Mahathir bin Mohamad quotes

Mahathir bin Mohamad is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister for two non-consecutive terms. Widely recognized for his role in transforming Malaysia’s economy and modernizing its infrastructure, he has been a dominant figure in the country’s politics for decades. He continues to be an influential voice in Malaysian society and global affairs. Here are 21 of his quotes:

We need an opposition to remind us if we are making mistakes. When you are not opposed you think everything you do is right.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

History should remember Blair and Bush as the killers of children or as the lying prime minister and president.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

To be known you have to be a little bit nasty. In any case, I'm nasty only toward governments. I'm not nasty towards business people.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

We will shoot [any Vietnamese migrants] on sight.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

We also do not call each other "Bapak This" or "Bapak That, not like in the past. We now only hear people calling "Bapak" (father) at home.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

Even if I were to kiss and hug Anwar Ibrahim in public, they will say there is a rift because this is what they want to see.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

What concerns me right now is that with the actions of Dr Mahathir, who is a lauded statesman and a beloved international icon, the country could become unstable, driving away foreign investors from this nation at the same time. As a former Prime Minister, he should be more understanding of what democracy is, which cannot be achieved the way Dr Mahathir is going about it now.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

This country stands out like a sore thumb trying to impose its European values in Asia as if the good old days when people can shoot aborigines without caring about human rights.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

I believe that the country should have a strong government but not too strong. A two-thirds majority like I enjoyed when I was prime minister is sufficient but a 90% majority is too strong.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

He has no close friends that I know of.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

We (Muslims) are actually very strong. 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million. But today the Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

It is disgraceful that you should be used by adults for the purpose of trying to shame us ... The timber industry helps hundreds of thousands of poor people in Malaysia. Are they supposed to remain poor because you want to study tropical animals? Is your study more important than filling the stomachs of poor people? Are Malaysians expected to lose millions of pounds so that you can study animals? [...] I hope you will tell the adults who made use of you to learn all the facts. They should not be too arrogant and know how best to run a country...

Mahathir bin Mohamad

I believe that if that bastard leaves, we then won't be bastardised.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

"We (Muslims) are actually very strong. 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million. But today the Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them." - Oct. 16, 2003, in speech to a summit of 57 Islamic countries.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

We must rid ourselves of Najib as prime minister.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

To be a great leader, one needs to have good strategies, be knowledgeable and able to predict the future.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

Currency trading is unnecessary, unproductive and totally immoral. It should be stopped.

Mahathir bin Mohamad

Clearly Islam the religion is not the cause of terrorism. Islam, as I said, is a religion of peace. However through the centuries, deviations from the true teachings of Islam take place. And so [people who call themselves] "Muslims" kill despite the injunction of their religion against killing especially of innocent people.

Mahathir bin Mohamad