Tun in hospital; Malaysians are waiting anxiously Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is in hospital after suffering a mild heart attack. Malaysians of all ages and races are waiting anxiously for the latest news about the country’s most famous son. Tun is one individual who is indeed larger than life and by far, one of the most visible statesmen of the 20th century. While UMNO is clinging on to cheap rhetoric about how the Malays will make an impact in the world, Tun made many of his dreams a reality in his 22 years as Prime Minister of Malaysia. Before the UMNO spin doctors created words such as “towering Malays”, Tun was and still is a giant among men (never mind that he was not of full Malay stock- his Indian genes cannot be disputed).

His hospitalization will be viewed by many Malaysians with distress. It has come at a most inopportune time, when a growing number of Malaysians are turning to Tun to help articulate their private concerns about a variety of current issues impacting our nation. It does not matter if we agreed with him or not when he was in power, but in his 22 years in power, Tun drove and cajoled this nation to do better than many thought possible. It is now irrelevant to debate the numerous negatives about his rule. There will be ample time in the future for this soul-searching exercise, which will inevitably chip away at his legacy. Malaysians now fervently hope that he recovers from this latest health threat and remains relevant for the foreseeable future. We need his voice, his intellect, his political mastery, and most of all his passion for Malaysia, to continue to give voice and structure to many Malaysians’ collective concern about the direction this country is taking under the current leadership. Tun is an extremely fit man despite his advancing age and Malaysians hope he can successfully overcome this latest health scare.  ¶ 10:06 AM