Mahathir and his myths

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has not ceased harping on race, and in the process creating suspicion or fear in the minds of Malays that their dominance of national life is under threat.

A lesser man would likely have been probed for uttering words that could be deemed divisive in multiracial Malaysia. On March 1, for instance, Mahathir was reported as saying that Malays no longer dominated the economy and that they were taking a back seat in politics.

“That’s why before I die, I will work for my race,” he said at a press conference to explain why he was joining the Ibrahim Ali-led Putra party. He predicted a bleak future for Malaysia if Malays were not the dominant force.