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Dr M had received the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award.

The Nobel Peace Prize nomination (if TDM has already accepted it) is a recognition not only for one man but for all Malaysians.

Give honor to the man where honor is due.

While I understand that the Tun has stood up for the oppressed all over the world, I find it particularly perturbing that his criticisms are rather selective. For instance, he never spoke out against the genocides carried out by Saddam Hussein in Iraq, nor did he criticise the behaviour of either side in the Iran-Iraq War. And of course, he hasn't said a thing about the Darfur genocide yet.

Then looking at his terrible domestic record - his economic "policies" were already mainly set by Tun Abdul Razak - I really fail to see why TDM deserves much, if any, recognition:

http://www.infernalramblings.com/articles/Malaysian_Socio-Politics/105/

Agree with Joshua...Although there might be difference in opinion on how TDM handles the country but in the end u feel secure under his administration. His blunt comments and stand up against the superpowers is a tribute in itself.

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...

Lest I be accused of more rear-view mirror ranting, perhaps I can refer you to the comments posted on Rocky's blog about is same issue. I do not think it is necessary at all for me to say which comments mirror, rear-view or otherwise, my own!

URL for the comments in question:
https://www2.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=28452020&postID=7493574047527402557&isPopup=true

JEFF OOI says: This is definitely not rear-view mirroring. This is, rather, "SINGING TO THE CHOIR" -- You will only listen to tunes you only like to listen to. The difference between people of Bosnia-Herzegovina and guys like you is that, they went through hell in the ethnic cleransing and civil war, you went through rounds of verbal orgasm vilifying an old man due to your personal hatred. We can, however, agree to disagree on this as in this space, THINKING is ALLOWED. But Mahathir hasn't even won the Peace Prize yet -- he was just being nominated

Mahathir is responsible for turning Malaysia into a greedy, immoral and violent country. He destroyed public institutions created to protect individuals and stoked traits of the depraved human race previously mentioned. To mentioned his name and the Nobel Peace Price in the same article, let alone the same paragraph is an act to either cheapen the award or forget the evil of the ogre that was Mahathir.

I do not fault the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina for thinking highly enough of Dr M to nominate him. Dr M did much for them, and they are not likely to be aware of the vast bulk of his misdeed. What's more, they do not have to pay for the consequences of his misdeeds elsewhere.

To make a point clear, I do not discount the value of his much needed efforts on their behalf either.

In a similar vein, I even supported his efforts to try to bring peace to the troubled south of Thailand, and wished him all success in that endeavour. There may have been some suggestions about his motives, but even if the suggestions were true, his efforts were praiseworthy.

Personal hatred for an old man? I hate his misdeeds, I hate the effect it has had on Malaysia and Malaysians, the price we and our future generations will have to pay, I hate his continued selective recall and the repeated attempts to sanitise certain parts of history.

(As Dr M himself, I won't be surprised if many who know him personally have genuine love for him. As for me, I have not had the chance to even meet him on a personal level, nor with the negative feelings I have for his actions, do I have a wish to do so.)

Perhaps you feel otherwise about these matters, or are ready to forego accountability and justice. That is your prerogative - as you put it, "THINKING is ALLOWED".

JEFF OOI says: Why don't you set up a tribunal ala Mahathir's PGPO -- which attempts at criminalising war -- and try him for all the misdeeds that you hate him for so much? You can try him in absentia.

Eh? I thought that "The names of the nominees and other information about the nominations cannot be revealed until 50 years later."

Is the leaking of this information in any way an infringement of the rules?

In any case, it would be up to the discretion of the judges, who I'm sure makes decisions based on a multitude of details.

cheers

Me set up a tribunal ala PGPO to try Dr M? I wish I could, but circumstances and contraints do not afford me that possibility.

JEFF OOI says: What circumstances and what constraints? The 22-year "tyranny" that you so hated dead and cold for over three years now! You are free to act against Mahathir as he is now powerless!

But you never know. There may yet be a time for Dr M to be asked to account for the things he did.

And none of the absentia stuff - let the man speak for himself, defend his actions in person.

A good thing to start off with? How about Tun Salleh Abas? While both are still alive to speak for themselves.

JEFF OOI says: We are earnestly waiting for your cue. Until such time, talk is cheap. Talk behind anonymity is even cheaper.

Not to belittle Tun's achievements, but is getting a nobel nomination that big a deal?

There are potentially thousands of eligibile nominators and hundreds of nominees for each Nobel prize each year. See details here: http://www.britannica.com/nobel/nobelprizes.html

The roll call for past Nobel Peace Prize nominees include those of less-than-stellar character. See here: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-op-tookienobel4dec04,1,1344488.story

Perhaps we should not get too excited over this nomination. Tun himself, by Rocky's account, appears to be a bit uncomfortable discussing it.

from battlestar galactica:

President Roslin: You know, I remember when president Adar sent the marines into Aerilon. 15 people died. In public, of course, he had to say all the usual things. He– he was sure of what he'd done, made the right choice, stayed the course. But he knew it was a mistake. And he kept the names of the dead in his desk drawer. He said that it was imperative for a leader to remember and learn from the mistakes even if they can't admit to them publicly.

perhaps tun might have something in his desk drawer too?

Jeff,

You seem to have concluded that by "circumstances and contraints do not afford me that possibility" I was referring to constraints imposed by the "22 year tyranny". You are incorrect.

JEFF OOI says: Don;t waste our precious bandwidth. Just state your CORRECT "circumstances and constraints" clearly at the very first instance. Don't beat around... err Bush.

And if by "earnestly waiting for your cue" you mean that you are awaiting some tribunal set up by me, it is not likely to matrialise due to any major direct input from me.

If that constitutes action which falls in the realm of "talk is cheap. Talk behind anonymity is even cheaper", you are entitled to your opinion.

JEFF OOI says; I am give you the strongest encouragement to be a "responsible blogger's responsible commenter".

Meanwhile, there has been this thought going through my mind - if, as reported by Rocky, Dr M appeared "a bit uncomfortable" discussing the nomination, could it be that he was weighing the possible negative consequences of accepting the nomination?

JEFF OOI says: If you read my blog entry clearly, I had used this line: From his body language, I could sense that Mahathir was rather uneasy with Rocky's questions. It's available here

Negative as in widespread international publicity about why he should NOT be awarded the prize? Negative as in letters sent to the award committee listing the reasons why Dr M should not get the Nobel Peace Prize?

JEFF OOI says: You are right. You could also write to the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee to record your objection to Mahathir's being nominated as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. Don't deny yourself of your birthright. Write your objection letter right away. I am sure you will be given a fair hearing by the Norwegian Parliamentary Committee if Mahathir has denied you for over 22 years for the same. Just do something positive to get yourself heard by the Committee. By ranting in my small blog will not guarantee you the Norwegian Committee could hear you.

I agree with Joshua. I am much happy with Tun...congrats on being nominated. Even if you donot eventually win it, it doesnot matter. I am still happy for all that you ahve done for me! At least your time is better than now.

"Don;t waste our precious bandwidth. Just state your CORRECT "circumstances and constraints" clearly at the very first instance. Don't beat around... err Bush."?

Well, you have the right to ask (but not to demand). I have the right to my privacy, and with that, the right NOT to state what "circumstances and constraints" mean. You can choose to interpret that in whichever manner you prefer.

JEFF OOI says: As a responsible blogger, I would want to give you the Right of Reply. But you choose to duck.

"You could also write to the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee to record your objection to Mahathir's being nominated as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. Don't deny yourself of your birthright"?

Already in the works! Just awaiting Dr M's acceptence of the nomination.

JEFF OOI says: Send me your draft and full name, I will publish it verbatim. BTW, the nomination papers have been filed by the Balkan proposers, it's recorded by the Norwegian Committee, and at today's PGPO conference which I attended, Mahathir's son Mukhriz introduced his father as a "Nobel Prize Nominee". You don't have to waste time anymore. Hit it right away!

BTW - I have already read your "Mahathir was rather uneasy with Rocky's questions" when it was first posted on your blog yesterday (The URL embedded in your "available here" link has an extra colon at the end, and thus does not work). Unfortunately, it did not help me to understand or to see anything beyond what I have already expressed.

JEFF OOI ays: Semantics. Boy, semantics!

By even being nominated for the Nobel Prize, I think its such an honour for M'sian and Asian.

By him being Tun M, M'sia's global profile will be further raised.

Where the current administration failed to do, I hope Tun M's nomination will bring some light back into the international community.

Here's a wacky idea: how about someone nominate Jeff Ooi for the Peace or Literature prize? Not that difficult to do, what - I'm sure there are some eligible nominators amongst the readers here.
Pigs will fly before you win but - hey - you can put Jeff Ooi: Nobel Proze Nominee on your CV. Phoowah!!