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SCMP’s Asia desk

Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, known for his unyielding stance, has maintained that he was undaunted by public sentiment throughout his decades-long career, even if his pursuit of Malaysia’s welfare earned him the label of “dictator”.
From his ascent to the country’s top political post to his tumultuous relationship with protege turned critic and now Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir recounted his political odyssey in a Malaysian documentary chronicling his professional life and the secret to his long-enduring marriage.
“I’m always being asked what is my legacy. I don’t care about it. They may identify me as a dictator, that is their right,” the 100-year-old says in My Name is Mahathir.
“From the very beginning, I decided that I don’t care what people think about me as long as I am doing the right thing,” added Mahathir, who transformed Malaysia from an agrarian-based economy into a manufacturing powerhouse.
The 65-minute film about the country’s longest-serving prime minister, who remained in power for more than 24 years, won a silver medal for documentaries at a media festival in Germany last week.
Mahathir acknowledged the impossibility of weeding out corruption – an issue that drove a wedge between him and his deputy Anwar in the 1990s and ultimately led to the younger politician’s sacking.
“He started telling people that I was a dictator, I was corrupt, and I practise cronyism and all that,” Mahathir said in the interview, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.
Although there was corruption, it was minimal
Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s ex-prime minister
“It is difficult to eradicate corruption completely. Although there was corruption, it was minimal. So the country was able to grow. I myself won’t be corrupt.”
“Now he says I have stolen money. But when I ask him for evidence, he cannot provide,” Mahathir said, referring to a broader corruption investigation into some of the country’s former and current elite, launched by Anwar after he became prime minister in 2022.
Critics have accused Anwar of using the anti-corruption agency to pursue a political vendetta against Mahathir and his family.
Anwar was jailed in 1999 for corruption and in 2000 for sodomy, though the latter was overturned. He received a royal pardon in 2018, allowing him to bypass a five-year ban on re-entering politics.
Reflecting on his thriving marriage to 99-year-old Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, Mahathir said accepting their different personalities had been key to their relationship’s longevity.
According to the documentary’s executive producer Chan Tau Chou, Mahathir’s energy levels during the filming were “admirably high”.
“His trademark plain speaking cut through complex issues with confidence. His generous doses of poker-faced wit made for compelling sound bites,” Chan said.

The film also features interviews with Anwar, his daughter Nurul Izzah, activist Kua Kia Soong and student leader-turned-politician Tian Chua – the latter two were detained under the Internal Security Act as part of raids that Mahathir’s opponents claimed were aimed at silencing his critics.
Chan said Mahathir, who has defied age with his “razor-sharp” mind, “stopped only for water breaks and occasionally to cough, as he had recently recovered from illness at the time”.
He added that the crew followed the elder statesman periodically over nine months beginning in November 2024, documenting everything from his attendance at political rallies to his private moments.


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In an interview, the former prime minister reveals that he and his ex-protege, Anwar Ibrahim, clashed over their views on corruption


In an interview, the former prime minister reveals that he and his ex-protege, Anwar Ibrahim, clashed over their views on corruption.


Mahathir Mohamad

Malaysian politics

Malaysia’s Mahathir ‘doesn’t care’ about ‘dictator’ label as he reflects on his legacy

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}In an interview, the former prime minister reveals that he and his ex-protege, Anwar Ibrahim, clashed over their views on corruption

In an interview, the former prime minister reveals that he and his ex-protege, Anwar Ibrahim, clashed over their views on corruption