Dr Mahathir's Selected Letters to World Leaders

..Dr Mahathir's Selected Letters to World Leaders (2008 Marshall Cavendish)

I happened to came across the book during lunch time at KLCC few days ago. I would usually visit the Times Bookstore to kill some time while waiting for my queue number to be called at the post office. It didn't took long to decide to buy even though it is quite pricey (sighh). I wish our government would subsidies the price of books! Books in Malaysia is too damn expensive! How would you want to cultivate reading habit among the public, if the book price is too expensive? Yes, we do have public libraries but it makes no point having a beautiful library but is inaccessible in the middle of a congested road (read: National Library, Jalan Tun Razak). Libraries, I think should be built near housing areas which have an easy access to public transport and other basic amenities.

Okok anyways, this book is definitely one of the books to look forward to read.

From Jeff Ooi's blog, I found out that the book launching event was held yesterday. Dr. Mahathir officiated the launching at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, Putrajaya.

The book is a compilation of 71 letters by Dr. Mahathir, Bush, Chirac, Blair and Thatcher among others with an introduction and commentaries by Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad (aka Dollah Kok Lanas). The letters covered wide area of issues from terrorism, economic and diplomatic relations as well as war and conflicts. I haven't actually start reading it yet but flipped through a bit and found some interesting piece of letters written in simple yet understandable English by Dr. Mahathir. It amazes me to think how a busy Prime Minister like him still had the time to write these kind of letters. Initially it is said that Dr. Mahathir wanted to publish about 200 letters (whoa..), which none have been published before, but due to certain restrictions or whatnot, only 71 were published in this book.

Here are some excerpts from the last two paragraph in one of the letter in the book. The letter below was sent to the then President of USA, Mr. Bill Clinton in September 1998. (urm, I know that the following posting is illegal by law, but I'm posting it here on the basis of writing it on my personal space, so I hope it would be alright.he he);

..Mr President, Malaysia fought hard against Communist terrorists from 1948 to 1990. We have no love for terrorists or terrorism. But we also abhor State terrorism. No one, not even the State should use terror tactics against its own people or others.

Mr President, I regret that Malaysia cannot be associated with, or in any way condone, the missile attacks by the United States against Sudan and Afghanistan. Such attacks should be directed at the murderous Serbs. It is a travesty of justice that whereas the Serbs are free to terrorise Albanian children and old people, the Afghans and the Sudanese are killed indiscriminately.

[signed]
DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD

The above letter is an example how direct and straight forward his letters were. It was sent after the bombings of Al-Shifa factory, a pharmaeceutical factory in Khartoum, Sudan. A factory that was supposed to be visited by Dr. Mahathir. The US, without any evidence, claimed that the factory produces chemical weapons that it belonged to Osama bin Laden. What a preposterous claim to bomb a sovereign nation.

I am also aware that Dr. Mahathir now is in the process of writing his memoir. I suppose many would be eager to wait for it. I can't wait too.

Lastly, Selamat Hari Wilayah Persekutuan and happy holiday to all KLites!