KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the revolution and upheavals in some Arab countries showed the people wanted a change of government or leader as they were unhappy with the leadership of their largely authoritarian governments.
The former prime minister said the revolution had succeeded in Tunisia and now the world was witnessing upheavals in Egypt.
Should these revolutions succeed, he said there would be new governments, adding that it was worthwhile to remember that change was not always for the better.
As such, he stressed that it was incumbent upon those bent on effecting change to have some idea about the kind of government they want or otherwise they might get the same kind of government that they tried so hard to get rid of.
“This is because most leaders upon achieving power would change and would forget the struggles and sacrifices which enabled them to be in power.
Power corrupts, as we all know,” he said in his latest entry on his blog chedet.co.cc entitled ‘The Domino Effect’.
Dr Mahathir noted, whatever it was, the new government must not forget the people who so courageously rose against the previous government.
“They (the people) had done so because they expect a better government which will care for the people.
“I am told that high unemployment rate is one of the major causes.
“This problem must be given priority or the same fate will be met by the new government.
This will require better management of the economy, in particular, the creation of more jobs,” he said.
He pointed out that a democratic leader could be changed merely through voting, but at the same time, the system could be abused.
“Either the elected leader would fix elections to perpetuate his office or there would be a series of ineffective governments as the people reject each one with their votes.
“This will cause instability. The country would be no better,” he said.
To avoid this, Dr Mahathir observed, the electorate must not allow themselves to be manipulated where they must exercise their voting rights judiciously.
“But this would be something new to them and they may not be skilled enough in exercising their power to choose,” he said.
He said corruption in the administration must be reduced and to achieve this, drastic measures were needed.
“For this, the most important thing is for the new ruling elites, particularly the leader, however chosen, should demonstrate they are not corrupt,” he said. — Bernama