Image : Net
He may have retired from politics but that has not stopped former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from speculating on the date of the next general election along with every other Malaysian.
Answering questions at a press conference after launching the second outlet of his bakery, The Loaf, in Kuala Lumpur today, Mahathir said the ideal time to hold the election would be now.
“It’s ideal now. Everything is going up. The prices of items are going up, the stock market is going up. Roti pun naik (bread also rises),” he said with a huge smile.
He revealed that, during his 22-year tenure as premier up October 2003, he would decide on the general election date when he was confident of winning.
“So if you want to know when the elections (will be called), then just look out for when the government appears confident of winning,” he said.
Asked the Barisan Nasional’s (BN) chances of winning again with another large margin, he shrugged and replied: “They will surely win, no doubt about it.”
“I don’t know (by) what percentage because they haven’t told me yet, but it will be a substantial victory,” he joked.
In 2004, the BN swept into power winning over 90 percent of the seats contested. However, few expect this to be repeated because of growing disenchantment with the government’s handling of issues like the economy and crime rate.
Mahathir also took a swipe at ministers when he said Japanese people are known for their demand for high quality in everything.
“If something goes wrong here, the minister does not do anything. But in Japan, the minister would jump off a building,” he mused without naming names.
Earlier, he had explained that he had decided to go into the Japanese bread-making industry because he was fascinated by the high quality of the process.
Another memory lapse
Mahathir and Japanese entrepreneur Jiro Suzuki co-own The Loaf. Its bakers are led by award-winning grand chef Yukichi Matsubara from Japan. The first outlet was opened in Langkawi island on July 2006.
Mahathir’s arrival at the launch was greeted with a brass band performance at the new Pavilion shopping complex where the bakery is located. People crowded around, clamouring to shake hands with him and wife, Dr Siti Hasmah Ali.
After making his way to the outlet, he delivered a short speech thanking guests for their support.
His humour was the undoubted star of the show. With a grin, he joked about his dwindling memory after failing to name the chairpersons of the Pavilion mall.
“Mahathir mudah lupa (Mahathir forgets easily). I’m 82 years old. I’m forgetting things. Sometimes it’s good to forget certain things,” he said to cheers.
Mahathir was in the spotlight last week when he said he “could not remember” various matters while being questioned by the royal commission of inquiry into the VK Lingam tape.
Personalities who graced the launch included his daughter Marina, singer Siti Nurhaliza and husband Khalid Jiwa; business tycoon Vincent Tan, DAP politician Jeff Ooi, former News Straits Times group editor Abdul Kadir Jasin and former MCA President and Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik
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