Another Month of Mahathir's Hypocrisy

Mahathir Mohamad's latest jabs at Anwar Ibrahim show he has a selective memory. Anwar has often called himself an "honourable prisoner," highlighting his time as a victim of political plots and backroom deals. But Mahathir didn't have any of that. He quickly pointed back to 1998, when Anwar was kicked out of office under accusations of abuse of power and sexual misconduct. Sure, Anwar was later acquitted, but Mahathir still pointed out that a judge said there was evidence of misconduct.

This move isn't just about taking a shot at Anwar; it's also Mahathir's way of sidestepping his role in the mess and trying to paint himself as a moral leader. It's a classic political play—throw enough dirt to distract from your track record. The problem is that anyone who remembers Mahathir's past knows his actions weren't exactly squeaky clean, and his supposed high ground looks more like a shaky soapbox.

Additionally, Mahathir's comments on LGBTQ+ issues and Western morality are fraught with hypocrisy. He suggested that Europeans should continue to embrace the LGBTQ+ lifestyle to the point of extinction, a statement that reflects outdated views on sexual orientation and a fundamental misunderstanding of equality and human rights. His critique of Western values as detrimental to Malaysian society is misguided, as it fails to recognise that his own government's policies have often suppressed fundamental rights and freedoms, ones that have their roots in the Quran itself. Islam guarantees the right to freedom of thought and expression to all citizens of the state, provided that it is used to propagate virtue and truth and not evil and wickedness.

It's a snide comment from a man not used to losing control; after all, throughout his tenure as Prime Minister, Mahathir's government regularly used the state apparatus to silence critics, stifle opposition, and maintain a tight grip on power. From the use of draconian laws like the Internal Security Act to detain political adversaries without trial to crackdowns on protests and restrictions on media freedom, his rule was marked by a systematic erosion of democratic principles. His rhetoric today about protecting Malaysia's values against so-called Western moral decay seems disingenuous when one considers that many of the rights and freedoms he now claims to defend were curtailed under his watch.

Throughout his tenure as Prime Minister, Mahathir's government regularly used the apparatus of the state to silence critics, stifle opposition, and maintain a tight grip on power. From the use of draconian laws like the Internal Security Act to detain political adversaries without trial, to crackdowns on protests and restrictions on media freedom, his rule was marked by a systematic erosion of democratic principles. His rhetoric today about protecting Malaysia's values against so-called Western moral decay seems disingenuous when one considers that many of the rights and freedoms he now claims to defend were curtailed under his watch.

It's funny how Mahathir has tried to flip his image from a hard-nosed modernizer who pushed Malaysia through the neoliberal playbook to some kind of wise elder standing against the moral decline he claims is happening. His current attacks on Anwar's focus on fair wealth distribution and his railing against Western culture come off more like a PR move than a genuine concern for the country's future. It's almost as if he's trying to erase the memory of his role in shaping the problems he now criticizes.

Mahathir's whole act just highlights his contradictions. His track record says otherwise for all his talk about morality and protecting Malaysian values. It's clear he's still playing the political game, trying to make sure the spotlight stays on anyone but him. And while he's busy throwing shade at Anwar, it's hard to ignore that his legacy is much more complicated than he'd like us to believe.