Q&A: Change from within not possible

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is convinced that Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno are incapable of reforming themselves without pressure from the electorate.

If the voters back the BN government once again in the coming polls, Mahathir warned that it would be an endorsement for a coalition "centred on nepotism and corruption."

However, the 82-year-old former premier, who led the nation for more than two decades until 2003, stressed that he is not campaigning for the opposition.

Mahathir was speaking to reporters today after launching his new book Dr Mahathir’s Selected Letters to World Leaders at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.

Below is an excerpt of the 30-minute press conference.

I’m trying to promote a cleansing of the party by the people because it seems that the party is not possible to cleanse (on its own). Because if I say anything (within the party) there would be a chorus of people who would curse me.

There is a risk in all these things, I hope that we would love the country enough to vote for the best candidate.

I’m not sure. I’ll be talking to you (the press).

I won’t campaign for the opposition. But I think that the people who support BN should be a little more selective. They should use wisdom in (making) their choice. Should people name some deadwood or some corrupt politician as a candidate, BN supporters should not support them. That way we can clean the party - BN and Umno - because there is no hope that Umno can be cleaned from within. Everything is controlled now. Any contrary view, they would make sure that it would be contained.

Yes. That’s what I’m saying. I believe that there will be innocent voters who will be influenced by ways that are not legal. But we have lost our ability to change the leadership at the party level, because party members are only allowed to say ‘Yes’ to the party president. There is no real opinion in the party anymore.

There is no way to change the party leadership or how the party operates from within. If the people of Malaysia wish to have a party which is centered on nepotism and corruption and all that, then they will support the same people and we will achieve no correction.

I don’t know about what my opinion is, but I know that I have differences with him.

It’s unfortunate because we have never been able to achieve racial harmony, but we have been able to keep it within control. But now people are not only taking actions based on race, but also religion. Hinduism was never something that would have caused a split. But now Hindus seem to be dissatisfied with their lot and have made this demonstration (the Nov 25 Hindraf rally) ... they see a government that is retreating and of course they want to take advantage.

It depends on the records he has shown on things that doesn’t need too much time. If you show that you can implement the smaller projects. I think you’ll have time for bigger projects. Instead, what we see are stoppages (and) reversals of previous projects, ostensibly because there is no funds. This does not show good judgement.

I know it takes times to implement plans and projects. I think if that is to be used as an excuse to hold on to power for 18 years, that would be very welcomed. So far, only announcements (of development plans and projects) have been made and he is already asking for more time.

I think it certainly would not be delivered in time for the election. This would be the reason (being used in campaigns) to say that the present government should be given more time.

The way things are being implemented are also questionable. (Contracts) are given to government linked companies which tend to be (a) less open (process). That is not the right way to do things.

I was aware that I was not always right. But those people who were called my cronies, they were not. As a matter of fact, when I made public a list of people who had (government projects) it became clear that they were not people I know, except for the very well known people.

So I wasn’t practising cronyism but this was a label that was attached to me to undermine my credibility. I cannot get away from it. But today we see nepotism creeping in, we see companies getting projects to the extent that many Malaysian contractors and entrepreneurs are going abroad. They say there is no opportunities within the country.

I think the government does not seem to know how to progress, how to implement things. It’s been already quiet some time since I stepped down. It would have been easier perhaps to just continue with the projects on the ground.

However, they decided to postpone. It was decided that these projects be postponed, ostensibly due to lack of funds. What I do know is when I stepped down there was enough money to go on with those ‘mega projects’. Now, they have decided to go on with some of those mega projects. The cost is very high, as much as 50 percent more simply because the cost of living had gone up in the mean time. So the postponement was totally unjustified. Now they realise that these are needed infrastructure.

When you have a group of people working together, you need to know how to handle them. They have grouses. But if you handle them properly, and tackle the grouses, they will stay together. But if you show weakness, such as giving in, people will take advantage of your weakness.

Not only Mustapa Mohamad, the rest of Umno felt that we should not develop Kelantan. Because if you do, then PAS will tell the people - even if you don’t vote the BN, you still get development. Why bother voting for BN? That has always been the problem with PAS. Even in my constituency... because of that we had to hold back.