A Doctor in the House - The Memoirs of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad

 By: ryan    2:54 PM  Books, Mahathir Mohammad   2 comments

Title: A Doctor in the House - The Memoirs of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
Author: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad
Publisher: MPH Group Publishing
ISBN: 9789675997228

I damn like this cover picture of Dr M, he look cute, humble and feel like hugging him. : P

Back Cover text
The West has called him recalcitran, racist, anti-Semitic and arrogant. The developing world, however, sees formoer Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a visionary champion, the rare leader who gave every Third World individual reason to stand tall. Even his harshest critics cannot deny that, above all else, he gave some of the most neglected countries courage, showing the way to a more hopeful future.

But it was not without controversy. His 22 years at the country's helm has been characterized as both dictatorial and inspiring. Few leaders have been able to turn an entire country from a predominantly agrarian economy into an industrial powerhouse, fewer still have been able to do so within a short two decades.

Here, with surgical precision, Dr Mahathir explores a nuanced history and scrutinies his own role in the shaping of modern Malaysia.

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There are total of 62 chapters spanning over 800 pages. Here are the chapters in the book:
Chapter 1  Becoming Prime Minister
Chapter 2  Family Values
Chapter 3  I Am A Malay
Chapter 4  The Story Of The Malays
Chapter 5  From Infatuation To Disillusionment
Chapter 6 A Wartime Entrepreneur
Chapter 7 Awakenings
Chapter 8 A Political Triumph
Chapter 9 The Emergency
Chapter 10 Going To Medical College
Chapter 11 An Alliance Is Born
Chapter 12 From Theory To Reality
Chapter 13 The Tunku Makes A Proposal
Chapter 14 The Bitter Thrill Of Politics
Chapter 15 Expelled
Chapter 16 In The Political Wilderness
Chapter 17 An Outsider's Lament
Chapter 18 The Malay Dilemma
Chapter 19 UMNO Opens Its Doors
Chapter 20 Into The Deep End
Chapter 21 Up The Political Ladder
Chapter 22 A Dream Delivered, A Mentor Dies
Chapter 23 From Education To International Trade And Industry
Chapter 24 Frustrations Of Being Second In Command
Chapter 25 Reaching The Top
Chapter 26 From Ideas To Action
Chapter 27 How Government Works
Chapter 28 Bersih, Cekap, Amanah
Chapter 29 Looking East
Chapter 30 The Europeans
Chapter 31 Anwar Joins UMNO
Chapter 32 Realigning Malaysia In The World
Chapter 33 The Malaysianisation Of Companies
Chapter 34 Constitutional Amendments
Chapter 35 Equitable Affluence
Chapter 36 Islam and Islamisation
Chapter 37 Introducing Privatisation
Chapter 38 Revving Our Engines
Chapter 39 Daim Becomes Finance Minister
Chapter 40 A House Divided: Team A & Team B
Chapter 41 Ops Lalang
Chapter 42 The Judiciary
Chapter 43 Matter Of The Heart
Chapter 44 New Challenges, New Solutions
Chapter 45 Vision 2020
Chapter 46 Marketing Malaysia
Chapter 47 The Growth Of Asean
Chapter 48 Law And Order: Police, Politicians and The Public
Chapter 49 The Multimedia Super Corridor
Chapter 50 PETRONAS Twin Towers
Chapter 51 Putrajaya
Chapter 52 Currency Crumble
Chapter 53 Anwar's Challenge
Chapter 54 1998: Great Games, Remarkable Gains
Chapter 55 Financial Crisis Fallout
Chapter 56 My Toughest Election
Chapter 57 9/11 And The Muslim World
Chapter 58 Education
Chapter 59 Resignation
Chapter 60 The OIC Furore 
Chapter 61 Problems With Singapore
Chapter 62 Legacy And New Dilemmas 

Glossary
 Index

 

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First thing first is to thanks Phillip. Because of you, I manage to grab this wonderful book on the launching day itself. This entry is has not much of reviews on the book because I only managed to read a first few chapters. Gomennasai!!

Dr M in his early years

Compare to the recent published book such as Malaysian Maverick and Conversation with Mahathir Mohamad, this book is totally organized in a chronological way about Mahathir on Mahathir (this sentence do sound weird huh?). The main focus of this book is not only about Dr M political days but also his lifetime journey before becoming a politician, his rise to power, his achievements and his time after stepping down.

 Dr M announcing his resignation at the closing of 2002 UMNO General Assembly in June

Someone do asked me, "Ryan, what the hell do you like about Mahathir so much? You're like collecting every single books that related to him". Well, come let me tell you, I just like him!!. Simple as that. You see, many might have hates him over the bad stuffs that he brings into Malaysia's politics but who never do anything wrong in his/her lifetime right? But if we were to put aside all those political shits, Dr M indeed a man that brings so much developments not for others but to our own country for over the years when he is the PM.

Dr M with the winners of the Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix, 1999

Dr M indeed is a man that makes ideas come true. He brought so many development to Malaysia during his administration as Prime Minister. Most significant are KLIA, KLCC, KL Tower, Cyberjaya (ICT), Proton, 1998 Commonwealth Games, Formula 1 Sepang and also Putrajaya. Because of Dr M, now Malaysia is a country that is well known even the movie I Am Number Four got mention Malaysia this word. (Bad lame joke haha). At least people know where Malaysia is mah!!

 Dr M in cleaning campaign

To cut shot my craps, I recommend this book to any Dr M fans out there. It is suitable for people who wants to know more about Dr M. Do you know that Dr M actually took 8 years to complete this book due to his perfectionist manner? The book is launched yesterday at Mid Valley shopping mall and is available at RM100. A Doctor in the House: The Memoirs of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad gathered almost all of Dr M stories and memoirs over the past 85 years. The book actually very informative but at the same times it touched certain issues that might be too sensitive to some parties. Dr M has said that he has no intentions to hurt anyone when he wrote this book but to tell the real stories over every pages in the book. See, he being so sincere letting people know why you should buy this book. Hahaha

 Dr M with Tunku Abdul Rahman

Even the price is a bit expensive to some, still you can browse the book at any major bookstores if you don't feel buying it la...the book is indeed weight like a brick, but still to me it's worth buying, moreover there are many pages spanning at the center of the book featuring Dr M pictures like I what I've uploaded some here. So you sendiri decide want to buy or not la!! Hope can finish reading the book by this week.

By the way, all Tun's books are out of stock in most of the major bookstores!! And the publisher, MPH said the book will now need to be pre-order in order for customers to secure a copy. - 19 March 2011

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Memoir of Dr M on Sale Today

 By: ryan    9:58 AM  Books, Mahathir Mohammad   No comments

Title: A Doctor in the House: The Memoirs of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
Author: Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
Publisher: MPH Group Publishing
ISBN: 9789675997228

In his twenty-two years as Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Mahathir Mohamad transformed his country from an agricultural backwater into an industrial powerhouse that would become the seventeenth-largest trading nation in the world.

This remarkable achievement was not without controversy, and Dr Mahathir's extraordinary vision and iron grip earned him both enemies as well as ardent admirers within and outside of Malaysia. He has been described typically and paradoxically as a tyrannical dictator, a bête noir, as well as inspiring, courageous and an outspoken defender of the downtrodden, The Third World, and moderate Islam.

At almost every turn Dr Mahathir rewrote the rules. This book reveals hiherto unknown aspects of this intensely private, but publicly bold, statesman. It provides a clear and compelling narratives of modern Malaysian political history as seen through the eyes of ones its greatest shapers. It is neither apology nor defence, but a forceful, compelling and often exciting account of how Dr Mahathir achieved what he did in so short a time, and why.

About Author
Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad ( born 10 July 1925) was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia. Mahathir's political career spanned almost 40 years, from his election as a Malaysian federal Member of Parliament in 1964, until his resignation as Prime Minister in 2003 - MPHOnline


Below article is featuring in TheSun, March 8, 2011
By Pauline Wong
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Kuala Lumpur: A book chronicling the life and times of the nation's longest-serving prime minister to date, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, will go on sale today at bookstores nationwide.

A Doctor in the House: The Memoirs of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is written by the former premier himself, as he takes readers back to his earliest childhood memories and through his 22 years of leadership in a journey that is little-known to anyone outside his family.

In his preface to the book, he wrote: "This is the story of Malaysia as I see it. This is also my story. These memoir must naturally contain a focus on my role, but essentially it is about my beloved Malaysia, a country which has given me indeed, all Malaysians a good life. There will be other books about Malaysia, even about me, from other perspectives, but I hope that here, I have done justice to my country."

Spanning over 800 pages, it tells of his constant struggle as a politician, his pursuit of the nation's goals, his greatest fears and his most cherished hopes, in a frank, sometimes humorous , and occasionally unforgiving assessment of himself and the times he lived through.

The chapters in this book tackle some of the toughest and most controversial times under his leadership, including the Ops Lalang, the judiciary crisis, the scandal of then heir-apparant, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and what mahathir terms "The Political Wilderness" and "The Malay Dilemma."

This book also explores his visions and achievements for Malaysia, Vision 2020, the Multimedia Super Corridor, marketing Malaysia to the world and the recovery from the 1998 financial crisis.

The book retails at RM100 and is published by MPH Group Publishing. More information on this book can be found at www.mphonline.com
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**The price of this book is way too expensive. Must wait longer only get it..... hmmmm waiting waiting and waiting......I really like the picture of Dr M on this bookcover. He look simply cute and adorable...hahahaha

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Conversation With Mahathir Mohamad

 By: ryan    12:09 PM  Books, Mahathir Mohammad   No comments

Title: Doctor M: Operation Malaysia - Conversations with Mahathir Mohamad
Author: Tom Plate
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
ISBN: 9789814276634

Back Cover text

"So, I adhere to that teaching - become a Muslim fundamentalist, and Muslim fundamentalism must  let me be moderate. "

Dr Mahathir Mohamad began his professional career as a family physician but wound up prescribing innovative political medicines for the entire nation that remain controversial even today. Was he exactly the bold and fearless policy doctor that the troubled body politic of Malaysia needed? Or was he just another mendacious mediocrity with a record of persistent misdiagnoses, phony remedies and self-serving justifications? Only history's judgment can offer the final verdict....but Mahathir himself is in no doubt.

In a riveting series of unprecedented conversations, Malaysia's most famous prime minister reveals to American journalist and author Tom Plate a panaromic panoply of views on governing, on Islam, on Jews, on the West and on Malays that are striking in historical sweep and contemporary relevance.

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"When the economy was growing rapidly, most Malaysians were willing to ignore the darker side of Mahathir's one-man rule....But no more. Still, Dr 'M' is a fascinating figure - controversial, outspoken, and never boring...Long before Barack Obama, he was telling his people 'yes, we can.' (Malaysia boleh.) His legacy will be that of a bold, visionary, but ultimately flawed leader."  -  John R. Malott, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, 1995 - 98

"He was an outstanding Prime Minister of Malaysia. During his premiership of over 20 years, he changed Malaysia from an agricultural, placid society into an industrial, dynamic society. He educated his people, sent many abroad on scholarships. They in turn transformed Malaysia." - Lee Kuan Yew, prime Minister of Singapore, 1959 - 90

"Tun Dr Mahathir's legacy would be much more creditable if his many achievements in the international arena and in developing our domestic infrastructure could have been enhanced by his building up strong institutions, rather than weakening them. If he had done so, Malaysia would be much better, more united, and more pregressive country, and a real example of a successful multiracial-religious country." - Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, former Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Malaysia

Here is the article appears in today's TheSun paper

Conversations with Dr M
> American journalist Tom Plate attempts to define the man who held the reins of Malaysia as prime minister for 22 years
BY S. INDRA SATHIABALAN


MUCH has been written about Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s fourth and longest-serving prime minister, who was at the helm of the country for 22 years. 
  Over the years, he had his share of fans and detractors, and even after retirement, he still commands attention each time he speaks out.

The latest author to attempt to understand the psyche and thinking of this man, known as Malaysia’s father of modernisation, is American journalist Tom Plate, who is also a university professor and international syndicated columnist for such publications as Newsday, Time magazine, New York magazine and television network CBS.

Plate first met Mahathir at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in 1999, and again, in New York in 2002. But it was only years later that he was inspired to write a book about this elder statesman.

Plate has written seven non-fiction books including Confessions of an American Media Man (2007) as well as Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew (2010). The latter is the first in his series on Giants of Asia for Marshall Cavendish.

He continues the series with Conversations with Mahathir Mohamad – Dr M: Operation Malaysia (Marshall Cavendish, RM79.90).

"The initial contact (with Mahathir) was made in June 2008 when I was in Singapore," recalls Plate, who was in Kuala Lumpur recently to promote his new book. 

"I was supposed to interview (former Singapore prime minister) Lee Kuan Yew for the first book but he wasn’t feeling well and the interview had to be rescheduled. So I called Mahathir and asked if I could chat with him about Lee instead. 

"Mahathir consented to meet me and, at the end of that meeting, I said: ‘Maybe you ought to become a candidate for the Giants of Asia series’. He said: ‘Let’s do it’." 

Once their scheduling was sorted out, they had five two-hour interview sessions at Mahathir’s office at the Petronas Twin Towers. 

"The good news about Tun Mahathir is that he says what he thinks. The bad news is that he says what he thinks!
"On the Israel issue, his views are often tagged as anti-semitic and if you are considered anti-semitic by the American media, then you have a significant image problem. 

"Certain things are like a no-go area. For me as an American journalist, one of the big ‘Grand Canyons’ for me was working my way through this Israel and Jews issue."

Plate says the western media tends to jump on everything Mahathir says mainly due to this perception.
Even when Mahathir handled the Asian currency crisis in 1999 far better than most leaders did, the western media was none too happy, especially when Mahathir disagreed with the methods the IMF (International Monetary Fund) used to combat the situation. 

As Plate puts it, there is a lot of residual resentment against Mahathir.
"I admired his stance on IMF. I had done an article about IMF’s cookie-cutter approach to world economies and I didn’t like its approach. Well, up to the part about Jews, I was with him." 

Plate is not a Jew but his wife and daughter are. He grew up in New York, making him, as Plate puts it, an honorary Jew.
If you are looking for a big exposé or two or expecting skeletons tumbling out of closets, you will not find them in this book.
As Plate writes on page 20 about how he sold the idea to Mahathir: "This book – it’s not a traditional political biography with a million words and a thousand footnotes and a dozen hidden axes to grind.

"It’s a reader having a long and maybe somewhat intimate conversation with Dr M. This is to feel his personality, his flair, his instincts, his brain."

Mahathir still remains an enigma in many ways. On page 71, in a list of comments that Plate had sent him via fax, Mahathir in most parts responds with a mere ‘yes’. 

One such comment is: "The Shah of Iran before his fall, would be described as a secularising and modernising autocrat; you are properly described as a Muslim moderniser."

"He’s a bit like Lee Kuan Yew that way," says Plate, likening Mahathir to the other elder statesman across the border.
"You know, I kind of get Dr M. Sometimes you meet people and you don’t get them but I’ve always got Dr M. After I first met him at the World Economic Forum, I began to understand him better. He’s very proud; he is very stubborn.
"For me, one of the thresholds of the book is Ops Lalang where he admits: ‘We screwed up. It was a mistake’."
That comment is now generating a lot of feedback via the new media and blogs. 

And like Lee, when asked what his many mistakes were, Mahathir replies: "Ask my critics."
Plate next plans to add Thailand’s former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to his Giants of Asia series.

For more reviews about the book, visits these links:
DinMerican
Coffeecrackers
FreeMalaysiaToday

 **I have a copy of Conversation With Dr.M selling at the price of RM55 and also two copies of Malaysia Maverick for RM65. Interested, sent me an mail. (All books are original and new)

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Green Light To Malaysian Maverick

 By: ryan    9:14 AM  Books, Mahathir Mohammad, Worth A Read   No comments

Good news everyone, Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times by Barry Wain has been approved for sale after the super long 4 months for the ministry to review the book and should hit the bookshops by next week. I'm so gonna get myself a copy.

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The controversial political biography of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, titled Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times, by British author Barry Wain, has been approved for sale in Malaysia. The book is expected to hit the shelves of local bookstores early next week.

A shipment of the book has been held in Port Klang since November while its content was being examined by the Home Ministry. The book, written by the former Asian Wall Street Journal editor, was published in the United Kingdom in May. 

In a letter to the book's distributor in Malaysia, the ministry said Malaysian Maverick had been given "clean approval". 

In a statement issued Thursday, the book's publisher Palgrave Macmillan and its author welcomed Malaysia’s decision.

Wain, currently resident writer at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, expressed his delight when contacted Thursday. "We've been waiting for more than four months for a decision, and are extremely pleased," he said. - theStar

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 If not mistaken, the book cost RM99.80

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