Endoh’s Dungeon

It’s always entertaining to read about what Dr. Mahathir says about Singapore. I am beginning to suspect if he is secretly hiding his adoration of Singapore, given the countless occasions that he cited this little red dot as one of the influential factors on Malaysia’s internal politics.

For an average man on the ground like me, I can’t help but feel sorry for Dr. Mahathir sometimes. His recent resignation from UMNO and the subsequent lack of supporting members in his call for more resignations, made him look like a train running out of steam. Hanging the word “Singapore” by his lips in almost every other criticism against Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Badawi, looks convincing of a man depleted of bullets. The descriptive term of “falling from grace” keep surfacing in my head.

Singapore had always been the “problematic” party in Dr. Mahathir’s eyes. From the adjustment of water prices to building of a new causeway, there are so many more issues which Dr. Mahathir had often placed Singapore among the firing line. An interesting thought I had, who is impartial enough to judge who’s the “problematic” party? By Dr. Mahathir’s words alone?

Now that relationship between Dr. Mahathir and Datuk Abdullah Badawi has soured, Singapore was again sounded as one of the political factors for an “uprising” against the current Prime Minister. For the longest time, Datuk Abdullah Badawi was accused as “being afraid of Singapore”. What exact fear is Dr. Mahathir talking about, I wondered.

I guess Dr. Mahathir actually underestimated the importance of diplomatic engagement, rather than bulldozing one’s way to get a point across. It does not help matters anymore by staging a childish resignation, in which a second accusation was thrown at the Datuk Abdullah Badawi for creating “Abdullah’s Club” within UMNO. Realistically, isn’t Dr. Mahathir also creating his own “Club de Mahathir” within UMNO when he urged fellow UMNO members to follow in his footstep? Is it still Malaysian’s UMNO? Or is it Mahathir’s UMNO?

Datuk Abdullah Badawi’s approach towards Singapore, I feel, is liken to that of Taiwan’s newly elected President Ma Ying-jeou. Does resuming to diplomatic talks necessary means one is afraid of another? I definitely beg to differ on that. As China had demonstrated with acceptance of Ma’s approach, returning to the tables does no harm to either parties. An outright war, is the most damaging on all grounds. Hence, knowing the stale cracks Dr. Mahathir left behind, Datuk Badawi has to repair these cracks now. How is that, not a good thing?

What was even more hilarious in my opinion was when Dr. Mahathir said, “Now, the impression is no loyalty to Abdullah means no loyalty to the party.” I gave this one single line a very long thought, and I was hesistant about writing it down as I had related to Xizor. Why did I hesitate? It was because right up to Dr. Mahathir’s resignation, he gave me the impression of “no loyalty to Mahathir means no loyalty to the country”. Just like any other politicians around the world, it seemed like whatever rules and expectations we imposed on others, we are exempted from meeting the same criteria. I’ll leave that to your own further definition and conclusion though.

What fears do Datuk Abdullah Badawi has seriously? I am guessing, his fears lies more in his own citizens than in Singapore. For a matter of fact, the citizens of Malaysia have shown to be able to vote against a system they do not believe in. A political system structured by none other than Dr. Mahathir himself, during his reign as Prime Minister.

The new government has learnt their lesson in overlooking the power of New Media, but has Dr. Mahathir learnt? Or is he still in favour of the iron-fist approach, which he had contributed as much “problems” as he pointed towards Singapore?

Obviously, I wasn’t too happy (as a Singaporean) to see how Dr. Mahathir had twisted the situation of building a new bridge in a vicious manner when he said, “This is our country, yet we have to seek permission from another country to build a bridge on our side.” Oops, didn’t he just promise not to interfere in politics?

Of course, I have lots more to say but I think I will save it for another time.