Mahathir Warns Marina

Mahathir Mohamed (left) has warned his daughter to be wary of her outspokenness as well as her support for groups like Bersih and sexuality rights movements, saying these may affect her family members who are still active in politics (read, Mukhriz who has the big ambition to be the next Kedah Menteri Besar). Some may look upon this to be merely cautionary advice but for the former prime minister to do so in public – it would possibly suggest that Mahathir is getting fed up of being embarrassed by daughter Marina.

Yet Marina has shown that she possesses better common sense than Mahathir. She does not have a poltical agenda. She does not hide behind racist rhetoric. She is not a fake. What she thinks and says are in common with middle Malaysia. She should be acknowledged for being true to herself rather than be like her father who spins and lies. If only her brothers could be like her, instead of getting their hands dirty by being involved in UMNO get-rich-quick schemes. But wealth has a way of corrupting even bright minds – assuming, of course, that they are reasonably intelligent in the first place.

Six months have lapsed, so let’s see how I have fared with my resolutions:

Year 2012 Resolution List

1. Work hard to be happy – Still looking for that elusive ‘happiness’!
2. Achieve Distinguished Toastmasters recognition – In the works; should materialize by September 30, 2012.
3. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club – Done. Chartered May 17, 2012, finally.
4. Self-publish an anthology of short stories – Now suffering from writer’s block. Aaarghhh!
5. Publish three academic/conference papers – Working on them
6. Yield 204,000 pageviews for my blog – Achieved 79.6% of the target, i.e. 162,433 pageviews.

I suppose I am moving forward, even if I am seen to be plodding along.