前首相马哈迪最近接受来自印度钦奈新闻频道Thanthi TV访问时，发表了煽动性的言论，引发了激烈的批评。马哈迪访谈中针对的族群是印裔，因此印裔社会的领导人强烈反驳马哈迪在节目上的说词，即马来西亚印裔并不完全忠于国家，因为他们仍然与原籍国有著不可分割的联系。
也许最客气的回应是来自国大党主席丹斯里威尼斯瓦兰：
“如果他（马哈迪）要谈（印裔）效忠，没必要理会；我们还有其他要事要做。”
“忠诚是一个与敦马格格不入的概念，因为他不忠于巫统，不忠于土团党，也不忠于在2018年任命他为首相的希盟。”
行动党全国署理主席哥宾星在文告中指出：
“联邦宪法明确表明……除宪法本身特例外，任何法律不得基于一个人的宗教、种族、血统、出生地或性别而歧视之。”
哥宾星补充说，人们已普遍接受，我国许多人不只会说一种语言，其中大多数人能流利地使用马来语及其母语，包括中文、泰米尔语、伊班语或卡达山语。
马哈迪领导希盟内阁时的团结部长瓦达慕迪，在其政党发表的题为“外来者或公民：同化或接纳”公开信中指出：
“马来统治者、英国殖民势力和我们的开国元勋从来没有想过要同化。请仔细阅读1957年马来亚联邦立法议会在通过联邦宪法时的辩论。当时大家都一致认同、共存，并决心发展马来亚，作为一个真正团结马来亚各族群和繁荣的国家。没有任何族群反对这项宪法下的安排，以确保马来亚的持续繁荣。”
国盟反应
没有任何土团党或伊党的领导人抨击马哈迪言论，也没有这两党的领袖愿意针对非马来人只有完全同化才被视为效忠国家论点辩论。这可能表明他们为了赢得马来选民的支持，认同基于种族划分的两种忠诚和公民身份。
国盟成员党，民政党尽管表示失望和不苟同敦马意见，但辩称马哈迪的立场不会动摇民众对国盟的支持。民政党主席刘华才重申，马哈迪做为国盟执政4州的顾问地位不受影响，国盟将会继续咨询马哈迪的意见。
马来西亚民主联合阵线署理主席阿米拉表示，马哈迪应该为自己的言论道歉。阿米拉指出，指责印裔社会对国家不忠诚可能会被极端主义组织拿来大做文章，同时也不应质疑国人的效忠。
执政党基层领导人普遍上都谴责马哈迪言论。公正党一名区部领导人公开表示，该党将针对马哈迪“充满仇恨的咆哮”，向警方提交50份报案书。
马哈迪言论连漪
对马哈迪访谈和投报，警方和相关机构虽然可能不会有后续行动，但这已带来了其他连锁反应。
其中，最引人关注的是，重新审视马哈迪的执政记录以及其留下的政绩。尤其在英文社交媒体上，非常关注及批评马哈迪可能是最后一次试图影响国家政治和未来发展方向。
网络上勇士纷纷出击，指责马哈迪在1981年担任首相后，滋生的腐败文化、任人唯亲和对国家经济造成伤害的私营化/私有化。
批评中另一个突出的问题是，马哈迪被指需对一些金融丑闻和弊端负起责任，这些丑闻和弊端是导致马来西亚在1997年金融危机期间崩溃，也导致我国经济评级与其他亚洲国家相比逐步落后。
一些批评者认为，基于马哈迪权威式领导风格，对本身经济学识的自信以及对任何异议的蔑视，使其20年任期间发生的每一次重大金融危机，都与他在财政和经济上管理不当和渎职息息相关。
从马明可、土著金融、外汇炒作、柏华惹钢铁等丑闻——这些因马哈迪执政时期愚蠢行为造成的数十亿令吉损失，只是国家财政崩溃的冰山一角，马哈迪被指控须对此负责；但他至今没有承担任何责任和表示歉意。
另一个连漪是，人们重新关注马哈迪口中所谓的“陈年旧事”。这些包括他与据称是我国最富有之人──达因的交易，达因目前因涉嫌腐败和洗钱指控而受到调查；以及马哈迪孩子的巨额财富，其长子米占日前也受反贪会调查，并要其申报国内外的资产。
追回非法外流资金
马来西亚长期以来是世界上最大的非法资金外流国家之一。因此，许多马来西亚人认为，首相安华早就该追究涉及巨大腐败案件的个人，以追回部分非法外流资金和改善国库，尽管也有人持怀疑态度，认为这是选择性的政治举动。
反贪之路还有很长，但如果坚持和谨慎的走下去，其可能会揭露出一些不为人知的秘密，即马哈迪任相期间，一些人是如何积累到巨额不义之财。
林德宜《马哈迪：外来者被同化为土著争议》原文：Dr. Mahathir Mohamed : Pendatang Turned Assimilated Bumiputra Controversy
"No, I'm not an Indian. I'm a Malay because I do not know the Indian language, and that was a long, long time ago”
"I'm now 100 percent a Malay, I speak Malay and practise Malay customs and traditions”
Dr. Mahathir Mohamed’s latest and most provocative media appearance in Thanthi TV, a news channel in Chennai, has produced a firestorm of fierce criticism. Leaders of the Indian community, the main target of his interview comments, took strong exception to his claim that Malaysian Indians were not completely loyal to the country as they were still inexorably tied to their country of origin.
Perhaps the kindest response came from Tan Sri Vigneswaran, MIC president.
“Just ignore him if he talks about loyalty; we have other work to do.”
“Loyalty is a concept alien to Tun M (Tun Dr Mahathir) because he was not loyal to Umno, not loyal to Bersatu and not loyal to Pakatan Harapan, which appointed him Prime Minister in 2018”
Gobind Singh in his statement as the DAP national deputy chairman, noted
“The Federal Constitution clearly recognises … that except as allowed explicitly by the constitution itself, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the grounds of religion, race, descent, place of birth, or gender in any law.”
Gobind added that it was widely accepted that many citizens of the country spoke more than one language, with most being fluent in Bahasa Malaysia and their mother tongue, including Chinese, Tamil, Iban, or Kadazan.
Former Minister of National Unity in Dr. Mahathir’s Pakatan Harapan cabinet, Waytha Moorthy, in his party’s open letter on “Pendatang or Rakyat: Assimilation or Acceptance” noted
“Assimilation was never in the slightest imagination of the Malay Rulers, the British colonialist power and our founding fathers. Please peruse the parliamentary debate of the Federal Legislative Council Malaya that approved our Constitution in 1957. There was a great atmosphere of acceptance, coexistence, and determination to develop Malaya further as a genuinely united Malayan race and prosperous nation. There were no objections from any races to these arrangements laid before the Constitution to ensure the continued prosperity of Malaya.”
Perikatan and MUDA Response
No prominent Bersatu or PAS leader has criticised Dr. Mahathir or has been willing to debate his contention that only fully assimilated non-Malays could be considered as loyal. This indicates possibly their agreement that two classes of loyalty and citizenship based on racial heritage should be expounded to capture the support of the Malay constituency.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) member, Gerakan, despite expressing disappointment and disagreement, argued that Dr Mahathir's stand would not sway public support for PN. Dominic Lau, party president, reaffirmed that the opposition coalition would continue seeking Dr Mahathir's advice for the four states governed by PN.
According to the nation's youth oriented Malaysian United Democratic Alliance party deputy president, Amira Aisya, Mahathir should apologise for his comments. To her, accusing the Indian community of being disloyal to the country could be misused by extremist groups whilst adding that Malaysians' loyalty to the country should not be underestimated.
The response from lower level government party leaders has been generally equally condemnatory. A PKR division leader went on record to say that the party intended to lodge at least 50 police reports against Mahathir’s “hate-filled rants”.
Other Ripple Effects of Dr. Mahathir’s Interview
While no follow up is likely to arise from the police reports and other expressions of concern on Dr. Mahathir’s interview, other ripple effects have emerged.
One of the most noticeable is that it has prompted renewed public scrutiny of Dr. Mahathir’s record of leadership and the legacy that he is leaving the country. The English language social media has been especially active and critical of this possibly last hurrah of Dr Mahathir in his attempt to influence the direction of the nation’s politics and future development.
Cyber warriors have gone to town to upbraid Dr. Mahathir for the toxic culture of rampant corruption, cronyism and privatisation/piratization which damaged the nation’s economy after he became Prime Minister in 1981.
Also prominent in the critiques is Dr. Mahathir’s alleged personal responsibility in the financial scandals and losses that provided the backdrop to Malaysia’s crash during the 1997 financial crisis and steady decline in the nation's economic rating when compared to other Asian countries.
Given his style of imperial leadership, belief in his superior knowledge of economics and disdain for any form of dissent, the list of Dr. Mahathir’s financial and economic mismanagement and malfeasance, according to some critics, covers every major financial setback that took place during his two decades as prime minister.
Maminco, Bank Bumiputra Finance, Forex Market Gambling, Perwaja Steel - the billions of ringgit losses of these Mahathir follies was the tip of the national fiscal iceberg meltdown which Dr. Mahathir has been accused of being responsible for; but for which he has not admitted to partial ownership and regret.
Another ripple effect is the attention which Dr Mahathir has generated on what can be best described as the skeletons in his family closet. These range from his dealings with Daim, reputed to be the richest man in the country, who is now under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering; and the extraordinary wealth of his children, with Mirzan currently being investigated by the MACC authorities, and asked to declare his assets within and outside the country.
Recouping Illicit Funds
Malaysia has long been one of the world's biggest exporters of Illicit money. Hence, the pursuit by prime minister Anwar Ibrahim of grand corruption by individuals in his attempt to recoup some of their illicit gains to shore up the national treasury is regarded by many Malaysians as long overdue although there are sceptics who see it as selective political play.
It has still a long way to run its course but if scrupulously and diligently pursued, it could bring to light the dark secrets of how some of the alleged enormous ill gotten wealth accumulated by a few individuals during Dr. Mahathir’s time of office has come about.
