'Good' dictators are what some countries need: PM
Published: Apr 26, 2001 5:31 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
DUBAI (AFP) - "Good" dictators rather than Western-style democracy is what some countries in the developing world need to keep up with the challenges of globalisation, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said today in Dubai.
DUBAI (AFP) - "Good" dictators rather than Western-style
democracy is what some countries in the developing world need to keep up with the challenges of globalisation, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said today in Dubai.
"We must put our own houses in order," the 75-year-old leader said in an address entitled 'Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century: Role of Muslim Nations' to an international forum here.
"It is good governance by good people that we need. And feudal kings, even dictators, have provided and can provide good governance," he said.
"Some countries must be ruled by dictators" to avoid the pitfalls of multi-party democracy, the Malaysian leader said, acknowledging however that "the problem with a dictator is that he's so difficult to change".
He advocated a "moderate democracy" to balance the rights of the majority and the minority.
Turning specifically to the Muslim world, Mahathir warned: "We missed the industrial revolution entirely. Now we are faced with the technological revolution. If we miss it, I don't think we will ever recover this time."
Keep up with changes
Developing countries must work to keep up with technological developments, including in armaments, and not rely on the rich nations, he urged, while warning against the West's interpretation of globalisation.
"Let's sit down and work out (with the West) what form globalisation should take ... to the benefit of the rich and the poor," Mahathir, who has been in power since 1981, told the Emirates International Forum.
The West's vision of globalisation was that "money can move" without borders "but not people" or labour, he said to applause from the meeting of regional corporate and business leaders.
Mahathir said the imperial wars of conquest of past centuries had been replaced by "the dominance of the capitalists" and the West's economic might.
"We cannot any more prevent others including our enemies from crossing our borders. If their armies cannot cross, their ideas and their creed can, with impunity," he said.
"And these ideas and creed are as effective in subverting and hegemonising as were their armies and occupation forces in the past."
"We must put our own houses in order," the 75-year-old leader said in an address entitled 'Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century: Role of Muslim Nations' to an international forum here.
"It is good governance by good people that we need. And feudal kings, even dictators, have provided and can provide good governance," he said.
"Some countries must be ruled by dictators" to avoid the pitfalls of multi-party democracy, the Malaysian leader said, acknowledging however that "the problem with a dictator is that he's so difficult to change".
He advocated a "moderate democracy" to balance the rights of the majority and the minority.
Turning specifically to the Muslim world, Mahathir warned: "We missed the industrial revolution entirely. Now we are faced with the technological revolution. If we miss it, I don't think we will ever recover this time."
Keep up with changes
Developing countries must work to keep up with technological developments, including in armaments, and not rely on the rich nations, he urged, while warning against the West's interpretation of globalisation.
"Let's sit down and work out (with the West) what form globalisation should take ... to the benefit of the rich and the poor," Mahathir, who has been in power since 1981, told the Emirates International Forum.
The West's vision of globalisation was that "money can move" without borders "but not people" or labour, he said to applause from the meeting of regional corporate and business leaders.
Mahathir said the imperial wars of conquest of past centuries had been replaced by "the dominance of the capitalists" and the West's economic might.
"We cannot any more prevent others including our enemies from crossing our borders. If their armies cannot cross, their ideas and their creed can, with impunity," he said.
"And these ideas and creed are as effective in subverting and hegemonising as were their armies and occupation forces in the past."
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