LIFE AND TIMES OF DR MAHATHIR AS USEFUL REFERENCE FOR YOUNGER GENERATION

PUTRAJAYA, July 21 (Bernama) -- The life and times of former prime minister
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, if written into a book, can be an invaluable reference
material for the younger generation to understand his thoughts, particularly on
leadership and administration.

University College Sedaya International (UCSI) political science lecturer
Dr Ong Kian Ming said the elder statesman's personality was still a secret
although his name was well-known and respected worldwide.

"The thoughts of this 'Father of Malaysia's Modernisation' is a storehouse
of thoughts in a class of its own, which must be appreciated, studied and
understood by the generation that grew up during Dr Mahathir's 22 years of
premiership.

"Many of his actions have failed to be understood, including his refusal to
seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund during the Asian financal
crisis in 1997 or his rationale for introducing currency controls," he said at a
seminar on "Mahathir and The West" at the Perdana Leadership Foundation
building, here, Tuesday.

The public, he said, would always await Dr Mahathir's views on the economic
wealth enjoyed by today's generation, especially on how it had benefited the
Malay community.

Berita Publishing group editor A. Kadir Jasin said: "Dr Mahathir is a
thinker, student, writer and visionary who always tries to change society's
perceptions and encourages them to think outside the box.

"This was evident when he succesfully took the country out of the 1997
financial crisis by using his own strategies, although in the end he was forced
to "forget" about his good relationship with his deputy then, Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim."

Kadir who is also the moderator at the seminar, said revolutionary economics
introduced such as the gold dinar and Vision 2020 must be explained from an
in-depth study for the benefit of future generations.

"Dr Mahathir always stresses that Vision 20202 is a national development
agenda which must be achieved using the local model without being influenced by
others," he said.

The seminar paper, presented by Prof Dr Ahmad Murad Merican from Universiti
Teknologi Petronas, brought the audience down memory lane; to relations between
Malaysia and the West during Dr Mahathir's administration which saw him often
making cynical and hard-hitting statements, especially against the world's
superpower, the United States.

Ahmad Murad said Malaysia's fourth prime minister's approach was regarded as
unique as he was the only Asian leader at that time who dared to reprimand the
big powers and speak his mind.

He said Dr Mahathir's policy was described by historian Kho Boo Teik as
pro-East in limiting the role of western capitalists, especially when Dr
Mahathir introduced the "Look East Policy" in 1981.

"The Japan-oriented policy as Asia's prime model for success was followed by
the 'Buy British Last' in a bid to curb economic colonisation of Asia by the
West."

However, Ahmad Murad, said Dr Mahathir's views did not mean that he hated
the West, but were criticisms of their tendencies to exploit and take advantage
of Third World and developing countries.

"He is also not anti-Jews as he also has Jewish friends who condemn Israel's
Zionist government's aggression towards the Palestinians," he said.

-- BERNAMA