Dr. M doesn't need any parliamentary forum

The suggestion that ex-PM Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad be appointed a senator so that he can has a "proper" forum to air his views and criticisms does not sound very intelligient and serious to this blogger.

For those who knows his political history, Dr. Mahathir had been long involved in serious politics even before he first became an elected MP in 1964. After he lost the 1969 general election and was sacked as Umno member thereafter, he continued to make impacts in politics, for good or ill, without any parliamentary forum. After retirement as an internationally well-known ( famous to some and infamous to other) former PM, Dr. Mahathir still has many connections and platforms to make his voices heard.

By not holding any official position, he has actually regained freedom of action and total control of elements of surprise in all his strategic moves because his questions do not have to be first screened by parliamentary clerks, and the timing and mode of delivering speeches are also not conditioned by the all-powerful Speaker or Party Whip who may not be on par with him intellectually.

A wider and more in-depth view on history and human society shows that Parliament is not the alpha and omega of democratic politics although it is not an unimportant part of it.

Pre-empting Mahathir’s next move
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/52441

Dr M vs Pak Lah: Between Yin and Yang
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/52265