Liza asked me whether I was going to write anything about PM's retirement today. I pondered and pondered and realised that there really was nothing more to day - everyone else said it much better.
The only thing I can say is that I'm glad for him that he's finally retiring. It's enough that we treat him like a public utility - making demands of him well beyond what is required by his contract with the government. Yes, there are many who have demanded that this day come much sooner, but realistically speaking, could we have fared better in the past couple of years without him?
He was our longest serving Prime Minister, but he's also a human being - a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother. I saw my own father's restlessness the day he 'retired' - which was also the day he began DIY projects around the house (now we have a tool shed, instead of just a tool box!). He was so restless, he went back to work (of course, after some long overdue R&R).
I wonder what Dr M will do now. There's not much that he hasn't done. But knowing him (as well as any Malaysian anyhow), even at his age, he probably still sees the world as his oyster...
Side Note:
Someone once asked me why we Malaysians like to shoot our mouths off so much. It's no big mystery - we take our cue from our very opinionated PM! We'll miss your speeches, Dr M!
Posted by Najah Nasseri at 2003年10月31日 15:35 | TrackBackWhen we retire we only depend on our pension and with that we pay our bills,pay for our food and support our children(if any)in school,college or university. Is that enough?
For Mahathir,his pension per month alone is equivalent to our 2 years total sum of pension.Apart from that he had accumalated millions in his banks here and overseas. He has properties around the world. What do we have?
Now he lives like a Maharaja,so why worry about him.
Yesterday,he was yelling about the poor transport system in Klang Valley,jam sana sini,rakyat tunggu bas berjam2 and so on.What strikes me was why all of a sudden,after 22 years in power Mahathir baru sedar the poor transport system of Klang Valley,while he had the money to build the twin towers,F1 circuit,KLIA plus other mega projects? Who is he bullshitting?
Today for all he did,the king honoured him with a TUN, Tun Mahathir,but for people like me it should be the other way around - NUT, NUT Mahathir!
Posted by: ali allah ditta at 2003年10月31日 22:05Ali: He WAS a Prime Minister, so logically his pension would be higher. As for the properties around the world, dozens of other Malaysians have that, too, thanks to their own hard work. Are we going to scold them, too? Makes sense, no?
I don't want to start a flame war, but would you have been able to do any better? Is calling him a NUT really going to help anything? In any case, he's retired, so you (and people like you) now have free reign to push yourselves.
Then we'll see what happens.
Posted by: Ash.ox at 2003年11月01日 08:13LOL, Ali whatever, you'd better be 12 or younger. Traffic issues are definitely not under Mahathir's area of expertise or even under his ministries. Beside, we have dear Dato' Samy Vellu there. What d'ya expect? Mahathir to build the roads too?
I'm not going to ask you to lighten up and give due respect to the man who help make at least one of your family member/friends/neighbours better off today - but I agree with a lot of people on the importance of teaching little kids gratitude.
And I have to admit I'm not even his admirer but I say, I'm proud to have him as a Prime Minister.
Najah, sorry to take up your space but I just can't resist....
Posted by: pk at 2003年11月03日 10:05