The present system had proven to be the best solution for a multi-racial country like Malaysia, says the former prime minister.
SIBU: The current system of wealth and power sharing should be maintained for the country to achieve its Vision 2020 objective of becoming a developed nation, former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
The system, especially power sharing implemented by the country’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, had proven to be the best solution for a multi-racial country like Malaysia, he said.
“We have this concept of working together of different political parties representing different races under a coalition.
“It has obviously worked very well, first under Perikatan, then the Alliance, and now the Barisan Nasional.
“They had and have won elections after elections and formed the governments at either the federal or state levels,” he said when addressing about 1,000 Sibu residents here last night.
Mahathir was here on a one-day visit at the invitation of the Bumiputera Graduate Association.
He said despite being a multi-racial and multi-religious country, Malaysia was now a country of great unity, stability and progress because of the system.
“Of course there is this bit of unhappiness as no one, not any race, not any group can hope or expect to get 100 percent of what they think is theirs by right.
“But this is the characteristic of a society that is fair and just to everyone. We are doing the right thing when almost everyone feels a little bit unhappy,” he said.
He said people should continue to realise the need for them to make some sacrifices in order to gain from something more worthwhile.
“People should not believe in making demands which cannot be met or in confrontations as this will generate tensions and fightings and this will mean the end to the great progress we have made,” he said.
On wealth sharing, he said it had been the policy for all states to share the country’s wealth.
He said the country’s wealth were in its oil and gas resources and in its oil palm, rubber and pepper industries.
“But our wealth also come from the many big businesses centred in places like Kuala Lumpur where there are very many rich people in the country. Our system is such that the richer you are, the more you are taxed,” he said.
Mahathir said proceeds from such wealth and taxes were re-distributed nationwide by the government so that small states like Perlis could finance its development and progress instead of being left out.
He said that if one were to say that one’s wealth was for his state alone, then the wealth of Kuala Lumpur should be spent only within the city.
“But this is not fair as Kuala Lumpur is the place where everyone wants to congregate because of the superior facilities in communications, travel and in doing all kinds of businesses,” he said.
Mahathir reiterated that it was because of the fairness in the re-distribution that “development is coming up everywhere in the country”.
-Bernama
SIBU: The current system of wealth and power sharing should be maintained for the country to achieve its Vision 2020 objective of becoming a developed nation, former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.The system, especially power sharing implemented by the country’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, had proven to be the best solution for a multi-racial country like Malaysia, he said.
“We have this concept of working together of different political parties representing different races under a coalition.
“It has obviously worked very well, first under Perikatan, then the Alliance, and now the Barisan Nasional.
“They had and have won elections after elections and formed the governments at either the federal or state levels,” he said when addressing about 1,000 Sibu residents here last night.
Mahathir was here on a one-day visit at the invitation of the Bumiputera Graduate Association.
He said despite being a multi-racial and multi-religious country, Malaysia was now a country of great unity, stability and progress because of the system.
“Of course there is this bit of unhappiness as no one, not any race, not any group can hope or expect to get 100 percent of what they think is theirs by right.
“But this is the characteristic of a society that is fair and just to everyone. We are doing the right thing when almost everyone feels a little bit unhappy,” he said.
He said people should continue to realise the need for them to make some sacrifices in order to gain from something more worthwhile.
“People should not believe in making demands which cannot be met or in confrontations as this will generate tensions and fightings and this will mean the end to the great progress we have made,” he said.
On wealth sharing, he said it had been the policy for all states to share the country’s wealth.
He said the country’s wealth were in its oil and gas resources and in its oil palm, rubber and pepper industries.
“But our wealth also come from the many big businesses centred in places like Kuala Lumpur where there are very many rich people in the country. Our system is such that the richer you are, the more you are taxed,” he said.
Mahathir said proceeds from such wealth and taxes were re-distributed nationwide by the government so that small states like Perlis could finance its development and progress instead of being left out.
He said that if one were to say that one’s wealth was for his state alone, then the wealth of Kuala Lumpur should be spent only within the city.
“But this is not fair as Kuala Lumpur is the place where everyone wants to congregate because of the superior facilities in communications, travel and in doing all kinds of businesses,” he said.
Mahathir reiterated that it was because of the fairness in the re-distribution that “development is coming up everywhere in the country”.
-Bernama
No comments:
Post a Comment