Dr Mahathir at 101: ‘What else to think of but the nation?’

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s most recognisable leader, turns 101 today.

At that ripe age, the man who still lingers in the national conscience, sometimes in a way that is far from soothing for those currently holding positions of power, still exudes his characteristic sharpness as he shares his views on politics and nationhood, which are among the first things on his mind when he gets out of bed every morning.

In an interview to mark another milestone that only 0.012% of Malaysians experience – and even then with many of them unaware due to dementia and other conditions that rob them of their presence of mind – Mahathir again trained his thoughts on a topic he has discussed most in recent years: the disunity of the Malays.

It was an expected answer to a question on whether he felt there were things he still had not achieved at his age.

“There are many things I have not achieved. I think that our country has the potential to become a developed nation. But it takes time, intelligence and ideas.

“The problem I see now is that the government does not see this opportunity, or even if it has seen it, it does not know how to exploit this opportunity,” said Mahathir, whose era in power saw some of the biggest transformations in the country since independence.

“So when you wake up in the morning, is that what you think of?” asked his interviewer, journalist Shamsul Akmar.

“Yes. What else to think of? For myself, it’s over. It’s just for the country. I’ve spent more than 80 years struggling for the Malays. Although I recognise the rights of others, the non-Malays, our country originated as the land of the Malays,” he said, touching on a subject that has recently stirred controversy after he urged Malays to vote only for Malay candidates.

Mahathir, who twice ruled for a total of 24 years, leaves a legacy that will be remembered by millions of Malaysians across generations, most of whom see him as the only prime minister they knew while growing up.

Eight years ago, he became the world’s oldest head of government to come to power.

But unlike his long reign between 1981 and 2003, which saw economic prosperity that led to racial harmony, he was unable to hold together his government in the second term. It was an administration made up of old rivals who, in 2018, rode on his popularity to secure that elusive chunk of Malay votes that brought down 60 years of the Umno-led government that Mahathir himself had nurtured.

“I am not fighting to eliminate other races. I am fighting to save my race.

“I don’t reject a multiracial community. I just want the role of the Malays in the multiracial community to remain,” he said, rejecting accusations that he is a racist.

Many times, the conversation inevitably turned to his health, as well as that of his wife, Hasmah Mohamad Ali, who in two days will join the exclusive club when she turns 100.

Hasmah is currently resting in hospital.

Last year, Mahathir’s health again sparked nationwide anxiety after he was rushed to the National Heart Institute following a fall in his house.

Since then, his mobility has been limited – not that he could walk freely in public when he was physically healthier either. He was often mobbed by people wanting to take selfies with what they consider a living legend.

“I’m like any other normal person. Sometimes I’m healthy, but sometimes I’m not. I go to the hospital, they give me medicine and I get better, and I resume working.

“I come to the office. I visit my wife at the hospital. I stay with her in the hospital. So this morning I woke up, I went to visit Hasmah. She seems much fitter. She looks okay, she talks well. I think if the doctor allows it, I want to go home with Hasmah today.”

As a centenarian, Mahathir's physical and mental health invariably comes up in any discussion about him or his views. Whenever asked, he does not tire of repeating his tips on healthy living.

"We need to eat to live. Eat to live, not live to eat," he says, outlining his proven dietary philosophy.

As for his birthday wish, the answer is anyone's guess.

"My birthday wish is that this unfinished struggle continues for the sake of race, country and religion."