Mahathir Slams Kuan Yew As Arrogant
KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
Friday slammed Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew for his
insulting remarks about Malaysia and Indonesia's treatment of their
Chinese minorities, describing him as arrogant and disrespectful of
neighbouring countries.
The former premier said Lee was arrogant because he felt he was in
a strong position.
"He's not bothered with his neighbours. That is why he deliberately
raised something he knew to be sensitive in our country," he told
reporters after launching the building fund of the Kemaman branch
of the Ex-Servicemen's Association and the district Warriors Day
Campaign at Awana Kijal, Beach and Spa Resort in Kijal.
Lee on Friday told a forum held in conjunction with the
International Monetary Fund conference in Singapore that Malaysia
and Indonesia had problems with their Chinese minorities because
they were successful and hardworking and therefore they were
systemically marginalised.
He was reported to have said that the attitude of Malaysia and
Indonesia towards Singapore was shaped by the way they treated
their own Chinese minorities.
They "want Singapore, to put it simply, to be like their Chinese --
compliant", he claimed.
Dr Mahathir said Malaysia could question Singapore's
marginalisation of its Malay minority.
"We could ask about the status of the Malays in Singapore, why they
are not allowed to bear arms in the military or train to handle
weapons. Why is it that the Malays in Malaysia are so capable in
the military field but the Malays in Singapore cannot hold high
posts (in the military)?
"Why is it that the Malays in Singapore are marginalised to the
extent that they have no status at all? This is done deliberately
by Singapore. There is no other country that does it like them," he
said.
Dr Mahathir said Lee's allegation about the Chinese in Malaysia
being marginalised was untrue because there are Chinese holding
high posts, for example in the armed forces.
"The Chinese in Malaysia can join the military and rise to become
general, major general and so on. But what is the per capita income
of the Malays in comparison with the Chinese in Singapore?
"We should have an independent investigation on why the Malays are
left behind in Singapore. It is not because they are lacking
compared to the Malays in Malaysia but because they are pressured,
marginalised and oppressed. That is the kind of government founded
on the views of Lee Kuan Yew," he said.
In his speech earlier, Dr Mahathir told Lee not to feel smug about
what he had said.
"You should just guard your own rice bowl. You are not that clever.
In a small group, perhaps you seem clever.
"But when he goes to China, the Chinese there don't want to listen
to him. The Chinese in China don't think much of him and it is a
fact that he is marginalised by Chinese in the world," he
said.
