Top 126 Quotes & Sayings by Mahathir Mohamad
Explore popular quotes and sayings by a Malaysian politician Mahathir Mohamad.
Last updated on September 16, 2024.
Doctors look after me. But, basically, I look after myself. I don't overeat. I don't develop a big paunch. I do a little bit of exercise. At the same time, I believe that if you don't work, you will decay. The decay process is through not using your faculties - not using your brain, not using your body.
I don't care much whether people remember me or not. If people remember, well and good. If they don't remember, it's alright - I'm dead anyway.
In my years, I had the opportunity to observe peoples and countries. I see some countries doing well, others failing, and my analysis of things is that whether you fail or succeed is a function of your value system.
Big corporations don't just belong to one person or two persons but to a whole nation. If you let big corporations fail, then a lot of people are going to suffer.
Jews rule the world by proxy.
If you want to be honest with yourself, you have to take criticism, even if you attract adverse comments from others.
When I was first named as Deputy Prime Minister, there was a feeling of shock that I should be chosen because I was labeled as being an ultra and very anti-Chinese.
I'm basically a creature of habit - I do practically the same thing every week, every day of every week: I go to the office, I meet people, I write, I read, and, of course, I give lectures.
I expect every prime minister to have his own imprint.
I am glad to be labeled anti-Semitic.
I believe that currency trading should not be a business at all.
When developing countries go to the WTO and register their protest over things, they should be heard. Their views should be considered by the rich countries.
The little Napoleons in UMNO try to keep out people who are more intelligent than themselves.
We can go into the Chinese market, develop the engine, new models of cars. Proton can compete. What is the point of giving the company to foreigners? It will revert to the same situation where foreigners just assemble their cars here. We learn nothing.
I assume that people react to things as I would react. For example, if you are nice to people, they should be nice to you.
Running a democratic country is one of the most difficult things for any government.
There is no such thing as absolute freedom of the press, not even in the most advanced countries in the world. There are things you just don't say, because it will destabilise the environment.
Money is not something you just print. It must be backed by something, either good economy or gold.
I am saying that currency trading is unnecessary, unproductive, and immoral. It should be stopped. It should be made illegal.
Affirmative action is not something that the World Bank believes in or promotes.
As a doctor, you are out on call most nights, so you don't get continuous sleep, and that becomes something that is familiar to you. So, working hard doesn't bother me.
The Malays are spiritually inclined, tolerant, and easy-going. The non-Malays, and especially the Chinese, are materialistic, aggressive, and have an appetite for work. For equality to come about, it is necessary that these strikingly contrasting races adjust to each other.
I cannot accept this country being destroyed by selfish people who only think about themselves.
I know I'm not popular with all the people. Remember, I am 'cruel' or a 'pharaoh.' That's all right. In politics, you get called all types of names.
Planning means looking ahead.
I believe that every leader has a right to implement his own policy. But when I see things that are done that are not right - abuse of power, wrong approaches, wrong strategies, making use of foreign consultants, including those discarded by other countries - I feel that I have to have my say.
Justice is the most important thing. In a plural society like Malaysia, you cannot have two laws - one law for the Muslim, one law for the non-Muslim.
All leaders must have some power. Without power, you can't be a leader.
If we keep on raking up the past, you can never work with anybody. You will always be fighting against your enemies, and that is bad.
Quite a few people who are in the media and in control of the big money seem to want to see these Southeast Asian countries - and, in particular, Malaysia - stop trying to catch up with their superiors and to know their place.
MH370 is a Boeing 777 aircraft. It was built and equipped by Boeing. All the communications and GPS equipment must have been installed by Boeing. If they failed or have been disabled, Boeing must know how it can be done.
The Internet has played a major role in undermining public morality.
Malaysia is particularly sensitive: we have three races here and 29 different tribes. If you allow people to say what they like, there will be violence, confrontations, and all that. We need stability.
In Malaysia, trials have always been fair.
It is not true at all that a free market will ensure a democracy. It doesn't. There must be a balance between a free market and some regulations which are essential in order to safeguard the interests of consumers and of people in general.
Airplanes don't just disappear - certainly not these days with all the powerful communication systems, radio and satellite tracking, and filmless cameras which operate almost indefinitely and possess huge storage capacities.
The West only talks about how you can militarily defeat the terrorists, but terrorists are very difficult to defeat because they can appear anywhere.
There's no point in treating a currency like a commodity, devaluing it artificially and causing a lot of poverty among poor countries.
I won't call it UMNO anymore; this is Najib's party. I feel embarrassed that I am associated with a party that is seen as supporting corruption - it had caused me to feel ashamed.
When you are in the government, you have to demonise your opposition.
The government seems to be set on bankrupting Proton and selling it off, because I think it is regarded as my baby.
I achieved too little result from my principal task, the task of making my race a race that is respected, a race that is honourable, a race that is highly regarded.
Suppose a part of Britain or a part of America was taken away and given to the Jews as Israel. Do you think the Americans are going to sit quietly and say 'Welcome,' and all that? They won't.
For me, to say I want to go to sleep and retire and prepare for my afterlife, I think that is very selfish.
Not many dictators announce their resignation, but I did because I didn't want to stay on and overstay my welcome.
A heretic can be tolerated. But a heresy cannot.
If you look at the Malaysian media, you will find that, although some are supportive of the government, many are not, and they are very critical of the government.
In Asia, we live within our means. So when we are poor, we live as poor people. I think that is a lesson that Europe can learn from Asia.
Corruption is found everywhere. I admit there is some corruption in my staff - not me.
It is always the right of the mighty which prevails over the weak, and that is very primitive.
When the people perceive that the print media is reporting what they believe is correct, then they tend to read the print media and to follow news on the television.
I've had quite a long time in government, and I've learned a few things.
Malaysia has got all the things in place to continue growth: the policies are there; the mechanisms are there. So, I think even when I am not around, Malaysia can do with other people who are converse with our policies.
Most Americans, I think, know very little about East Asia or Southeast Asia. American businesspeople who have been here, they are very knowledgeable about this area, but the average American? No.
When the people believe that the print media and the government-controlled TV are not really reporting what is happening, then people turn away from them, and their next resort is, of course, to access the Internet and what they can get on the Internet.
A country without engineering skill and knowledge will never become a developed country.
Being a medical practitioner enables me to get in touch with people, understand their problems, feel sympathetic towards them, and the natural thing is to want to help them, and if you become a politician and if you are successful, you can help them even more.
A lawyer wants to get his client off the hook. And even if he knows the client is guilty, he is going to find ways and means of getting him off the hook.
The Jews are not merely hook-nosed but understand money instinctively.
Democracy must be internally generated. You cannot force it from the top - it's not going to work.
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