Pak Habib S.H.ALATTAS The Writer: May 2012

On the 21st November, 1999, while still in Alor Setar, I stopped by a while at Anak Bukit, a district called Small Hill in Kedah. Coincidentally Dr Mahathir is expected to launch the Bernas Children Education Fund. Since the nomination day, I have been travelling to Johor Bahru, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Penang, Kedah and Perlis. The only states I have not visited were Kelantan and Terengganu. Visit also no use, wasting time only, very slim chance for BN to win. I did a survey before the election.

Upon reaching Complex Bernas, Anak Bukit, I saw many people have already gathered at the compound of the complex. Although it was drizzling, they came to welcome the Prime Minister.

Besides Dr Mahathir, his wife Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid who was at that time the Kedah Menteri Besar were there. Also present were Tan Sri Osman Aroff former Menteri Besar of Kedah and also the Managing Director of Bernas, Mohd Ali Ibrahim. All this V.I.Ps are my friends especially Man Aroff, the UMNO veteran.

My intention of coming here was to have a close look and to study Mahathir’s face closely and thus this would enable me to see his aura. I have to see his chances of winning. The light surrounding his face was projecting what was inside him which was his inner strength.

I have done a character analysis on him for the first time in 1981 that is since Malaysia General Election of that year. And I did it again in 1987, during which UMNO was having a big war between Team A and Team B.

I believe this is something I have to tell my foreign and non-Malay readers who have not read any of my past prediction on any politician. You can call it coincident if u like, but so far none of these political predictions which I have made using my knowledge on physiognomy plus the third eye failed. All my books since 1972 serve as documentations of these predictions.

People have said no many bad things about him. The opposition has condemn him total as the ‘number one’ public enemy. To them he is just shit. They say that is the end of his political carrier. He is sure to lose. However, Malay people also very much believed in mystic. They love to go to fortunetellers of bomohs. Black magic or super natural power is commonly practiced among them. Therefore, I have to see his face once again before making predictions on the person being called the Pharaohs who can easily win as compared to his opponent, a columnist of Harakah, the organ of PAS. What is his chance? You have to be on the ground to have all this documented.

Malay people very much believed in luck as to complement their belief in mystic. Malay mysticism is very popular among the politicians. Some would even go against religion by resorting themselves to the black magic. Some of them even made use of the devils in order to finish off, of their enemies. May be this practise has some similarities with the African voodoo.

During the elections, Mahathir was always being surrounded by journalist including foreign journalist. Before Mahathir departed, I went close to him and shook his hands. From a distance, I already could feel his aura. If u have read the book by Lobsang Rampa The Third Eye, you would understand what aura is all about. In my writing I always use physic ESP. Anyone with this exposure would easily understand my book. Better still if he has basic knowledge of Sufism.

One could feel the comfort of being near him. There was something nice that vibrated from his heart. We shook hands and our eyes met. I saw the sincere smile on his lips and I saw light in his eyes. The human eyes is the window to his inner self. It was clear there was no anger or vengeance in him against me. He was cool.

Dr Mahathir asked me: “How long did you take to write your book?”

He was referring to my previous book The Champion, The Warrior and The Traitor. (Wira, Juara atau Penderhaka).

“ Two weeks, Datuk, “ I answered sincerely.

At that time I saw all the journalist and those who were there focusing on both of us. Surely they wanted to know Mahathir’s reaction towards the writer who has been a nightmare to most politicians. He had received a hard criticism from me when he sacked Anwar, through my political trilogy comprising Mahathir Di Ambang Senja, (Mahathir At Sunset), Mahathir Konspirasi, Anwar Reformasi and Sunnah Mahathir Mohamad. (Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad SAW vs Mahathir Mohamad Sunnah). But I am proud to see him very calm, cool and not taken over by his emotion.

“Two weeks?” he asked. He seemed to be surprised at my answer.

“I take one month to write a speech and it takes you two weeks to write a book” he explained. “If these be the case, I also want to keep long hair like yours.” He closed the subject with a smile, may be that is his own style of sense of humor.

Not only Mahathir did not know that it only took me two weeks or at times one month to write most of my books, but many of my readers thought I took longer than that. Well, the book you are reading now is a current political book brother! This is not a history book or an academic book where you have to write like preparing a thesis with all the footnotes. A current political book is just like a news analysis or a weekly column in a tabloid that you usually read in newspaper. My footnotes are of totally different kind. Someone will feel I’m kicking them bellow belt like Siamese, boxing Tomoy especially when they read the sentences in between the lines.

My readers want everything to be current. If it is not current, if the new or an issue has become stale, who want to read it? How I want to cari makan? Malay readers are very busy one and it is very difficult to please them.

And while we are on the subject, I might as well qualify myself to my fellow readers. As I said this is not an academic book or neither an English Literature book. As such, you do not expect me to be perfect in my spellings, grammar, syntax and what not, especially my English. I am sorry, this is the best I can offer you. What do you expect from a school dropout who have only a few years of normal education in English? Furthermore I think in Malay and then only I write in Malaysian - English. If the American has its own American - English, what’s wrong with the Malaysian – English. So I am sure as a foreigner you find it strange but if you ever have a chance to read poetry by a famous Greek poet from Australia, his name is TTO and the title of his book 24 hours, in which it was the day the language stood still, maybe you will say nothing about my writing, that is as far as the language is concerned.

I hope my fellow readers would not be upset if they find any mistakes which they surely will in the course of reading any sentence, especially the spelling which I am sure there is. It is impossible to pretend that I am an expert in the language. I write what I think. It is all the same with my Malay books. I don’t care if any government body or any writing society want to recognize me as a writer at all. This is not important at all to me. After all, in a book which describes the biographies of 100 writers in Malaysia published by the Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka, my name is among the missing one. But what is the most important thing to me is my readers got the message clear and they enjoy my book. It would be a bonus for me and for them if they can benefit something for my books.

Anyway, whatever it is the pleasure is all yours and the risk is solely mine. Writing a book like this, defamation is for sure. Surely, there would be many people who are angry with me. But I have to do it. Do or die. After all I do not owe anybody a living, so what? If you are not happy or feel offended, what can I do. I am not a joker who writes this book to entertain you. As a politician you better behave yourself. Do not be naughty or rude if you do not want anybody to criticize you.

And anyway, if the Sasterawan Negara Datuk A.Samad Said refuses to no longer write any book because he is so fed up with the Malay audience, I too would in future write in English only. I think after more than 35 over books in Malays enough is enough. Difficult to “cari makan”. These days if you write truth, and as you know truth is very bitter, you would be labeled with all kinds of labels.

“Cari makan”, that was what I said to Mahathir. I doubt the foreign people know what ‘cari makan’ means. The French word say ‘selave’ this is life, you have to survive. Not easy to look after nine children and be responsible to my six grandchildren and so many adopted children. Writing is my bread and butter. You have to be extra fast if you want to survive as a current political writer because a hot issue is always short-lived among tahi ayam politicians.

“perut dah boroi, cari makan apa lagi” meaning your belly is full you don’t need to consume any more food was the reply of Dr. Mahathir during that meeting.

“You are a survivor, you have got more than you need, you don’t have to write a book, you are loaded” if you want to read in between the lines, that was what Dr. Mahathir said with his finger pointing at my stomach.

Every one there smiled. I, Shahidan Kassim, Osman Aroff, my old friend also smiled.

Suddenly Sanusi Junid, who stood beside me said: “Go and apologise to the PM.”

I was taken aback with Sanusi’s suggestion I took it easy. I told myself, relax man. Take it easy. But inside me it was really an embarrassing situation. Thank god I am never lose of words when in the company of VVIP. So what if he is a VIP or a King. I am a free man. I treat everybody equal. As far as I am concerned, he is human and I am also a human. I do not owe him a living, so does he? I am not like some Malays whom I knew who are usually timid and negative in their thought. I have been trained by my father who was a Yamani never feel inferior to anybody. That is why a Hadarami can survive anyway in the world.

“Why should I apologise. I have done nothing wrong to him? I have never been personal in any of my books. I was only doing my jobs as a writer.” I explained.

At that time, PM put both his hands on his chest and said: “No, no, there is no need to apologise to me. You have done nothing wrong to me.”

PM’s answer took everyone by surprise and all present were also taken aback. There was stillness in the air. Surely everyone has their own views and opinions. When I was alone all by myself I ask myself, is it true I have done nothing wrong to the PM? Is my conscience clear? Am I not arrogant, is my ego not bigger than life? Maybe as a human being I got carried away by my sentiment during the course of my writing. If that is the case I am sorry Doc. It is not easy to swallow one’s pride. Mahathir never apologise to the public when he wrote the book The Malay Dilemma. How come this writer’s ego is so big? If I am a politician, maybe I would kissed PM’s hand.

I respect PM’s attitude. He is a true statesman. He is easy going. He does not have vengeance against the people who criticized him. Mahathir’s attitude reflects noble character belonging to a high statesman like the late Tunku. This character showed a sharp contrast with some ministers whom I have criticized in my books and whom until today refused to or even talk to me or shake hands with me. What more to joke like what the PM did to me. Thus, how can I label him as the Pharaoh?

In fact, even some of the writers whom I have criticized in my books no longer want to speak to me. I saw, within a short span of time and in the eyes of the Prime Minister, the image of a father who loves the country. The soft feeling radiating from his eyes which were partially concealed behind a pair slightly tinted glasses are sufficient to give hopes to the people. Now my readers especially my followers know why I suddenly stop attacking Mahathir. It is not right to overkill anybody. You will only create sympathy. Mahathir is old. How many more years can he live. Let us be moderate, put yourself in his shoes how you feel if you have been a nation builder and they humiliate you like they did to him?

I know some people still need him but when the times come for him to go he better go. We all know he is not bad after all if we were to compare him with other world leaders but because many think that he is arrogance and egoistic, people slowly begin to stay far away from him. We don’t know what kind of leader God will give to us if we use force to bring him down. But the people’s hatred for him is terrible. The question is who will help him now. Will the people forgive him if they knew the truth?

His eyes do not reflect someone who is cruel. The eyes do not reflect a dictatorial eyes. There is still room to communicate through the hearts. But as a doctor, he did what he has to do in order to save a state. His responsibility is not just to one person but to 22 million people. Put yourself in his shoes would you not take the same action towards your son if you are been pushed too far against the wall. You only retaliate because you have no choice and that is what he did to Anwar. Anwar try to finish his political career in a very cruel manner, but the flame and anger of the Malays were directed toward Mahathir. And the matter is still not clear until today. Who is really at fault but slowly they are forgetting Anwar as they have forgotten Datuk Harun.

If Mahathir is truly a Pharaoh, and he claimed to be God or he used his power like a certain leader in a peanut Island or Suharto in Indonesia, people like Anwar or the opposition would be finished long ago. And if he is not strong, our economy and politics will be in deep shit.

Actually he does not have to capture Kelantan through an election. Sufficient for the Federal Government to just summons the Kelantan Government bankrupt for not paying its debts which amounted to hundreds of millions of ringgit.

Mahathir does not do this because I could not see cruelty in his eyes. He is firm and hard but not cruel. He adhered himself to the principle: “in order to be kind, you have to be cruel.” When a doctor uses the surgical knife, it is not to kill but to safe a person. Whatever it is, as the English saying goes, every coin has two sides. If you want to know the good side of someone asks his good friend because they always consider the people in front of them or the good people as their reflection. If we are good, we will look for the good points in someone because we want to find the same wave-length. On the other hand, if we were to ask one’s enemy, then we would be listening to all the bad things about the person.

I am confident that if Anwar was to put aside his ego and beg for forgiveness and accept the offer to resign and come back to the party again when Mahathir is no longer around , then there would be no trouble in our country. Mahathir would have probably forgiven him. Look at Anwar’s eyes and compare them with Mahathir’s. Do not be emotional by his black eye.

Put yourself as an ordinary person if someone has got on your nerves would you not do the same? Anyway Rahim Nor has to sacrifice his job. What is the big deal? And if you are an ordinary person like Haw Soon Hock whose one eye became totally blinded due to a gun shot by a police officer during investigation at the Puchong Police Station, not many seem to care or noticed or lets alone form a political party. A shot in the eye is a short in the eye. Do not get it mixed up with the survival of the nation.

Nobody blame Anwar who has in a hurry to become a Prime Minister. Why can’t he just wait? Why was he in such a hurry to finish Mahathir? He felt he is very strong at the grass root. He forgot that Musa was almost exactly like that before. Anwar should learn from Musa’s mistake. Let’s hope Pak Lah is sober and be careful with the people around him.

Anwar knew the neighbouring and foreign countries would support him. So he has to show power. Now you see who suffer. It is the people. He made them confused. But nobody benefits from his action. Is it fair to put the whole blame to Mahathir alone? I think if Keadilan or Anwar’s wife were to see Mahathir and say sorry and Anwar is not so arrogant, Mahathir will forgive him. Malay people like to see Mahathir and Anwar like father and son again. Only bad people and their enemies like them to fight so they can benefit.

Ask all the former senior leaders of UMNO like Tengku Li, Musa Hitam, or even Zainal Abidin or Ibrahim Ali and most of the leaders in Team B who fought Mahathir and former the Semangat 46 and who have received forgiveness from Mahathir. Many feared to look at Mahathir in the eyes because of his internal strength which is his inner power.

Mahathir posseses a lot of strong qualities in him, the charisma of a dynamic leader, which the Malay should be proud of. God will not make many people like him anymore. Maybe this is the last or this rare species. We have Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru in India, Muammar Ghadafi in Libya, Imam Khomeini in Iran. He belong to one of the world great leaders who would be remembered by the citizens of the world for a long time.

As such, it is of no wonder that Mahathir is a survivor himself and he can overcome any big test and enjoys whatever that comes in front of him. But Malay people only will miss a person when he’s dead. They will not honor the person when their still alive whether he is a politician or a man of arts, like the late P.Ramlee or Sudirman Haji Arshad for instance. When God took the life of this kind of man, you have to wait for another century before the emergence of another one.

Mahathir fears nobody. He is brave man. Are we not proud to have a brave leader who is willing to face any challenge? If he were in England, he will be mightier. He is a true nationalist, a nation builder which history will remember a long time.

Many who has left the party returned to UMNO and were given positions in the cabinet. In fact, a person like Rais Yatim who have burnt all bridges was willing to eat back his words and kow tow to Che Det and as a matter of fact, Mahathir too welcome him.

That is a character of a statesman which I could described in a short meeting. I have not seen any character of Pharaoh in Mahathir’s eyes. Mahathir’s eyes are far more comfortable compared to some of the so called “gurus”. Try to take a look at their eyes if you do not believe me. Some of them look like gundus.

If u have chance, read my book Firasat which is first published in 1969 and the first Malay book on physiognomy, that is on secrets of knowing oneself from face reading and body language which I have recently reprinted , then you would understand that it is not fair to read a person’s face through views and opinions of his political foes such as those who make fun of Mahathir’s nose. They do not know that the nose reflects someone who has great talent in the business world.

It is true that I have criticized Mahathir a lot in my books. I even asked him to resign. In the book Memo To The Prime Minister, I wrote a long memo in the form of a book. This was in 1989. I told him point blank , don’t over stay your welcome.

That was truth. I know it is bitter but you must say a “cow is a cow”, a chicken shit is a shit. But I have never written any baseless accusations. I am the ears, the eyes and the mouth of the people and he better learn to be tolerant if he wants to stay as the elected leader of the people. I think he has a great patient and understanding, otherwise long ago I would be in the cell.

If that kind of book were to be written in other neighbouring countries, I would have be in jail or dead by now. But if you are one with God, you have no fear. I have no fear for anything but God.

We cannot become a writer and be a person practicing double standard. Isn’t Mahathir a normal human being who is not free from making mistakes? Is there any leader from PAS who claims to be completely innocent without making any mistakes? Well, if you think you don’t want him anymore don’t vote for him and if you think PAS will perform better then UMNO, the choice is yours, who cares…

Back to the business in Small Hill, Kedah, during that event, Mahathir reminded the people specially farmers to thank the BN which has proven track record since administrating the country in the last 42 years.

The Prime Minister said PAS supporters used the infrastructure given by the BN but have never apprecriated instead downgraded the government because they were too obsessed with their leaders. He hope the farmers would not be influenced with the propaganda of the oppositions.

“They have never make any efforts to help change the life of the farmers,” he said.

The oppositions, Mahathir said, only incite farmers not to appreciate the change to their lives which they enjoyed now through the efforts of Barisan Nasional government.

Citing the capability of farmers planting twice a year through the Muda Irrigation Plan, Mahathir said PAS was against the plan when it was implemented in the seventees.

According to Mahathir, Nik Aziz was willing to lie by saying that God swears in the Holy Quran and denied the rights of beautiful women to work.

Pity Mahathir, his words were exploited and they twisted his words. And not only that, his friends take this opportunity to stab him from the back particularly when he said the truth on the role of ulama. Ulama in our country only want praises, forgetting that praises only must be for God, the creator. Men do not deserve praise if he believes everything comes from Allah. Even he himself is the creation. How can you demand praise and refuse critics. That is arrogant, that is ego, and a Mukmin does not submit himself to ego. It is not fair for PAS leaders who were all admitted themselves as ulamaks including Harun Din regard themselves as so special as if they were above the law. This kind of immunity is only enjoyed by the kings and the sultans but even sultans are being criticized these days.

Why do the people need to change from UMNO to PAS? What is so special about PAS leaders? Or what are the great deeds Anwar has done that we are seeking a new president when we very well know that the man to take the place have got no credibility and nothing special than the person to be replaced. Crazy, very crazy. They say I am nuts, crazy when I bring out this subject. What do you think? Who is mad? After all, when you come to think of it, there is only a thin line that separates a genius from a mad man.

As it is the people that has started questioning how long more should Mahathir stay as the president, then why should Pak Lah be given the post of Deputy Prime Minister without having to fight the contest? Is our objective in politics just to quest for power? Is power our aim in life and is power the purpose of our struggle?

Why haven’t we ask the Rulers or Sultans be replaced by the Tengku Mahkota, or the crown prince when their fathers are not just old but also have been in the throne for so long. Besides some are too old or sickly.

Mahathir knows many UMNO members are sick and tired of seeing his face. They feel Mahathir should be replaced to end all the problems facing the country. You see sometimes these oppositions, their mouth have lasers. That’s terrible…is this their main agenda? Just the chair of the Prime Minister? Who ever opposes them and protect Mahathir means they reject democracy. Rakyat have never ask who are the main players behind all the inciting. Who are the real devils blowing the fire of hatred and jealousy so that the Malays will always fight with one another. When could the Malay people ask their friends “Have we no better things to do but to fight with our own brothers only?”

What is your views and opinions? Why are Muslims all over the world acting like this? For example in Somalia, Africa where there is one hundred percent Muslims, all Sunni, they have been fighting and killing one another in the name of Allah for the past 11 years. And the real story behind this killing is that all the thirty tribes want their Chief to be the President of Somalia. In Sudan, the Muslims are killing Muslims. And so is in Afghanistan.

Try discussing this chapter with your friends who have different political ideology. Do not be emotional, but be true to yourself. Are you religious if you have no love, no feelings of humanity to your own brothers and sisters? And for the Muslims , perhaps you should ask this question to yourself: “ Are you just a Muslim or are you a mukmin”

Mukmin are real brothers. They will not even kill an ant. What they want is just the love of God. They want to be one with God, that is the unification of the soul with the Creator. How can a person who cannot achieve mikraj during his solat, unite himself with others?

The common social interest, and particular ties of human life unite human beings together, giving to every individual a sense of unity similar to that experienced by a group of people traveling together in an automobile or an aeroplane or a boat, heading towards the same destination, and sharing together the common hope of reaching the destination safely, the dangers of the way, and a common fate.

Society And History

By: Martyr Murtada Mutahhari.

from the book:
The Ugly Malays (2000)