Let us give Mahathir credit where it is due. His push for industrialisation and infrastructure development are his finest legacies. However, his failures are glaring.  He has allowed racial divisions in this country to deteriorate to the breaking point. Over the 22 years of his reign, the word 'muhibbah' went out of fashion.

He allowed corruption to flourish. Perhaps by rearing a pack of cronies, it was easier for him to implement his mega projects. Under his rule, the civil service remained corrupted and ineffective.  Another area where Mahathir has failed miserably is in education. Instead of developing world-class centres of higher learning, we are now saddled with 60000 unemployed graduates.

Mahathir is a man who believes that the end justifies the means. He destroyed the independence of the judiciary to ensure that no one could challenge his authority.  There are many lessons to be learnt from the antics of the longest serving prime minister of Malaysia.

It is really disturbing to read the comments of Mahathir especially those regarding the News Straits Times, where he calls for the sacking of its group editor just because he is non-malay.  Such racist comments coming from a highly respectable elderly politician and former prime minister for all Malaysians is very alarming and frightening. If a man of the stature of Mahathir can say such things, we dread to imagine the thoughts in the minds of his followers.

If Umno, being the dominant partner in the BN, discriminates against the minorities, then who can they turn to for the protection of their basic rights?  It would be a great favour for the nation as a whole if respectable elderly leaders like Mahathir devote their energy and time to promote harmony, peace and well-being of all Malaysians irrespective of race and religion.

The younger generation needs their invaluable moderate guidance to cultivate goodwill and racial tolerance. The last thing they need instilled in them is bigotry and intolerance. It is an irony that Mahathir has asked Pak Lah to resign as prime minister when the latter has the people's mandate to run the government. And resign for what?

It is now for Pak Lah to go to the people and explain in every state, what has happened, what is happening and what lies ahead.
Stop the rot. Pak Lah should also make recommendations to the king to strip Mahathir of his 'Tun' title as this may have protected him against any suits.

By removing the security granted with this title, we can then reopen all the files pertaining to Cyberjaya, EPF investments, Perwaja, Petronas and all the other projects.  It is becoming uncivilised of Mahathir to pursue his 'mega outstanding projects' at the expense of the people. This from someone who used Petronas as his piggy bank.

For me, it came as a no surprise. Mahathir is one of the most potent and dangerous leaders of Asia. An opportunist who is willing to stoop low in order to achieve what he wants.  When he was at the top, he needed to safeguard his position. He used money politics. He fed Umno top brass with millions in government contracts in order to garner their support. He allowed corruption in Umno. He allowed corruption in the civil service in order to have their support.

People who went against him were jailed. Newspapers were controlled. He created multi-millionaire cronies who were (and are) willing to spend millions to ensure that he held on to power.  When he was losing support, he reverted back to his racist politics. He cried at the Umno assembly as though the party was on the brink of collapse and extinction.

Today, he shamelessly goes around criticising the present government. It is like a pot calling other black.