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Malaysia's Mahathir Walking Political Tightrope
KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - A senior political official urged Malaysian colleges and universities Sunday to introduce a course on the thoughts of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad that have benefited his country and Islam.
"The time has come for the institutions to come up with a specific field of study on the thoughts of Dr. Mahathir who has contributed a lot to the country and Islam," Mahathir's political secretary Dusuki Ahmad after meeting with religious instructors.
If the opinions of Islamic thinkers and scholars are a source of reference, then Mahathir's thoughts are worthy of studying, said Dusuki. Quoted by the online edition of the Malayisan Bernama news agency, he said his country was on its way to achieving the status of a developed Islamic country based on Mahathir's ideas.
"The Prime Minister also wants to make the Muslims in this country, especially the Malays, a model for the global Muslim community," he said.
"This is a leader who is not only outspoken but also one who does his work, enabling us to rise to this level," Dusuki said enthusiastically referring to Mahathir.
Mahathir has written many books on various political topics and has written openly about Islam in the modern world. Last year, Mahathir said at an Islamic conference that Muslim nations would become "banana republics" unless they stop quarreling, adopt modern technology and unite to face the threats of globalization.
Dusuki's initiative could raise controversies since police accused Mahathir of making slanderous remarks towards Keadilan reform party chief Mohamad Ezam Noor.
Youth members of the Malaysian opposition front filed a police report against Mahathir for slanderous comments linking the opposition to current racial clashes in Selangor.
"We appeal to the police to immediately investigate Mahathir," they said in a statement. According to the police report, Mahathir has not shown any proof to back accusations made during the crisis.
"There was no basis to Mahathir's statements. Therefore, his comments are considered slanderous and made with bad intent," the report said.
The police report added that Mahathir's statements represent a "serious crime" since the clashes are still under police investigation.
ABCnews.com, in its country profile of Malaysia, says that Mahathir "would have you believe that everything's on the mend."
Malaysians have had a rough few years, knocked about by the recession, and then the conviction of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
There are positive aspects of Mahathir's rule, like the increase and development of strong electronics exports, which helped boost Malaysia's GDP (gross domestic product) growth - a glorious snub to critics of Mahathir's go-it-alone economic policy. But a slowdown in the U.S. market could begin to dent the recovery.
Statements about the importance of Mahathir's ideas come at a time when most overt critics are out of the way and Mahathir's position looks strong. But the contentious Anwar trial made many Malaysians question their government, causing loss of support for Mahathir's ruling UMNO party in the 1999 elections, and maybe their Prime Minister as well.
After a few decades of blistering growth, millions of ordinary Malaysians, particularly the burgeoning Malay middle class, now enjoy a standard of living unthinkable a generation ago. These economic leaps have been attributed to Mahathir's stewardship of the country.
But his government's heavy-handed treatment of critics and Mahathir's frequent haranguing against perceived enemies have undermined his chances of securing an honorable legacy.
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