Malaysian Politicians Say the Darndest Things

I was at Popular Bookshop last Wednesday sniffing for new books as usual and I came across a book by Amir Muhammad, Malaysian Politicians Say the Darndest Things.

Its a thin book and I finished it in one sitting. It contains some of the more quirky quotes and remarks by Malaysian politicians from 1980s onwards and I have to say that I couldn't stop laughing my heads off. For RM 30, this is surely a must by for true Malaysians as it revealed a lot of the behaviour and mentality of Malaysian politicians (Which I must say is not one of the most honest).

It displays much of the oratory skills our politicians have and also some of their slip-ups and derogatory remarks.

Some of those didn't even contain any cow sense as in:

“The Indonesians and Filipinos don’t even have enough to fill their stomachs. Who are they to lecture us on press freedom? We are more qualified because we have full stomachs”
-Information Minister Mohamad Rahmat

"He is not clever at doing it... to be a fraudster you need skills. Fraudsters should always be a notch above their victims. He didn't learn from me or I could have given him some tips... As a father I am disappointed."
- Senator Muhammad Abdul Ghani, implicating his son in a scandal of cloned Approved Permits (APs) for imported cars. (The New Straits Times, 11 October 2006)

"FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!"
Bung Moktar Radin (Barisan National-Kinabatangan)

This is a really satisfying read. Other quotes includes Samy's comparison of toilets with wives and PAS's remark that the government should employ ugly Malay women only because the prettier can get rich husbands. (At least this way Malay boys will be more independent when looking for a job!)

At the end of the day, I found a new revelation where I become much closer to the country. Though it is not the best way, I do feel proud of being a Malaysian. At least we don't get into fist fights like in Taiwan or Japan. We resolve things in such a comical way!

Thought you've seen it all? Wait till you read a 1980s letter from Mahathir to a then European boy of 10, Abercombie. It'll make you laugh with your tears rolling down.