the infamous crooked bridge: the mahathir bridge

even before it is built, this crooked bridge is already famous beyond its shores. it is the real icon that malaysia needs to make it world famous. not the world largest ketupat or the largest malaysian flag or the biggest kettle. not even the twin towers could have gained such fame in so short a time. the iconic bridge symbolises everything that is mahathir. it is mahathir. it represents the thoughts, attitudes and aspirations of a third world leader, obsessed with trying to build a name for himself, to be remembered in perpetuity, at all cost. the bridge is unique, unorthodox, a bit distorted, and most important, a statement of a 'can do' attitude against all criticism. nothing can stop mahathir once he decided on something, even accusing his deputy of sodomy. but that is childplay compares to what this bridge is all about. power, arrogance, greed, defiance, unreasonableness, pride, foolhardy, desperation, cronyism, anger and antagonism. the malaysians do not need to build a statue to honour mahathir. the bridge is all about mahathir and his legacy of unfulfilled dreams and disappointments, and about his mega projects leading the nation to nowhere. everything that mahathir stood for, his triumphs and regrets and his unfinished works, are all in the bridge.