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.
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