Malaysia for All in the next GE
DR M REGRETS WANTING 'MALAYS ONLY' M'SIA: 'At that time, I didn't see the greatness of Tunku's power-sharing'
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As someone who advocates internet censorship, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad now appeciates the alternative media he had cracked down on during his tenure.
While unrepentant on the need for internet censorshop, he told students at a dialogue yesterday that he appreciates the alternative media for giving him space to speak.
He claims that this is because mainstream media refuse to air his views, now that he is no longer in office.
"The alternative media gives people a chance to air their views which are not very much liked by the authorities.
"I must say this because I am now not with the authorities, I am not on the other (authorities') side.
"I still want my blog to be there so I am saying things that maybe I may not have said when I was prime minister," he told the dialogued organised by What Youth Should Know (WYSK) in Cyberjaya.
Dr M
On Thursday, Mahathir through his blog chedet.cc launched a broadside against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, demanding an explanation for several scandals including the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, 1Malaysia Development Berhad's (1MDB) massive debts and government purchase of a luxury jet.
The posting was not carried in government-owned or BN-linked media which only published rebuttals to Mahathir and mentioned in passing that the former premier was "criticising" Najib.
Still Mahathir regrets promising not to censor the internet, mostly because he is uncomfortable that children can easily access adult content.
"it's very simple, just type in 's-e-x' and you get the whole thing," he said.
No one race can dominate
On a separate matter, Mahathir admitted that there was a time when he did not agree with the concept of power sharing as envisioned by the likes of Tunku Abdul Rahman.
"At that time, I didn't see the greatness of this. I thought why can't we have the country all for ourselves (for one race).
PM Najib
"Why must there be other people who don't want to be assimilated," he said.
However, today, Mahathir emphasised the importance of power sharing and said this was also practiced during his administration.
"No one race can dominate this country," he said, urging those present to learn from the founding fathers.
Mahathir had in 1969 wrote an open letter attacking Tunku Abdul Rahman (right) for compromising with ethnic minorities in the country.
He was subsequently sacked from Umno but rejoined the party after Abdul Rahman resigned as prime minister in 1970. - M'kini
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