goodbye Dr. M
2003-10-30

"This is the first dictator in the world who has resigned while still quite healthy."

- Dr Mahathir Mohamad, on accusations that he is a dictator


As I went through my daily dose of online news, I was swept by a sense of sadness and loss, as I realize that the next time I come home, Dr Mahathir would no longer be Malaysia�s leader.

My generation has not known any other leader except Dr. M, and the thought of someone else being Prime Minister is just unbelievable.

That is not to say that he is perfect. He is not. I think he could have handled the political crisis of 1998 better, and I certainly didn�t see the logic of the ringgit pegging at the time he announced it.

But it was with him at the helm that Malaysia became one of the leading trading nations in the world. I admire his courage, his �combative� approach towards the West. I like the fact that my country�s leader is no scaredy-cat puppet.

His (adopted) daughter went to the same boarding school as I did, and I remember at that time how hard it was to retain a sense of normalcy. The school had a policy of treating everyone the same, so we treated Dr M as though he was a parent, not the Asian Tiger that the �West� thinks he is. Usually it would be his wife, Dr Siti Hasmah, that would visit the daughter, but sometimes he would tag along.
Imagine greeting a respected, world-famous leader of the nation, and going �Assalamualaikum, pakcik.�
He would respond with a smile and a nod, �Waalaikum salam.� It was a somewhat surreal experience.

I am saddened by his sadness at what he perceives to be his failure to change his people, the orang Melayu, and I feel as if I must continue his quest, one person at a time. I know many young people who feel the same way I do. I think it is a testimony of Dr M�s success and great PR, this public desire to please him.

I feel like saying good bye to a father. I want to say stay, but I know that he should go.

Good bye Dr Mahathir. It�s been great.

Now let�s see if Abdullah Badawi can measure up to the Doctor.