Write your memoirs, Dr M urges seniors

Retired government officials and politicians should share their experiences, he says

PUTRAJAYA: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged retired senior government officials and political figures to write their biographies and about their real-life experiences.

Dr Mahathir, whose own memoirs has been a best-seller, said he believed the shared experiences could provide a valuable guide to the present and future generations.

“From my observation, there is a great tendency for them to write a biography and it’s good for reference to others.

“I believe that there is something that can be learned from their experiences and that is why writing a book from personal experiences is very important,” he said at the book launch of Mahathir Bukan Kawan Saya (Mahathir Is Not My Friend) by Zainuddin Maidin, a former information minister and former Utusan Malaysia chief editor.

The book recounts his early days as a reporter in Alor Setar, Kedah, and also how Zainuddin acted as conciliator between Dr Mahathir and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to patch up relationships between Dr Mahathir and his successor as prime minister.

Also present at the launch were Rais Yatim, socio-cultural advisor to the government, and Tun Haniff Omar, former inspector-general of police.

Dr Mahathir said it was important to learn from the experience of others because history had proven that those who were not paying enough attention to it would only be repeating history and at the same time failed to confront the challenges.

He said some might think that his assumption was outrageous but never thought that it would not happen in the future. The content of the books on real-life experience could also be used to face the world’s challenging scenarios, said Dr Mahathir.

— BERNAMA