FEB 20 — Here’s the rub: After so long, Malaysians are still being treated like children.
There is nothing more condescending than saying that Malaysians are not mature or educated enough to understand a debate, as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad argued today.
The former prime minister said debates would only “make the situation worse” as Malaysians were far too sentimental and emotional to appreciate arguments that were presented rationally.
“The Malaysian public is not yet that mature. This is not America. And even in America, the debates all expose how stupid the candidates are, that’s all,” he told reporters at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.
Well, the point of a debate — especially a political one — is that we want politicians to make their case to us: The voters.
Were any chairs thrown at the debate between MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng? Did fists fly? Any outbursts shown live on TV? Or anyone looking stupid?
The problem with Dr Mahathir and his ilk is that they still believe that leaders know best and others should follow. Government knows best. Now that is something that even Datuk Seri Najib Razak has promised to eschew.
If there was a problem with both Lim and Dr Chua last Saturday, it was that the format was more akin to a political rally. The organisers were also not honest brokers in ensuring both sides brought an equal number of supporters and that questions were framed fairly to both politicians.
For a man who brought Malaysia kicking and screaming from an agrarian and assembly-line economy into an industrial and services economy, Dr Mahathir has little faith in their intelligence to sift through the muck spewed by politicians.
If anything, his comments illustrate that politicians of his generation are unprepared for dialogue and debate.
The young ones are ready, sir, even if you are not, to take part or watch debates without getting emotional.
There is nothing more condescending than saying that Malaysians are not mature or educated enough to understand a debate, as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad argued today.
The former prime minister said debates would only “make the situation worse” as Malaysians were far too sentimental and emotional to appreciate arguments that were presented rationally.
“The Malaysian public is not yet that mature. This is not America. And even in America, the debates all expose how stupid the candidates are, that’s all,” he told reporters at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.
Well, the point of a debate — especially a political one — is that we want politicians to make their case to us: The voters.
Were any chairs thrown at the debate between MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng? Did fists fly? Any outbursts shown live on TV? Or anyone looking stupid?
The problem with Dr Mahathir and his ilk is that they still believe that leaders know best and others should follow. Government knows best. Now that is something that even Datuk Seri Najib Razak has promised to eschew.
If there was a problem with both Lim and Dr Chua last Saturday, it was that the format was more akin to a political rally. The organisers were also not honest brokers in ensuring both sides brought an equal number of supporters and that questions were framed fairly to both politicians.
For a man who brought Malaysia kicking and screaming from an agrarian and assembly-line economy into an industrial and services economy, Dr Mahathir has little faith in their intelligence to sift through the muck spewed by politicians.
If anything, his comments illustrate that politicians of his generation are unprepared for dialogue and debate.
The young ones are ready, sir, even if you are not, to take part or watch debates without getting emotional.
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