Remember how Mahathir often liked to say that the major decisions of his administration were often made after consulting his Cabinet ministers and obtaining their consensus?
Mohamed Tawfik, the son of the late deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, has a different take on this.
Tawfik was dropped as an Umno MP in 1990. When asked how that happened, he explains in the cover story of The Edge, Options pullout (for the week of 26 January 2009):
Mahathir called me into his office before the election. I was with my journalist friends when he called, so they started joking that I was going to be made a deputy minister.
Sorry to disappoint them… I went to see Mahathir and the first thing he said was, ‘You know, not every son can be like the father.’…
I thought to myself, bloody insult!
Then he continued, ‘All of my backbenchers have to be people who stand up when I walk in, thump the tables and say, long live Mahathir. And my ministers are not supposed to think for themselves. I think, and they do what I want them to do.’
I’m thinking that this man does not seem to have a very high opinion of his ministers. He actually says, ‘I don’t want intelligent, honest, hardworking people in politics. People like you should be in business.’ Well, that was a backhanded compliment. He told me to come and see him after the election to see what they could do together.
I said, ‘Datuk Seri, in all honesty, I don’t have any capital to start any business and I’m not tuned in to making money.’
He said, ‘After elections, you come and talk.’
I felt he didn’t give me enough time to mull it over. I thought to myself, what could I say to him that would buy me some time and collect my thoughts? So I said, ‘What about Datuk Shahrir (Abdul Samad, now minister of domestic affairs)?’
And he went on for 40 minutes. He didn’t like Shahrir.
So, while he was talking, I made notes.
After he stopped talking, he asked if there was anything else.
I said, ‘Datuk Seri, the best years of my life in politics were when I was fighting you.’ And then, I walked out. It gave me a big smile to walk out, and I felt good doing it.
Not every son can be like the father. Is he speaking from experience?
Not every son, or daughter, wants to be like the father. Now who could we possibly ask, I wonder. In fact, some wish that they didn’t have to carry the family surname.
As for the rest of the revelation, it’s old news, since His Grace has already disowned them very publicly, though I can’t recall his exact description of them. Anyone?
Shahrir seems to be quite a sensible person. We won’t forget the sticks he jarred into the spokes of the wheels of a fascist regime back in the 80s and 90s.
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haha! I like the last part. We shall do it to him!
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Typical for a third world tinpot dictator. He is responsible for holding back Malaysia through his divisive rule (during which corruption flourished). Bottom line is we have fallen behind countries like Korea and Taiwan who used to be our competition or our peers. Now they are WAY ahead, as his ensemble of ministers who inherited his administration continue in their typically self-serving ways. How ironic that we now find Mahathir chastising them for the very crimes he committed during his administration. As the Malays would say, macam bagus!
Under such a villain, there would necessarily be a culling of talent who would not be so amenable to his ways. That is why there is a dearth of capable, really capable leaders in UMNO. And the reason we are staring at (dubious) incompetents in office.
Mahathir, Pak Lah or Najib ? Why not a Tawfik? Malaysia would not have had to deal with the Mahathir s*** now. …
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Will the behavior of Mugube ring a bell? This man thing he is the creator of UMNO(baru) and above everything! Glad that Tawfik got his
satisfaction by having a swipe at him. M’s ego is too big for his head!
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Kapow……!!!
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Right, Tun Dr Ismail was never a liar…
Your book is not selling well? Good strategy…
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Tawfik who?
we know about Tun Dr Ismail. He was a great man. The same man that propose ISA, which is the single most important legislation in this multi racial country.
The Tun also was the acting PM, and liked to golf with LKY a lot. Handicap 15, shame he was not serious in the sport. Not so fond of Mahathir though, he preferred Musa Hitam. Fortunately he was wrong. Wife Neno and few children, named Tawfik, Zubaidah… wait! Tawfik!?!??
yeah, now i remember. he is the Tun’s first son! yeah. okay. so now i know. Tawfik the son.
but Tawfik the politician? this is the first time i heard the Tun’s eldest son got into politicking. i tot they all ‘vanished’ doing something else. i know he read Law in Ozzie in the 60s/70s.
Listen Tawfik. Had not u go into business, who know whats next for u? Tun Dr Ismail would have done the same – waiting for the opportunities, instead of going loggerhead and got nothing – and infact, the late Tun was one of the earliest member of the so called elit club of Malays studying overseas.
Mahathir was right. Not all sons can emulate the father.
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Hi Anil and Progressive Friends
Can I bring your attention to this article about Mugabe
in Malaysia, Singapore etc?
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1691&Itemid=367
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this M has killed my beautifull malaysia.the land of the heaven thru his mugabe` rule.
dr mahathir do me a favour. please get loss and i don`t want to see your face.
the worst pm of the country
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The real Malays are still poor by the millions !
(Mahathir), his children plus the many within UMNO are very well off
…and a handful are even filthy rich now because of NEP !
That was not what NEP is intended for, it is meant to assist all the poor Malays not for them!
It is time the Malays get rid of these (people) and get the benefits (meant) for the Malays !
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Tawfik,
Inilah keadaan sebenar yang Tun lakukan demi nak melepaskan calon dia dan anak dia yang tidak begitu cerdik.
Konspirasi SPRM dan Lembaga Disiplin? ~ http://www.raksasabn.blogspot.com
Penangkapan dan soal siasat ke atas Ahli Majlis Tertinggi Datuk Norza Zakaria oleh Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah (SPRM) ternyata mengejutkan semua dalam sebuah parti yang sedang giat bersiap sedia untuk musim pemilihan yang paling mustahak dalam tempoh berdekad.
Norza dan lebih sepuluh perwakilan (termasuk seorang Pengarah Jasa negeri) dari negeri Pahang telah disoal oleh pegawai SPRM – (didakwa) ada yang ditelanjangkan dan dipukul sewenang-wenangnya. SPRM dikatakan telah datang lengkap dengan pita rakaman perbincangan antara Norza dan ejen-ejennya bersama para perwakilan serta bil makanan sewaktu di Kuala Terengganu dan Temerloh. Di Temerloh-lah didakwa ada sampul berisi wang bertukar tangan.
Saya tidak mahu banyak berbicara tentang logika dan rasionalnya SPRM bertindak terburu-buru begini. Persoalan yang paling penting, mengapa Norza, dan siapakah dalang di belakang tabir. Sesiapa sahaja tahu bahawa Norza bukanlah individu yang banyak menabur wang, berbanding sesetengah calon-calon lain.
Bermulanya penundingan jari, sudah pastilah sekali lagi Pak Lah dan KJ dipersalahkan. Ajen-ajen sesetengah pihak sudah mula membuka cerita yang cukup dramatis, kononnya apa yang terjadi di Temerloh adalah angkara Pak Lah dan KJ untuk mengaibkan Dato’ Seri Najib di negerinyasendiri supaya Pak Lah dapat kekal sebagai Perdana Menteri untuk jangka masa lebih panjang.
Namun apa yang tidak diceritakan oleh panglipurlara-panglipurlara penipu ini adalah hakikat bahawa Norza dan KJ adalah rakan rapat. Malah, sentiment anti-KJ bermula daripada tuduhan bahawa KJmenggunakan kedudukannya sebagai menantu PM untuk memperkaya kroni-kroninya termasuklah nama Norza yang kononnya berkedudukan paling atas dalam senarai. Maka puak anti-KJ yang dahulunya tidaksegan silu menggambarkan KJ dan Norza seolah-olah kroni tidur sekatil, kini mahu menyalahkan KJ pula atas apa yang telah berlaku kepada Norza. Ternyata sekali cerita ini langsung tidak masuk akal.
Jika seseorang benar-benar meneliti fakta dan keadaan sebenar, suatu gambaran yang lebih realistik akan didapati, yakni dalang di sebalik insiden ini adalah musuh-musuh Pak Lah dan KJ yang mahu sesiapa sahaja yang berhubungkait dengan Pak Lah dan KJ untuk tidak berada dalam kepimpinan parti dan negara esok. Taktik memerangkap Norza ini juga ada maksud yang lebih mendalam – Norza bukanlah seseorang yangmemegang jawatan dalan Kerajaan ataupun seorang wakil rakyat, maka tiada sebarang kesan mendalam kepada struktur politik tanahair, melainkan kepada Pak Lah dan KJ.
Yang lebih mengejutkan lagi, konspirasi kompleks ini tidak sahaja wujud melalui SPRM, tetapi juga melalui ejen-ejen dan kroni puak anti-PL/KJ ini dalam Lembaga Disiplin UMNO itu sendiri. Tengku AhmadRitahaudeen – yang memiliki integrity terpuji – kini malangnya telah hilang kawalan atas ahli Lembaga Disiplin…
Serigala-serigala sudah pun menanti untuk membaham Pak Lah dan KJ, sehinggakan wujudnya konspirasi untuk menyalahkan isu penangkapan calon atas tuduhan politik wang ke atas Pak Lah dan KJ. Mereka akan menggunakan segala apa cara sekalipun untuk memastikan tiga perkara tercapai: 1) Pak Lah diaibkan 2) Muhyiddin menang sebagai Timbalan Presiden 3) Mukhriz menang sebagai Ketua Pemuda. Mereka kini sedang cuba menyusun penangkapan dan pemberkasan calon-calon, atau pengugutan pun, untuk memastikan Mukhriz dan Muhyiddin masing-masing menang ‘free’. Apa tidaknya, Ali Rustam dilihat kini sebagai ‘favourite’ untuk menang Timbalan Presiden, dan Mukhriz jauh ketinggalan Khir Toyo dan KJ. Najib pula tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa kerana terhutang budi kepada puak-puak Mahathir-Mukhriz-Muhyiddin yang membolehkannya naik menjadi Perdana Menteri Mac depan.
Kita perlu tanyakan diri sendiri, siapa sebenarnya yang menjual parti? KJ?
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To najib manakau, NEP was meant to assist all the poor Malaysian regardless of race, not solely for the Malays. To think the plan is to help solely Malays, what about the poor of other races?
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True enough… not every son is like his father nor any daughter is like her mother or vice versa.
Some people like to walk with their father’s or mother’s name as halo on top of their head. Lazy.
Everybody should strive to be on his/her own; get his/her own achievement and recognition.
-2 sen is not enough these days-
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From the horses’ mouth, so what do you think of his botak son????
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I think Mahatir understand his ministers better. They are not capable of any serious thinking. But at least no one can deny that Mahatir is a good thinker. What he need were people to work? And that is what he did. I quote ” ….And my ministers are not supposed to think for themselves. I think, and they do what I want them to do.”
In a period of 10-15 years, look at Malaysia.
Compare to the present situation. The Ministers still cannot think and they cannot do. Even worse Pak Lah cannot think and cannot lead. So Malaysia ended up with a bunch of idiots running the country to the ground.
Give me Mahatir anytime.
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Dear Anil
Everyone knows Mahathir; ….
Look what happened to Tun Salleh and other Judges. He told the Tribunal nothing but lies according to the writer in “MAY DAY FOR JUSTICE’
AND questionable conduct by K.DAS
Not only that, all along from 1982 to 2003 until he retired (did he retire) he is still very active stirring up a lot of trouble everywhere and particularly in UMNO.
Look at the Financial Scandals – one after the other. Actually an enquiry Commission should be appointed to investigate Mahathir and his activities during his Administration. A lot of truth will come out. If I list out the Scandals it is asking for trouble.
He writes about Economics in the MAHATHIR’S DELIMMA. What a great
Economist. His economic theories are the current problems in Malaysia and other parts of the World. Malaysia’s Economic Expert
K.S. JOMO should undergo A SHORT training from MAHATHIR
They have arrested people for complaining – not the CAPITALIST CROOKS who are destroying our country. So many factories closed down and all our poor workers on the streets. Nothing to eat. Labour Minister Subramaniam – I do not know how they picked him – a medical man to be Labour Minister (title promoted to Human Developoment now) Wrong chap to hold the post.
One of the leading Trade Unionists should be appointed as Minister for Labour so that he can look after the INTERESTS OF THE WORKERS -not the interests of the Capitalists – who when they make millions -never share a sen with the workers but when the business is not doing well, simply dismiss the workers. The must be made answerable to the workers welfare. The Administration must look at the Companies/Corporations past record of profits and from there, money should be withdrawn to keep the workers and their families alive.
The days of Powerful Union Leaders gone – we had PP.NARAYANAN,
V. DAVID, G. PERUMAL. Trade Unionism is dead in this country
while in other countries are flourishing, including United Kingdom Australia, U.S.A. and India. OBAMA when he took the reins of the
US Administrarion, his first duty was to save the unemployed workers and made special provisions for the factory workers to keep alive until an alternative job is found. We have irresponsible administration.
Our Union leaders should wake up and fight for the workers cause. Long live the workers. Workers of Malaysia, Unite for your future. The foxes and blood suckers will not protect the workers.
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I knew Tawfik personally, he’s a “cakap besar” punya orang.
Read what he says carefully and I hope you’ll notices the (alleged) lies.
Why did he not tell about TDM dislikes towards Shahrir Samad? I mean, he was writing for 40 minutes, is there nothing?
Tawfik is only trying to sell his book.
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