It was an opportunity not to be missed, when the SAHOCA Management Committee met our SAHOCA President Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed at the Yayasan Bukhary in conjuction with the Press Conference by Tun Dr M on the Opening of the SAHOCA Building on 20th March 2009, next week.
We had a private audience with him for about 20 minutes before the PC.
He covered a few world issues during that time, and i can vouch that his views are very relevant and true.
In fact he covered almost all the current issues, Obama, Sudan's Omar Bashir, the Jews, The current financial crisis, War Crime Tribunal,and off course the present PM.
Did asked him a few private questions personally and also did take the opportunity to give him a few points of my own.
Mentioned to him about the change of War Department to Defense Department and maybe ultimately Peace Department, to which he said, maybe...
I did mentioned to him that only two guys can say NO to the US, i.e. Saddam Hussein and him, to which his eyes sparkled and gave that grin of his.
Also asked him whether there is any efforts by China in trying to take the lead in the world and whether he has any personal connections with the Chinese Leaders to try and convince them of taking the lead, since the US is having so much problems or rather they have created their own problems?
He says that they are playing safe...or words to that effect...
I even asked him whether there is any Malaysian Chinese who has such a calibre as to have any personal contacts with the Chinese leadership and can whisper a few words to them on his behalf about his opinions of the wordly affairs!!!
His answer is the same as the above...Non Committal in unnecessary affairs or in plain word...play safe...concentrate on Untung only...(this is my understanding of what he says, because his one liner answers has deep meanings...)
He did give his views of the Middle Eastern Countries of which it is not any different from our views..
He tried very hard but as always because of the colour of the skin, they would rather listen to the pale face in suits!!!
Wonder whether he will write about them in his blog.
Also asked him to write something about the college in conjunction with the Old Collegians finally getting a building of their own after 100 years!!
The Grand Old Man is perfectly sharp and witty.
His one liner answers to the Press has deep meanings and inuendos..
I hope the young reporters understood what he was trying to get at, or rather their Editors will permit them to publish verbatim what Tun Dr M said...
Obviously the question on Enlish for Science and Maths was asked.
He said, that in order to seek knowledge, one must be able to learn any langguage, be it Greek...
He said that he came from a kampung, a Malay, can still speak Malay, even though he can speak English very well. But yet he is still a Malay. There is no harm in learning English.He said that Science is very dynamic and everyday there are many write ups on it. If we were to wait for them to be translated for us to understand them, then we will be too late.
Most of the questions asked, touched on the present political situation...despite the press conference was about the opening of the SAHOCA Building..
Anyway, there were a few questions on the historical aspect about his times at the college.
He said that one of his memorable moment was when he was able to go back to school after a 3 years absent during the Japanese occupation,
He said that he was so excited that he signed his names as graffiti on the walls of the classroom.
He was reprimanded for that and had to clean it up by his teacher.
Not many students now will feel that way after a long break from school!!
He said that his education was gained at only a college level, i.e. Sultan Abdul Hamid College and Medical College...no Institute or University...he says that it was only a Lateral change...(come to think of it me too, from Sultan Abdul Hamid College to Military College...but i had my University experience at Lancaster very much later in life..wheras Tun did not even go to a University or became a specialist or even a surgeon!!!!!).
Unfortunately i did not have a recorder to record the whole PC.
Like Tun always say..Melayu mudah lupa...
And i would like to echo the sentiments of many that says that "Some Malaysians are an ungratefull lot...we do not know how to value the gem that we have in the like of Tun Dr M......
I wonder whether our country will ever get another one similar in calibre like him in the future?
Yes, he has his setbacks, but the point is that he DARES to do it his way and a majority of us has benefitted.
He was very diplomatic when he says "Melayu mudah Lupa' because i would have said "Melayu Tak Reti Kenang Jasa".
Luckily, i am not a Melayu but a Malay..(well it is stated there in my birth certificate what...Bangsa: Malay..)
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