Return of the Sultans, bye bye Mahathir

Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar has taken a shot at Mahathir for interfering into the affairs of Johore with his typical Mahathir accusation that Johore is splitting the unity of Malaysia while he, Mahathir, is the uniting force for Malaysia. The Sultan has rightly pointed out that the problems of Malaysia, the racial politics and racial divide and the deep seated racial hatred have their origins from Mahathir. Under Mahathir’s rule, it was all about race politics in the name of unity.

Mahathir even attacked the phrase ‘Bangsa Johor’ as divisive, …’promoting affinity to individual states over the country will divide Malaysians’.  The Sultan told Mahathir to shut up and rightly pointed out that the seed of division and racial politics was planted and nurtured by Mahathir. ‘Bangsa Johor’ was a foresighted concept originated by the late Sultan Sir Ibrahim Al Masyhur Abu Bakar in 1920, a call to unite all the races under one flag.

The sins of Mahathir have not been spoken and are now surfacing. The Sultans are standing up to defend themselves and their rights as heads of their respective states and rulers of Malaysia. Mahathir better shut up or would not only be told to shut up but could end up in very compromising and uncomfortable position as his fame and stature fade away. He must know that time has changed to his detriment and it is for his own good to disappear quietly to enjoy his retirement in his twilight years.  If he insists to take on the royalties and the UMNO that he used to rule, he may be in for a rude awakening.