Think tank chief Wan Saiful says it would be immature of Umno to try and change institute named after former prime minister in Universiti Utara Malaysia.
Referring to speculation of pressure for Institut Pemikiran Tun Dr Mahathir (IPDM) in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) in Kedah, Sintok to be shut down, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan called for the government to be more mature in dealing with issues like this.
“The institute was named after Mahathir to honour his legacy for the country. It is important to note that it is named after him but it is not an institute to study him alone.
“So, if such speculation is true, then the relevant ministry’s reason must be clear as for the suggestion to change the name or to shut it down,” Wan Saiful said, adding that IPDM is an institute to study the thoughts and ideas of all leaders.
Wan Saiful said changing the name of the institute just because Mahathir is no longer with Umno would be childish and immature, as “no one can delete Tun’s legacy for the country”.
“So, what’s next? Are they going to remove all references to Tunku Abdul Rahman because he too left Umno?
“Should we start naming everything after Tun Abdul Razak because we want to thank him for ‘giving’ us the current prime minister? Of course not,” he said.
Similarly, Ilham Centre executive director Mohamad Hisomuddin Bakar said it would be impossible to delete the former prime minister’s history and contribution to the nation.
“It would not be wise for the government to act that way as if to censor anything relating to him.
“It would likely give a negative implication on the government. It might seem like the government is trying to obliterate Mahathir’s legacy as he is now the opposition leader and the main foe of the ruling party,” Hisomuddin told FMT.
He added that Mahathir’s legacy could never be wiped out and it will survive even under such pressure.
Meanwhile, Centre for Global Affairs (ICON) president Abdul Razak Baginda said there is a time-tested principle of not naming a living person to something, whether a street or in this case an institute.
“Sometimes, even naming a person who has passed away to something runs the risks of some posthumous scandal.
“As an example, the case of former British PM Edward Heath where it was recently revealed that if he was alive today, the police would pursue a case against him for alleged sexual abuse.”
IPDM was announced in 2003 by then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, as a tribute to Mahathir who retired after having been prime minister for 22 years.
UUM students had recently presented a slideshow tribute to Mahathir and a tweet on the presentation even got a response from the former PM.
“My contribution is small when compared to Malaysians who work day and night to support their families, families who in turn serve the nation,” Mahathir said.
UUM institute named after Mahathir faces pressure
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