READING Huzir Sulaiman’s comments on the former prime minister (Mahathir vs the Malay Rulers, Wide Angle, StarMag May 4) made me sick.
Whatever you may say about Tun (Dr Mahathir Mohamad), it doesn’t make him less of a man than he is. He is the best Prime Minister Malaysia ever had. Others pale in comparison with him in every way.
In his time, he built Malaysia to what the country is today. He has touched so many lives. He has improved the quality of life of millions, including your parents.
He has helped to produce so many middle-class families, especially in the Malay community, including thousands of lawyers, doctors, engineers and other professionals.
He has made our lives so much easier that now, when things are a bit rough, we can only whine and complain.
The Malays held their heads higher during his time. He doesn’t believe in Western expertise. He believes in us, the Malays, and our ability to head everything.
He has put the royals in their right place and maintained a good lifestyle for them because Malaysia could afford it during his time.
He delivered what he promised. The Opposition was nothing during his time. Now, it seems the Malays are doing everything wrong.
Maybe Huzir is not aware of all this because, in his time, when he wanted to go to school, his mother dropped him off; when he wants take a drive, he can take the highway; when he wants to buy things, he goes to the hypermarket.
We, in our time, had to walk to school, take a rickety bus to town, buy groceries from an old Chinese shop in the kampung. In the evenings, we had to help our mothers in the padi field, tap rubber, jual kuih, etc.
We appreciated the good deeds of others instead of highlighting their faults.
Huzir, ask yourself what have you done for the people, for the country. How many people’s lives have you personally touched?
Where were you when there was no water in our kampung, when the padi field did not yield a good harvest, when our children needed scholarships?
Have you ever been to a kampung, helped the needy, tasted what it is like to work in the padi field or vegetable plot, or tap rubber?
Jangan nak berlagak pandai. Just look deeper in your roots, then you will see the greatness that he has done rather than being preoccupied with finding his faults. the star
