Gossip Malaysia: Campaign To End Mahathir's Legacies Have Begun

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, in reacting to TV3 running down Proton for three nights in a row, had suggested with his usual trademark sarcasm that perhaps his other legacies viz. the Plus Highway, KLCC, and KLIA among others should all be blown up.

 

“These are all not good for the nation,” analyst Shahbudin Husin quoted Mahathir as saying cynically.

Mahathir is Proton’s Advisor and the childish hand of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak can be seen behind TV3 going on the offensive against the national car, said the analyst. “Najib the child has lost the game and has decided to seek help elsewhere to wreck ‘Mahathir’s toy’”.

Many people believe, he added, that after Proton and KLCC, TV3 will target Perwaja, the Formula 1 Circuit whose chairman is Mokhzani, and other Mahathir legacies.

Mahathir, the analyst ventures, isn’t perturbed by the distractions being telecast by TV3 as his preoccupation was 1MDB in criticising Najib. “He wants to prevent greater financial losses to the nation in the wake of 1MDB.”

The TV3 attacks was a follow up to Najib’s new media adviser, adman Lim Kok Wing, visiting Mahathir and advising him to stop attacking Najib or it would be the end of his legacies. The former Prime Minister subsequently referred to Lim in a blog posting as his ex-friend.

“No one will believe TV3′s explanations that their airing has nothing to do with any particular individual, either directly or indirectly, and isn’t related either to the current political atmosphere in the country,” said the analyst. “TV3 wants us to believe that the emphasis on Proton was all about whether it was a quality product.”

Media Prima Group Managing Editor Mohd Ashraf Abdullah, he said, has explained that TV3 was merely highlighting the many complaints that taxi drivers among others had about Proton. “If only this was true! His explanation does not make sense to any sane person. Those who have lost their mind might buy Ashraf’s story.”

“If someone visits a beautiful girl at home three nights in a row, no one will be convinced that it was sheer coincidence that he lost his way again and again, and that it hasn’t crossed his mind that he should ask her out, flirt with her, or that he has no intentions to woo her.”

“If TV3 really wants to highlight the problems that motorists have with Proton, why three nights in a row?” asked Shahbudin. “Don’t the people have any other problems, in fact chronic ones, but only with Proton?”

“If the problems in the Pekan parliamentary seat, represented by Najib, were highlighted, TV3′s ratings are sure to go up. This would invite greater traction.”

Proton, of course, was an indirect attack on a Mahathir legacy, continued the analyst, as the former Prime Minister has stepped up his attacks on Najib in a bid to force him to step down. “The criticisms are at its height now.”

“TV3 would not highlight Proton had it not been for Mahathir going on the attack against Najib.”

The analyst said that he had observed that people in the social media are not amused by TV3 harping on Proton day in and day out.

“They see Proton, the pride of the nation under Mahathir, being linked only with complaints by taxi drivers. The coverage appears to be indirectly discouraging the people from buying Proton or viewing the locally made car as something to be proud about.”

Source: Free Malaysia Today