PUTRAJAYA – Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the younger generation’s lack of interest in politics is because they are too comfortable with the good times at present.
“When they are comfortable, they just accept what is around them, but we must make young people aware that maybe what they have now will not be the same in the future,” he said when appearing as a panellist at the Minggu Negarawan programme held in conjunction with the 2023 National Month here today.
Dr Mahathir said the younger generation needs to learn about the history of the previous generation’s struggle to gain independence and free the country from colonialism.
Political analyst Prof Sivamurugan Pandian, who was also one of the panellists, said that the division in society due to political differences is unhealthy, and needs to be overcome by finding common ground.
“This is to maintain unity, and (the situation) needs to be remedied immediately for the sake of the country. We have to defend the peace and security of the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, when met by reporters after the programme, Dr Mahathir said he had cooperated with the authorities to carry out an investigation over alleged disparaging remarks made against the royal institution, as published by a news portal on June 6.
Dr Mahathir said he had given his statement to police at his office at Yayasan Al-Bukhary, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.
Yesterday, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain confirmed that he recorded Dr Mahathir’s statement and informed that the case is being investigated by the Classified Criminal Investigation Unit, Division D5 of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. – August 30, 2023