BALI, Indonesia, 9 October 2003 — Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad may be about to retire from politics, but the 78-year-old showed no signs yesterday of having lost any of his acerbic rhetorical edge.
At a packed news conference marking his final appearance at an Association of South East Asian Nations summit, Mahathir punctuated his remarks with the humor and sarcasm that have made him a scourge of many international leaders and a favorite of journalists looking for colorful quotes. For example:
• Asked for a reaction to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s election as governor of California after a campaign that saw opponents raking up negative elements from the past, veteran politician Mahathir said: “I think he had every right to contest.”
“To look into his past when he was a small boy he may have behaved wrongly or something like that, that is not being fair. People do not grow up to think that, ‘Ah, I’m going to be the next governor and therefore I must deny myself all the pleasures of life’.”
• Would Mahathir continue to maintain the good relations he had with Japan in his 22 years as prime minister?
“Occasionally I will visit Japan, and have a holiday there...And some Japanese are interested in getting me to say nasty things about other countries and I will do that.”
• What about Australia’s role in Asia?
“Australia has made known to the world that it wants to be the deputy sheriff of this region. It’s very difficult to get along with deputy sheriffs.”
• On Australia’s reluctance to classify itself as Asian: “What’s wrong with behaving like Asians...not being too critical about other people?”
• Was the West on a campaign to conquer the rest of the world?
“They think they’re going to help us...Unfortunately, sometimes in their efforts to help us they’re going to have to occupy our countries.”
“They have made a mistake in Iraq. Now in Iraq instead of feeling happy and saying thanks to the liberators, they are killing the liberators.”
• Did Mahathir encourage Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her recent decision to run for re-election?
“I had nothing to do with it. I did not encourage her. I only think about myself. Very selfish.”
• Why was he standing down from political power?
“Today I have fewer problems, everything is in place. That’s the right time to leave. You don’t want to leave after people kick you out.”
• How did he feel about retiring?
“I’m 78 years old. That is old and I think I should be retiring to give other people a chance to do better.”
