By Tajuddin Rosli
I am sure most people that decide to read this article is doing so because the title questions the popular belief. Some may already begin plotting their cavalry and loading their artillery even before reading past the first paragraph.
I look back at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s 22 years at the helm, and wonder if he was a leader or a boss.
"Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall" (Stephen Covey).
Dr Mahathir brought enormous success to the development of the nation. It is because of him we now have the Petronas Twin Towers. It is because of him Malaysia is on the Formula One circuit map.
It is because of him Malaysia experienced economic growth. He definitely broadcasted Malaysia globally in many aspects of science and technology.
Unfortunately, it is also because of him corruption has seeped deep into the genes of the nation. It is because of him that cronyism has become a well-known word in Malaysian politics. It is because of him racism went on a malignant spurt. He was for sure a success but the success he brought jeopardised the nation, and its effect is still being felt today.
"A good general not only sees the way to victory; he also knows when victory is impossible." (Polybius)
Despite being advised not to do so by most of his advisers, Dr Mahathir still went on with the Bakun Dam project, a project that till today is Malaysia’s biggest failure despite tones of money being spent and pocketed by contractors close to Dr Mahathir.
The Multimedia Super Corridor mega project has also been deemed a failure. Dr Mahathir splurged insane amounts of money to keep Proton alive and to save it from bankruptcy.
Till today, despite all Dr Mahathir’s confabulation, Proton has failed miserably in the international market.
"You don’t lead by hitting people over the head; that’s assault, not leadership." (Dwight Eisenhower)
Today the whole nation tunes into the online media daily to see Dr Mahathir’s ranting over the current governance.
What did he do when people questioned him during his tenure? He used the Internal Security Act and kept detaining anyone that questioned him. He ruined the career of once very popular M. Nasir who just uttered two words, “Siapa Mahathir?”
He saw Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as a threat and, he did anything and everything to destroy Anwar.
Today we see Dr Mahathir boasting that he led the flagship of the country for 22 years. Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm, Tun. You went on eradicating people and never allowed questioning; anyone can lead that way. Adolf Hitler, Ariel Sharon and Kim Il Sung led that way too.
"I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers." (Ralph Nader)
Even with the aid of Google, my efforts of looking for charismatic leaders that Dr Mahathir empowered remains futile. He never wanted to create a leader. He only went about creating more followers.
He appointed Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as his successor, hoping Pak Lah will bow down to him. When he realised that was not happening, he got rid of Pak Lah.
He then masterminded the appointment of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the country’s premier. Of late, Dr Mahathir is crying out loud that the reason he spearheaded Najib as PM was because he felt indebted to Tun Razak. To me it shows his weakness as a leader. When the crooked bridge is still not built, the PM is a bad man.
"My responsibility is getting all my players playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back." (Unknown)
Dr Mahathir practised the divide and rule concept throughout his tenure. He never condoned the idea of a "Malaysian race". He always propagated Malays, Chinese, Indians and others as separate racial entities.
He stood firm on creating difference races among the people rather than championing Malaysian as a race with multiple diverse ethnicities.
"Lead and inspire people. Don’t try to manage and manipulate people. Inventories can be managed but people must be lead." (Ross Perot)
One day I am sure the greatest question in Malaysian history is going to be, “Did Mahathir lead the people or did he manage the country by manipulating the system and the people?”
With a firm belief in freedom of expression and without prejudice, Malaysia Untold (MU) tries its best to share reliable content from third parties. Such articles are strictly the writer’s personal opinion. MU does not necessarily endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.
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