[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]

Si Kepala Taik  Berbohong - Newsweek 1

Date: 24 Aug 1999
Time: 21:18:07
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'They Can Call Me a Pharaoh If They Like'

Exclusive: Mahathir's first interview with Western journalists at the new capital of Putrajaya

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed is now the longest-serving ruler in Asia, and perhaps the most confusing: a man of modest personal tastes who is building a new palace, a global maverick who has been known to court Westerners and bash them as "imperialists" in the same speech, a Muslim who mentored Anwar Ibrahim, then saw his deputy jailed in a homosexual scandal. On his 18th anniversary as prime minister of Malaysia, he spoke to NEWSWEEK's Ron Moreau and Tony Emerson. Excerpts:

How do you respond to critics who say you're building a palace fit for a pharaoh? They can call me a pharaoh if they like. It's not for me. I won't be around much longer. It's the residence of the prime minister, not Dr. Mahathir the pharaoh.

Do you see this election as the fight of your political life? Not necessarily. I've had to face some difficult elections. In 1990, one fourth of my cabinet left with the man who challenged me for the presidency of the party [and lost].

You've said support for Anwar was really support for you. Do you still believe that? I'm learning quite a few things. That while he was close to me, and making use of my support to gain popularity, he was building up personal loyalties. Now I'm discovering government officers, business people, party members. He cultivated them by giving them some privileges, some perks and all that. Before this, I wasn't really interested. I thought that by 1998, I would stop, step down. I didn't see any point in going on. But, of course, the economy went bad, then I discovered these things.

You've dismissed pro-Anwar protesters as "ingrates, hippy people, beer drinkers." Is there nothing you can learn from the "reformasi" movement? I found it difficult to believe that [Anwar] is not what he makes himself out to be. If it is difficult for me to believe that he is not pious, it is even more difficult for his followers. But demonstration is not characteristic of Malaysians. Malaysians generally are not violent. So he had to resort to getting schoolchildren, to getting university students and also some thugs involved. I saw a picture of them, you know? A picture of them, you know, they were carrying beer bottles. Obviously they had been drinking. This is taken by the press, not by me. These are the kind of people who protest. You pay them a few cents, they're quite happy to demonstrate. Some of those people confess that they have been paid.


Last changed: August 24, 1999