'Why fear Dr M?'

SHAH ALAM - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is no longer the prime minister or an MP who needs to be feared and become a threat to others.

However, Malay Proclamation secretariat chairman Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan said it was strange that some political leaders had strongly held on to a negative perception towards Dr Mahathir and suspicious with the good intentions of the former prime minister.

He said all of Dr Mahathir’s actions were sincere in helping to develop the Malay states with immense potential from an economic perspective.

“The national figure only wanted to see Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis stand developed along with the west coast states. He wanted to develop these states and they want to politicise it?

“I think leaders who support the government were afraid if the four states were to be developed as the public would change their perceptions towards labelling Pas states as not advanced compared to the government states.

“Truthfully and sincerely, I want to remind my friend Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak not to be afraid of his own shadow because Dr Mahathir did not have any political agenda in assisting the four states,” he said in a statement, today.

On Friday, it was reported that Salleh who was former Sabah chief minister accused Pas of making an effort to make Dr Mahathir the de facto leader of Perikatan Nasional (PN) after appointing him as the advisor for the four state governments.

He viewed that Pas took the action without Bersatu’s involvement despite both parties representing PN.

Khairuddin added that at the age of 98 and having all the experience including becoming the prime minister twice, the nationalist did not have any political agenda besides to ensure SG4 succeeded.

“He wanted to prove that leaders in the states involved could lead alongside other developed states, the next was to redeem Malay dignity in the agenda to empower the state he leads.

“It can indirectly help the country’s economic position as these states are part of Malaysia. The economic and political stability of these four states will benefit the federal government in many ways.

“For your information Salleh, Dr Mahathir is no longer interested in politics which is why our movement is now being carried out on a non-partisan basis across political parties,” he said.