retirement as prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad's legacy on Malaysian history is already being reviewed by a group of political observers and academicians.

Their views, written in the form of essays broadly categorised under domestic politics, political economy, foreign policy, social transformations, social issues and media and the arts, are compiled in a book titled Reflections: The Mahathir Years.

Among the 46 contributors to the book are Universiti Malaya economics lecturer Prof KS Jomo; political observer M Bakri Musa, foreign policy analyst Dr Chandran Jeshurun, Orang Asli affairs expert Colin Nicholas and writer Karim Raslan.

At the launching of the book today at Universiti Malaya, editor Bridget Welsh said the book included views from individuals with diverse opinions on Mahathir's legacy.

"A number of the writers certainly do not agree with each other on some of these issues," she said.

Welsh said in the introduction to the book that the aim of the volume was to have established young scholars and practitioners reflect on the changes that Malaysia has undergone over the last 22 years.

"Dr Mahathir, rightly or wrongly, has been credited with these achievements, as the man became almost synonymous with the country's national identity," she said.

Foreign policy imprint

Meanwhile, several contributors to the book spoke today of their views of the Mahathir years and also a glimpse of things to come under the administration of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

New Straits Times associate editor Rehman Rashid said the country's easy detachment from Mahathir despite his tenure showed that Malaysia is able to move beyond the politics of personalities to one of principles.

He said recent developments have also disproved naysayers' predictions that Abdullah would be no more than a "seat warmer" for his successor.

"I hope the initial initiatives have given the lie to this. (Abdullah) has moved rapidly and effectively with a low profile.

"He needs to overcome Mahathir's burdensome legacy...he is aware that his constituency is not just the Malay Malaysians. There is a more Malaysian flavour to his policies," he said.

UKM lecturer Lee Poh Ping, in introducing his essay, said Mahathir had definitely left a strong imprint on Malaysian foreign policy because of his personal interest.

"His philosophy, his point of view with regards to the West and their double standards suffused his attitude towards them. But there was also pragmatism. He has done nothing to touch Western economic interests in the country," he said.

Another UKM lecturer P Ramasamy, who wrote on the fate of Indian Malaysians under the Mahathir era, said it remains to be seen if the community would fare better under the new administration.

"Indian Malaysians have been marginalised for so many years despite the frequent claim to multi-culturalism. It is an (expedient) claim more than anything else," he said.

Reflections: The Mahathir Years is available at RM70 from bookstores nationwide.