A Doctor in the House

Our former fourth prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has just launched his autobiography titled ‘A Doctor in the House: The Memoirs of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’.

Being the longest serving Prime Minister of Malaysia, he definitely have gone through a lot during his tenure as the premier of the country and therefore his memoirs covers many facets of his personal and professional experience.

He however did not complete his memoirs in chronology format but rather in chapters where he decide what events during his tenure that he wishes to delve into and shares with the public.

As expected his memoirs attracted praise from those who admire him and criticisms from his detractors.

Tun M, as he is fondly referred to, is undoubtedly the most enigmatic Prime Minister that country have ever had. He seemed not to care about the praise towards him and not disheartened by the criticisms against him.

In that sense he is an interesting person.

Many who despise him argue that he is an authoritarian leader and that he has curtailed a lot of freedom in the country during his tenure.

Those who praise him on the other hand argue that he have singlehandedly transform the country to one of the most vibrant economy in the Asia region.

As he mentioned in his memoirs in the end it is safe to conclude that history and the future generations would probably the best judge to appraise his successes and failure.

In any situation a leader have to lead with many uncertainties and make decisions that may on hindsight be the wrong one but a leader does not have the advantage of hindsight but act he must.

Malaysia some say have regressed during his tenure but it would be unfair to close one eye and not acknowledge the successes that the country have benefited during his tenure.

A nation like Malaysia is dynamic in terms of growth and as it grows it needs to be defined constantly against the internal and external forces that keeps evolving and ever changing.

In that sense a leader for a country like Malaysia would have to be courageous, bold and patriotic to always strive to propel the nation to the next level.

Tun M have done this and good or bad his leadership should be a lesson to be learned by all of us especially the future generations.