Marhaen Dan Rakyat

Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s latest attempt to whip up fear over Malaysia’s trade negotiations is not about sovereignty or national interest - it is yet another repetition of a political script he has relied on for more than four decades. When Mahathir is not at the centre of power, he manufactures a crisis, declares the country is under threat, and positions himself as the only gatekeeper capable of saving Malaysia. The country has seen this too many times to take it seriously. His sudden alarmism over “traps” and “foreign control” is especially hollow considering his own record. During his premiership, Malaysia entered into numerous deals and partnerships that were opaque, risky, or ultimately unsuccessful - many of which the public is still paying for. From the crooked “Buy British Last” policy that collapsed within a year, to the troubled Perwaja Steel project that suffered billions in losses, to the shipping and automotive ventures like MISC and Proton that required repeated government ...

Thirty four years ago, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad introduced Vision 2020, a bold roadmap to transform Malaysia into a developed nation. Over two decades, he presided over the country’s dramatic economic transformation, shifting the country from agriculture and resource dependency to industrialization, high-tech manufacturing, and rapid urban development. His mega-projects, from the Petronas Twin Towers to the North-South Expressway, became symbols of a nation that could stand toe to toe with the metropolises of the West. Under Mahathir, Malaysia’s GDP rose impressively, and infrastructure development brought tangible improvements to generations of Malaysians. But beneath the glistening towers of Kuala Lumpur lay a system that privileged certain groups over others. Mahathir’s economic model was deeply tied to the idea of Bumiputera empowerment, preferential policies for Malays and other associated indigenous groups, which, while lifting some into the middle class, also marginalized Chi...