In this unfiltered episode, Sinar Daily sits down with former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad tackle both national and global pressing issues head-on.
From the unfolding chaos of the upcoming Sabah elections to the escalating cost of living despite new government aid initiatives, he shares his candid take on Malaysia’s political and economic trajectory.
We also revisit his controversial stance against welcoming former US President Donald Trump - this time exploring the issue from an economic and diplomatic perspective, especially in light of Prime Minister Anwar’s position on the matter.
He also gives his take on the international football scandal faced by the Harimau Malaya team.
Watch the full conversation on Top News Podcast - only on Sinar Daily’s TikTok, YouTube and Facebook.
#TopNewsPodcast #Mahathir #TunMahathir #SabahElection #MalaysiaPolitics
#CostOfLiving #MalaysiaEconomy #Trump #Diplomacy #SinarDaily
From the unfolding chaos of the upcoming Sabah elections to the escalating cost of living despite new government aid initiatives, he shares his candid take on Malaysia’s political and economic trajectory.
We also revisit his controversial stance against welcoming former US President Donald Trump - this time exploring the issue from an economic and diplomatic perspective, especially in light of Prime Minister Anwar’s position on the matter.
He also gives his take on the international football scandal faced by the Harimau Malaya team.
Watch the full conversation on Top News Podcast - only on Sinar Daily’s TikTok, YouTube and Facebook.
#TopNewsPodcast #Mahathir #TunMahathir #SabahElection #MalaysiaPolitics
#CostOfLiving #MalaysiaEconomy #Trump #Diplomacy #SinarDaily
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello everyone, thank you so much for joining us today at Top News Podcast and today we're with
00:07Tuan Dr Mahathir Mohamad, our longest serving Prime Minister. Good morning Tuan, hello, hi.
00:12Hi. I hope you're well. Okay. Okay, so before anything else, let's talk about news what's
00:18happening in the country right now. Firstly, can we touch on the whole tourism scandal about
00:25serving alcohol at government events? In general, what's your take? We have been independent
00:34for so many years and by now we should know each other's custom and practices. I know
00:45everybody knows that Muslims don't drink and the policy of government has always been
00:54not to serve alcoholic drink at any function. That is known to everybody. How this thing
01:04was breached is something I can't understand. Unless of course it is deliberate. I think
01:11it is a sort of testing what would be the reaction. I can't accept that the person doesn't know
01:24that what he was doing is wrong. Okay. He knows, but he just does it. Maybe in order to provoke
01:33reaction from citizens who are Muslim. Okay. And the response given by Ngakomeng, the Minister of Housing, that, you know, alcohol is served but
01:41it's not being forced on Muslims to drink it at the event. What's your, do you think it was sensitive enough for him to say that or it was insensitive?
02:02It was insensitive. Because for Muslim, it's not just not drinking but serving in front of him is also objectionable. So we, for example, pork, if you have a dinner where a Muslim guest is present, you don't serve what is rejected, haram by a Muslim.
02:29Not that you're, you may want to eat it and he doesn't have to eat it. By serving it in Malaysia at least is not acceptable. In Malaysia, we are more sensitive. Certain things we do not do. Although in other countries they may do, but in Malaysia we do not do.
02:56So people in Malaysia must know the value system of Malaysians.
03:02Okay. And it's not something new, right? The issue of pork and alcohol is not something new. So everybody should be understanding of the context, right?
03:12Okay. Okay. Moving forward, do you think this would be an effect towards the upcoming elections? Because we have Sabah, and then we will have Melaka, Johor, Sarawak, and potentially GE, and then the state elections of the six states.
03:27How do you feel that how they're acting the government right now? What's your take on what we can potentially see ahead?
03:34What's your take on what we can potentially see ahead?
03:39Yeah. The election in Sabah, of course, is usually a very big number of candidates. Each one with practically no objective other than to win the election.
04:01So we find that parties in Sabah are formed and are cancelled off without any proper process to follow.
04:18Okay. So as soon as there is an election, everybody wants to form a party, everybody wants to form a coalition, and individuals want to contest.
04:30Yes. So what we are going to see in Sabah is the people will be split up into many small factions.
04:41Okay. And each constituency will have more than two candidates.
04:49Now, if it is more than two candidates, then the vote will be split.
04:54Yes. And the winner will be the one with the highest number of votes. But actually, the highest number of votes is less than the majority.
05:06So we have to abide by it anyway. And I think we hope, I think, that the election will bring forth good governance. But actually, in Malaysia, politics is not about good governance.
05:31Okay. In Malaysia, politics is about individuals, about parties and the like.
05:38And clearly, Sabah is an example of that, right?
05:42Yeah.
05:43But we can see that Sabah has been over, for the past year or so, everything has been happening in Sabah, like the videos of the corruption cases, alleged corruption cases.
05:56Then there's the bullying case and earthquakes and banjir floods. So how do you feel towards the people of Sabah as well as they had today elections? What should they look out for?
06:08They should choose good governance. A party that can give a good administration. But mostly, they are not looking at good governance. They are looking at individuals, at parties, at even suku kaum and tribes and all that.
06:34So we are not going to get a good government as a result of election.
06:41Okay. Then there's like no, from what you're saying here, I feel like there's no great candidates as well, right?
06:49Yeah.
06:50How are we going to, are we ever going to have any good candidates going ahead into the future?
06:57Yeah. We really don't know until the candidate is appointed. Then we will know what kind of person he is. He may be very good before he became wakiraya.
07:12But when the moment he gains power, that power corrupts. So if they get to become chief minister or minister, then that's when they show their true colors.
07:28Okay. So we really don't know whether you have chosen the right person or not.
07:36Is it really based on luck?
07:38Yeah, more or less.
07:39Okay. All right. About the current economic situation in Malaysia, what do you think? Like we're, this is October, so we have the budget. But we're also two months or three months before 2026.
07:54So what's your take about 2025? And everybody's economic and cost of living situation. And the government has given out eight, like Budi 95 too. Like what's your take for 2025?
08:09Yeah. For most people, especially the poorer people, the most important element in the economy, economy of a country is the cost of living.
08:23Yes.
08:24Because that affects them directly. And they suffer as a result. So at this moment, poor people are suffering. Of course, they are not taxed. The rich people are taxed. But when you tax the rich, the cost goes up. And eventually, it is the poor who have to pay.
08:53Because evidently, you cannot deny that the cost of living has gone up. And people's purchasing power has gone down. The money which used to be 380 per US dollar is now 450. So you have become poor because of the depreciation in the value of the currency.
09:22So this affects people. And see, but we can have good exports. We can have a lot of other activities. But people who are poor, and there are many people who are poor, they are the ones who feel the stress, the pressure of an economy that is not
09:51not contributing to their well-being.
09:56Okay. You've also expressed your stance against welcoming President Trump, US President Trump to Malaysia. Do you think that it would actually affect our economy as well? Global economy or regional economy as well? Not welcoming the American President?
10:14Well, Trump has raised tariffs on Malaysian exports. Obviously, this affects our market. We produce gloves, for example. And now the gloves are subjected to high tariffs. But of course, there are ways and means to overcome that. But it takes time. And
10:43And the thing is that when there is high tariffs, it is actually affecting the cost of living in America. Because everything that comes in is tax. And if you use the imported goods, you have to pay a higher price. So that will affect the cost of living in America. And if you use the imported goods, you have to pay a higher price.
11:12So that will affect America's people, American people, as well as the industries. Because we know that America imports a lot of components for their products from outside, particularly microchips.
11:30Yeah. Okay. Okay. So do you think he should still come? Or do you think we should say no to Donald Trump?
11:37Who? Who?
11:38I think he should not come here because he actually backs the genocide in Gaza?
11:44Yes. That we cannot accept. When everybody else wanted a ceasefire, America under Donald Trump and even under the previous Biden, they vetoed the resolution.
12:02and they vetoed the resolution.
12:07Multiple times. Should we actually even be interacting with those who are complicit with the genocide?
12:18Countries that are supporting the genocide?
12:21We have no dealings with people who are involved with the genocide.
12:28Malaysia never recognized Israel.
12:32Of course, Malaysia has had dealings with the United States of America.
12:38America is a very powerful nation.
12:41We can't just break off relations with such a powerful nation.
12:46We have to find other ways of overcoming the problems caused by Trump with his high tariffs.
12:56The Indonesian President Prabowo and Singapore's stand has always been about a two-state nation, I think.
13:06But also recently, during the UN conference, Prabowo said in a speech that he supports a two-state solution as well for Palestine and Israel.
13:16He literally said that we need to ensure also Israel's safety and security.
13:21To me, this is shocking. But what about you for Indonesia?
13:26And we know Singapore has been saying it as well. But what's your take when you see something like that?
13:31A two-state solution is a solution. Because actually, at one time, there was no Israel at all.
13:43But Israel was created from Palestinian land. And of course, the Palestinians want to get back their land.
13:52But every time they tried, they failed. So eventually, in an agreement between Rabin and Yezhak Rabin, the Prime Minister at that time,
14:09and Arafat was agreed that there should be two states. Unfortunately, Israel rejects it.
14:19In fact, they killed Rabin because they don't want two states.
14:26So the problem is Israel wants to dominate the whole area. And there should be no Palestine.
14:36And this is ridiculous because Palestine has been there since ancient times.
14:43So a two-state solution is a good solution. But it's not just recognizing Palestine, that is important.
14:54But stopping the war is very important. You recognize Palestine, and you allow the Israelis to commit genocide against the Palestinians.
15:09So what is the meaning of recognition? So it's not just recognition. It must be action to stop the war.
15:20Thank you for clarifying that. Okay, this is just the last question about the FIFA scandal of the Malaysian football players.
15:26It's a bit sensitive right now, I think, about the issue of the ancestral birth certificate that apparently has been altered.
15:33So what's your take on this? Like, we don't need to go to specifics, but how do you feel when Malaysia is put in such a position that claims we have fabricated these birth rights?
15:48Yes.
15:49But it is shameful that foreign players represented Malaysia. I mean, this is Malaysian type. It should be made by Malaysian. But in order to win, they decided to get foreign players. But foreign players cannot represent Malaysia unless they are Malaysian.
16:16So they gave the citizenship, I think, without due examination and other processes. Within a short while, they were regarded as Malaysian citizen.
16:40And there were some cheating in terms of place of birth. I mean, there is this deliberate attempt to cheat. I'm ashamed that there are people who are cheating not only within Malaysia, but internationally, because that team had to play against Vietnam.
17:07And Vietnam discovered that most of the players are not like Malaysian. So, I mean, well, we want to win football games. But let it be done properly. Don't cheat. I mean, if you have the money and you can buy some players and ask them to play for Malaysia and say they are Malaysian, and tell a lie also.
17:36Because they give the birthplace of these people. The real birthplace was in Argentina. But they have written in Penang. They were born in Penang. Which is a lie. So, somebody is up to tricks. And I think they should be punished for that.
17:58They should be punished for that.
18:00I mean, it's very difficult to comprehend the fact that there is somebody who is literally doing that on purpose to the country.
18:08Yeah.
18:09Like, why do you think Malaysians berani sangat to do such things? You know, like, it's like, uncomfortable, right? Like, to do such things up to, because sports is not even like, you know, sports. Everybody watches it. Everybody can see it with their own eyes. So much.
18:26Well, in Malaysia, of course, police investigation is selective. Some people, even they have done no wrong, may be subjected for investigation. Some people who have done wrong are exempted.
18:48Yes.
18:49So, somebody is so powerful that they can actually do wrong things and get away with it. Or at least that's what they, had the Vietnamese not pointed out that these people were strange people. We would not have known about it. Yes.
19:10But when internationally also you are prepared to tell lies, to fabricate things, to do all kinds of, to give all kinds of information that is wrong, then it can only be done by somebody with power.
19:31Somebody who has very strong influence and because of that influence, believe that he can get away with it. And this is what he did. But we cannot identify who.
19:49Okay. All right. I mean, everybody can understand sendiri, or we may have seen it. But there has also been claims of potential sabotage.
19:59That's what I want to ask. Do you think this could actually be a sabotage to Malaysia?
20:04No, it's not a sabotage to Malaysia. It is somebody who thinks that he can get away with doing wrong things because he is a suburban law.
20:15Okay. All right. Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you so much, Thun. I really appreciate this interview. Thank you for joining us on Sinar Daily.
20:24And I hope, I wish you well. Thank you so much. And I hope to see you again as we enter the new year, next year, 2026.
20:32All right. Thank you so much, guys. Bye. This is Thun, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
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