Dr Mahathir not a true believer in reform, says columnist

Less than a week after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s surprise appearances at the Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur, a columnist warns that the former prime minister is not a “true believer in reform”. In her article carried by The Diplomat magazine, Joyce Lee said that Dr Mahathir’s presence at the 34-hour rally had been prompted only by his desire to see Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak removed from power, not by organiser Bersih 2.0’s list of reforms. Saying that Dr Mahathir had “co-opted” the demonstration to increase pressure on Najib, Lee added that Bersih’s demands for institutional reforms had been “sidelined” by the statesman’s appearance. “According too much due to the former leader – whose prescription is to save Umno by ejecting Najib – compromises the growing popular movement and narrows its field of vision to the prime minister’s office instead of the far-reaching problems crippling Malaysia’s democracy, such as money politics and curbs on civic freedoms,” she wrote. “As the dust settles on Bersih 4, Dr Mahathir has not become a true believer in reform. The rakyat should not mistake him for one.” Dr Mahathir, who has repeatedly called for Najib’s resignation, surprised rally goers by appearing at last weekend’s Bersih demonstration in Kuala Lumpur. The first day of the rally on Saturday saw Dr Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali make a lightning visit to the rally, where he said he had come to "see" the rally for himself. The next day, the couple took the light rail transit (LRT) train to the city centre and held a short press conference in an eatery. Dr Mahathir, who had served as prime minister for 22 years, said then that he did not support Bersih 4's demands but only wanted to see Najib resign. "We just want to oust Najib only, BN (Barisan Nasional) must remain," he told reporters. Dr Mahathir also said that he had been forced to attend Bersih 4 to find solutions to the country's woes. The former prime minister has been pressuring Najib to step down, saying that as long as Najib remains in power, the country will continue to suffer. He has also said that a successful no-confidence vote which resulted in Najib’s ouster would not topple the federal government. – September 3, 2015.