Mahathir Mohamad

Mahathir Mohamad (born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician who was the country's Prime Minister from 1981 to 2003 and 2018 to 2020.

Speech at the opening of the ASEAN Travel Forum, Genting Highlands, 20 October 1981

• The coming together of ASEAN countries for the purpose of creating greater business opportunities for those involved in the tourist industry once again demonstrates ASEAN's determination to foster closer cooperation among member countries.
• ASEAN firmly believes in regional cooperation as a means to achieve greater prosperity and stability for our region.
• We have the potential to develop a wide variety of attractions within our region and these can indeed be promoted among our own people as well as among international visitors.
• Let us put our heads together to evolve ways and means to develop the tourist industry in the ASEAN region.

Speech at the Third International Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations on Dadah Use Prevention and Control, Kuala Lumpur, 2 November 1981

• Malaysia, like many other countries, is fully aware of the seriousness and complexity of the global problems of dadah use and substance abuse, and we fully endorse all international efforts, be it governmental or non-governmental, directed towards the eradication of this social menace.
• The dadah problem in a sinister way is very democratic in that it does not discriminate against religion, racial descent, or socio-economic background of a person.
• Malaysia comprehends the magnitude of the dadah problem. We have accordingly designated it as a security problem.
• Insights, understanding and concepts are meaningless and empty unless bold action is taken to ensure results.
• For us in Malaysia, the dadah problem is still our number one enemy. As a security problem, it will be given priority.
• We cannot allow the expression "everybody’s responsibility is no one’s concern" to be true of dadah prevention.
• Dadah is one enemy that we cannot say, "If we cannot fight its abuse, we can join in the abuse."
• The obvious answer to the problem is to move on a broad front, to tackle both the underlying and the related dadah problem together.
• ASEAN countries, who are both the source and the bearer of the brunt of the international dadah problem, merit greater attention of the world community.
• In short, for the sake of future generations, we all have to respond actively, positively and urgently to overcome the dadah problem.

Speech at the ASEAN-U.S. Economic Conference, Kuala Lumpur Hilton, 18 November 1981

• What we need today if we are to achieve some semblance of a fair distribution of international wealth is sincerity based on true friendship and a clear understanding of the moral obligations that we all have towards each other.
• Our economic policies are based on clear and definite political objectives. If we impose conditions on foreign investors, it is not because we grudge you your profits, but because we have a need to reconcile foreign economic incursions with national aspirations.
• The political stability we achieve is, for you, much more worthwhile commercially than the short-term profits you might make.
• We do not nationalize, for example. [...] The predictability pertaining to economic policies is our asset.
• The ASEAN nations are not intending to compete with the developed countries. Rather they wish to complement.
• Malaysia is ruled by conservatives whose only desire is to develop the country for the benefit of the people. Radicalism and extremism has been rejected not only by the Government but also by the people.
• We intend to have a firm grip [on inflation] through fiscal and monetary discipline.
• I hope that you will take this opportunity to understand this region better and to explore ways and means of establishing better cooperation between American businessmen and financiers with ASEAN's counterparts.

Speech at a Dinner on the Occasion of the Visit to Singapore, 17 December 1981

• An appreciation of differences is as important as the acknowledgement of the common historical and geo-political backgrounds in the fostering of understanding between our two countries.
• We can always call up each other, and frankly discuss our mutual problems when they arise.
• Singapore's success story in the economic and social fields cannot but be a model for Malaysians rather than an object of envy.
• What we do within our own country is contributory and complementary towards each other's progress.
• The security of the region is the security of Malaysia.
• The security apparatus of our two nations continue to cooperate closely against any subversive and criminal elements that could affect our stability even when political leaders are openly squabbling.
• We live in a world of instant communication which has spawned instant events, instant interviews and instant comments.
• ASEAN has proven to the world to be a viable and cohesive grouping. This credibility has to be sustained.
• ASEAN's commitment transcends limited and localised national outlooks, and so renders possible a more daring programme for the future based on a peaceful and stable Southeast Asia.
• We do not believe in double standards in the conduct of international relations.
• Relations, if it is to be durable, must be based on the mutually accepted norms of equality and respect. There cannot be any compromise on this.
• For us to opt for super-power collusion would be submitting ourselves to be pawns in their conflicts and rivalries.
• The development of good relationship between our two countries is also a task for the leaders as well as of the people.

Speech at the opening of the 12th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting, Kuala Lumpur Hilton, 14 January 1982

• Malaysia’s adherence to the principles of ASEAN cooperation is not altruistic. It is enlightened self-interest.
• We cannot prosper alone in a region that is in turmoil and unstable. To prosper we have to have the kind of regional environment that is conducive to economic growth.
• ASEAN should inject new ideas in industrial cooperation... the country with the biggest market would enjoy the most benefits even if the product was manufactured by a smaller country.
• In industrial complementation, perhaps the private sector should play a more vigorous role.
• We are heavily dependent on external services in shipping, and the rising freight charges are an additional burden to the balance of payments of ASEAN countries.
• ASEAN as a whole constitutes a major producer of conventional energy such as gas and petroleum. Yet we lack the infrastructure and technology to fully exploit our natural resources.
• Despite our disappointment in solving commodity problems, ASEAN should continue to adopt a collective approach and joint efforts in pursuing international economic issues.
• ASEAN’s resilience and success serves as a model and shining example to other developing countries on meaningful economic cooperation.

Speech at the opening of the Fourth General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation, Parliament House, Kuala Lumpur, 2 February 1982

• We are indeed very happy to have this privilege of hosting the Fourth General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation or AIPO.
• Despite the various efforts made by us to secure fair terms of trade, we have, we must admit, largely been unsuccessful.
• The aspirations of the peoples and Governments of our countries for a New International Economic Order have not only been ignored but their terms of trade continue to be made more inequitable.
• We in Southeast Asia have entered an era fraught with unprecedented perils.
• The ASEAN Parliament may yet be a forum for the successful coordination of our development and progress.

Speech at the opening of the 5th Joint Annual Conference of the Malaysia-Japan Economic Association and Japan-Malaysia Economic Association, Kuala Lumpur Hilton, 8 February 1982

• Lately I have been exhorting Malaysians to emulate the Japanese, particularly in work ethics and ethical values.
• The West is no longer a suitable model. They have lost their drive. They still want the good life but are not prepared to face the realities of a world market which they can no longer dominate.
• When we ask Malaysians to look East, it is not so much your living standard that we are thinking about. That will come... What we are interested in is your work ethics.
• It is not just skills we are after, but more importantly, the correct attitude to work, including the sense of belonging, which breeds loyalty.
• A prosperous Malaysia will make a better customer and trading partner for Japan.
• It is high time that our businessmen go international and venture to where the markets are, instead of waiting for the markets to come to them.

Speech at the dinner in honour of His Excellency Mr. Li Jong Ok, Premier of the Administrative Council of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Parliament House, Kuala Lumpur, 11 February 1982

• Malaysia has always followed a consistent policy of establishing friendly relations and mutual cooperation with all countries, irrespective of ideology or political systems.
• Your Excellency's visit is an important milestone in the development of our bilateral relations.
• It is our desire to see the emergence of a coalition government that is truly representative of the people of Kampuchea.
• As non-aligned countries, both the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Malaysia can play a constructive role in bringing about the peace that we so desire in our respective regions.
• Malaysia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea share similar aspirations... to develop our respective economies and improve the standard of living of our respective peoples.

Speech at the Second International Symposium on the Mobilisation of Personal Savings in Developing Countries, Hilton Kuala Lumpur, 15 March 1982

• Our ability to raise adequate domestic savings to finance our development efforts is a necessary precondition, if we are to succeed in re-structuring our economies to cope with the rapid transformation that is taking place in the world economy today.
• Despite the talk and widespread publicity on foreign assistance, be they official development aid or foreign direct investment, we have all along been depending on ourselves.
• The function of any sound financial system should not only be to intermediate between the savers and the investors, but also to ensure that the less advantaged groups have access to adequate credit at reasonable cost.
• The prices of our primary commodities are set by conveniently labelled 'supply and demand forces' located in the industrial countries.
• The developing countries must seek ways and means of gaining entree into the market place. They should do so not individually but in cooperation with each other.

Speech at the dinner in honour of His Excellency Mr. A.A.M. Van Agt, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Parliament House, Kuala Lumpur, 15 March 1982

• Your Excellency's visit which is the first by a Prime Minister of the Netherlands is indeed an honour for Malaysia.
• I have no doubt that your visit will further strengthen the relations and foster greater cooperation between our two countries.
• Your support for the aspirations of the developing countries to effect structural changes to the international economic order cannot go without special mention.
• Malaysia has of late become disenchanted with what is said to be a free market for commodity trading, particularly tin.
• We are urging a producers' association, not in order to jack up prices or to hold the world to ransom, but in order to get fair prices while continuing to stay in the market.
• We do hope that actual direct trade with the Netherlands will increase.
• We are happy to see increased interest by Dutch businessmen in investment opportunities in Malaysia.
• We will not nationalise or expropriate in any way.
• If your shares or your companies are up for sale then we reserve the right to buy if we think that it is worthwhile.
• Malaysia as a member of ASEAN is committed to improve the quality of life of our peoples and to enhance their general well-being.
• We have made it clear that we cannot accept military intervention as a means of settling a zonal problem.
• We firmly believe that such a solution would pave the way for the realisation of our objective of a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality in Southeast Asia.
• Your visit stimulates not only the common desire to enhance further our bilateral relations but also reinforces the political will and commitment to the search for peace for the benefit of all concerned.
• We share identical views on many issues of regional and international importance.

Speech at the National Seminar on Productivity, Hilton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, 5 April 1982

• We must face a future where we must stand on our own feet without the benefit of help from other sources.
• Productivity means increased output without an equal increase in monetary input.
• Work should be enjoyed in the same way that we enjoy playing.
• No one is indispensable because everyone is indispensable.
• A bored worker is as bad as a bored player. He does not win. A bored worker does not produce.
• What we need is a drastic change in attitude on the part of everybody concerned.
• The only answer is greater productivity.
• Everyone should instill in himself a sense of responsibility both to himself and to his country.
• If we can improve our attitudes and regard waste in all its forms as an unforgivable crime directed against ourselves, then we will achieve that high level of productivity so essential to our national development.
• Japan’s greatest asset is human resource in the form of disciplined, hard working people.

Mahathir's 1982 radio address on elections, unity, and governance

• Only a strong Government can champion the cause of the people and bring stability and prosperity to the country.
• The National Front is a team. Its strength lies in its team spirit.
• We believe that the people who should inherit this country and continue with the struggle to achieve our national aspiration shall be the people who believe and uphold the Rukunegara.

State Feast, Nukuʻalofa, Tonga

• In our interdependent world we have to help and stand by each other.
• Today many traditional ways and customs of our forefathers seem to dissipate readily and be discarded.
• Stretches of ocean lie between our lands but it is never too far or too difficult for us to keep in touch.

12th Meeting of the Commonwealth Science Council, 24 August 1982

• Scientific and technological knowledge like all other forms of knowledge, we believe, increases as you share it with others.
• The poor countries need help — not handouts, but a helping hand for their development.
• The scientific knowledge and technology of the West cannot be simply imported into the country. It must be properly adjusted and adapted in order to fit into the special needs and requirements of the nation.
• We are not about to invent the wheel again, but the application of discoveries and inventions originating elsewhere is part of the exercise in self-reliance.
• Only the most primitive of the discarded industries will find a place in the developing world.
• Scientific knowledge should be used not merely for material development, but also for the enhancement of the quality of life, and the achievement of peace and harmony.
• The community of nations has not yet accepted the principle that the rich should help the poor.
• Developing countries are so designated because they are relatively poor. If they are going to be able to buy from the developed countries, they must be helped to attain the financial capacity to do so.

Speech at the 5th ASEAN–Japan Symposium, 24 August 1982

• ASEAN today is faced with two major problems — one, the instability and uncertainty caused by the situation in Indochina; the second major problem arises out of the current world recession which threatens to retard the industrialisation efforts of the ASEAN countries.
• The developed countries have opted for protectionism as a panacea for their ailing industries. If this tendency is not checked, not only would the exports of developing countries be affected but their development and industrialisation efforts would be seriously hampered.
• ASEAN would pursue the creation of a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality in Southeast Asia. The leaders of ASEAN firmly believe that given their freedom from superpower dominance and interference, neighbouring states could successfully set aside their differences to forge a common purpose.
• These opportunities were, however, lost when Vietnam intervened militarily and occupied Kampuchea. This she did with the open support of the Soviet Union.
• ASEAN's approach to the solution of the Kampuchean problem is aimed at establishing a sovereign, independent and neutral Kampuchea respected and guaranteed by the great powers.
• It has long been recognised that the political situation in Southeast Asia, directly or indirectly, impinges on Japan's economic and strategic interests. A prosperous and stable ASEAN is important to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region and therefore merits Japan's support.
• Looking East does not mean total Japanization, or a complete break with the West. But it certainly means the almost total dependence on the West will be replaced by a more balanced attitude towards both East and West.
• Our ‘Look East’ policy should not just be a one-way traffic. We seek the close cooperation, understanding and assistance not only from the Japanese Government but also from the Japanese public.

Selected quotations from the 27th Asian Film Festival closing speech, 14 September 1982

• Film makers, whether they are producers, directors, script writers, actors and actresses, are endowed with such special qualities that they can contribute in one way or the other towards the happiness of their audience.
• They can make the audience happy or they can make them cry. They can make them knowledgeable or they can confuse them absolutely.
• Above all they can inculcate positive values so essential to nation building and the development processes.
• In the context of developing Malaysia, I see their vast potential in putting across our commitments and reassuring Malaysians of the targets of the nation's strategy in sustaining the growth of a happy and vibrant country as envisaged in our New Economic Policy.
• However to be truly profitable local films must be good enough to be shown outside of this country.
• Let your success inspire you to greater achievements.

Selected quotations from the Asia Society and Council on Foreign Relations speech, 28 September 1982

• The European Economic Community uses economic power to continue political domination. The United States too was drawn into this grouping, thus adding strength to the domination of European countries over their former colonies.
• ASEAN is not a strategic concept designed to overawe its neighbours. It was an ad hoc solution to a communications problem between neighbours who were strangers to each other.
• Once it was formed, much more was expected of ASEAN than was ever in the minds of the founders.
• The five countries of ASEAN are ethnically similar, but historically and politically diverse.
• Foreign holdings were forcibly nationalised. But learning from the other ASEAN countries that such was not the route to prosperity, nationalisation was dropped.
• All the ASEAN countries are now believers in free trade and free enterprise. Foreign capital is welcome by all.
• ASEAN has brought prosperity and stability. Although it is not a military grouping, it can coordinate its policies to deter the kind of adventures that countries standing alone and economically troubled attract.

Selected quotations from the 37th United Nations General Assembly speech, 29 September 1982

• Might is now the only thing that is right. Weak countries like Afghanistan, Kampuchea and Lebanon are trodden over by the boots of invading armies as the rest of the world stood by.
• The credibility of the United Nations is at stake. The United Nations must regain its credibility.
• The foreign military invasion and continued occupation of Kampuchea is a crime against the Kampuchean people and a threat to regional peace and security.
• Nobody, not even a people who had suffered as much as the Jews had, have the right to inflict upon others the horrors of Sabra and Shatila.
• Israel is a bully. If it is any bigger or stronger the world will not be safe.
• Those weapons are for nothing less than murder.
• To the developing nations, the continuance of the Afghan nationalist struggle is crucial.
• Apartheid... is a travesty of justice and is an affront to human dignity.
• Our patience and sense of fair-play is being taxed to the limit with the market manipulations abroad which in effect reduce our people to underpaid labourers.
• The various exchanges located in the developed countries literally manipulate prices in order to make a profit for the brokers, the dealers, the speculators and others.
• It is a case of heads you win, tails I lose.
• The stockpile is merely a rich nation’s monopolistic weapon used to depress prices of commodities for the benefit of the consumers.
• This world-wide depression is man-made. It is made in the powerful countries by short-sighted people.
• There will be violence, riots and revolutions. Governments will fall and anarchy will prevail.
• The world has suffered enough from this depression. We need action now.
• The uninhabited lands of Antarctica... do not legally belong to the discoverers as much as the colonial territories do not belong to the colonial powers.
• Historical episodes are not facts that can substantiate claims.
• Israel continues to propagate the myth of the non-existence of the Palestinian people.

Selected quotations from Mahathir's CHOGRM III speech, Suva, Fiji, 18 October 1982

• We in Malaysia too see the need for the injection of greater assistance to the South Pacific island countries so as to enable them to build up their national resilience and independence.
• The Commonwealth is now on test. If the Commonwealth countries in our region cannot actualise economic and functional cooperation, the prestige of the Commonwealth itself will go down.
• Some industrially developed nations really feel free to scour and devour the developing nations by their exploitative methods and practices.
• They seem incapable of realizing that such libertine activities would only lead to the destruction of the free enterprise system itself.
• Our advice to these countries should be that they talk less of their generosity to provide assistance to the poor nations and instead undertake a thorough soul-searching examination.

Papua New Guinea Dinner Speech, 19 October 1982

• The Government of Malaysia fully subscribes to the concept of economic and technical cooperation among developing countries. Malaysians are ready to participate in practical economic and technical programmes with Papua New Guinea. We are your 'wantoks'.
• The spinoffs of better understanding and goodwill from increased contact and cooperation between our peoples will surely strengthen our friendship.
• Malaysia is extremely unhappy at the manipulation of commodity prices by the various exchanges located in the developed countries. Scant regard is paid to the producers. To ensure reasonable prices, such an unhealthy system has to be dismantled.

ASEAN Law Association Speech (26 Oct 1982)

• I believe in the supremacy of the Constitution. The Malaysian Government will faithfully do its duty as guaranteed to minorities, rights guaranteed to the citizen and in some cases to the non-citizen also. The Constitution is not infallible, having been drafted by mere man. Hence the Constitution also provides for its amendment no doubt to make it compatible with changing times. But the conditions for amendments are such that the Constitution cannot be trifled with at will.
• No man is above the law, not even those in power. Those in power are in fact trustees and their duty is to promote the public good, not self-enrichment.
• During your deliberations it is only proper that as professionals you focus on legal justice. But I would like to point out that apart from legal justice, there are other kinds of justice which are also desirable that we should achieve, and that is economic and social justice. The former President of the United States, Mr. Carter in a speech to American lawyers said that in the United States there are many judges and many lawyers but not enough justice. He was referring to legal justice. As head of the Government I am acutely aware of the need to provide the broader kind of justice that I mentioned.
• Each of these systems is designed to regulate in a fair manner the relations of man, the relations between man and the State; and prescribes a just way of resolving disputes among them. But each system follows different paths. Your deliberations should over a period of time produce a synthesis of laws for the benefit of the whole of ASEAN.

Mahathir–Prem Official Dinner, Bangkok (8 December 1982)

• As close neighbours, common sense dictates that in our relations with each other there can be no alternative to mutual trust and the willingness to work together in facing our common problems. Indeed, our two countries are also brought together because of our affinity for each other and the many common perceptions we share.
• The corner-stone of Malaysia's foreign policy vis-a-vis Thailand is, and will always be, one of good neighbourliness through mutual assistance and cooperation.
• These are troubled times: not only have we to contend with a major world-wide economic recession, but also serious challenges to the peace and stability of our region. It is, therefore, all the more imperative that we continue working together both bilaterally and within the context of ASEAN.
• Malaysia will work closely with Thailand for the preservation of peace and stability in the region.
• It is through this ASEAN spirit and our commitment to the objectives of ASEAN that today we have in our region an association of nations that we can be justly proud of, for the simple reason that it works.
• The motive-force for the success of ASEAN lies in our firm belief in peace and in working together for the prosperity of all in the region.
• Vietnam's military intervention and continued occupation of Kampuchea represents not only a direct interference in the internal affairs of the country, but a threat to the peace and stability of the whole region. The establishment of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea headed by His Highness Prince Norodom Sihanouk is a positive development.

Mahathir–Pierre Mauroy Official Dinner, Kuala Lumpur (13 December 1982)

• Your visit to Malaysia, Excellency, is the first ever by a Prime Minister of France. I am confident that your visit will contribute to the strengthening of the existing close ties of friendship and cooperation between our two countries.
• While France may not be among Malaysia's major trading partners, she has participated in and contributed to our economic development in the past and continues to do so presently.
• In adopting a 'Look East' policy in order to balance foreign influences on our national development, we are not turning our backs on the West completely. The West remains an important partner in our development efforts and French expertise, technology and investment are always welcome.
• France... has of late introduced a ruling requiring that all customs import-documents be prepared in French. This is certainly an impediment to a freer flow of trade and constitutes another form of non-tariff barrier.
• Imagine the consternation among French exporters if Malaysia were to insist that they must use Bahasa Malaysia in all their documentation.
• Trade missions coming to sell goods here should bring along investors as well. We need investment in new projects to support our industrialisation programme.
• What we would like to see is an offset programme whereby purchases and contracts are linked with economic reciprocity of one kind or another.
• To achieve this objective of regional peace and stability, Malaysia, together with her partners in ASEAN, declared their resolve to make Southeast Asia a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN).
• Our relations with countries of the region and beyond are based on the principles of respect for one another's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and non-use of force or threat of use of force.
• The protraction of the situation in Kampuchea continues to pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability besides encouraging outside involvement and interference in the region. The formation of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea under the Presidency of His Highness Prince Norodom Sihanouk is a welcome development towards achieving such a negotiated political settlement of the Kampuchean issue.
• Towards this end, we would urge that France, a country which has historical links with countries in this region, to contribute positively to the political solution of the Kampuchean issue.

Official dinner in honour of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, 10 January 1983

• Change and development are integral to any society and nation. The problem that confronts societies and nations, however, is that not all developments are for the better.
• Malaysia, within this context, welcomes Canadian participation in our current national development endeavours, as outlined in the Fourth Malaysia Plan.
• Canada-ASEAN relations can become the model of cooperation between a developed country and a group of developing countries, based on partnership on equal terms and common interest.
• International law and order has truly broken down, giving rise to a situation where might and right is almost synonymous.
• What is needed is the full backing of the powerful nations. They must revitalise the Organisation which they had created.
• We are quite sure that the prices of all manufactured products that developing countries have to buy will continue to rise even when fuel prices go down.
• For Malaysia and other developing countries it is a case of 'heads I lose, tails you win' all the time.
• Killing OPEC is likely to result in more Mexicos, rather than economic recovery.
• The Kampuchea issue, if not resolved peacefully and promptly, will also become a threat to world peace and security as continued foreign occupation of Kampuchea has brought in its wake big power rivalry and involvement.
• Malaysia welcomes the setting up of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea under the Presidency of His Highness Prince Sihanouk as a positive step towards the peaceful resolution of the Kampuchea issue.
• We look forward to a world characterised by sincere and constructive partnership and cooperation between the developed and more fortunate countries and the developing and less fortunate ones for their mutual benefit.

A talk on ethnic relations and nation building, 12 January 1983

• Science, as we know it, is not value-free. This is more so with social sciences. And certainly, a subject such as ethnic relations, which tends to have an emotional overtone cannot be expected to be presented or analysed with pure objectivity.
• To be otherwise is to delude ourselves. It is a reality that we have to accept and live with... societies must learn to cope with ethnic problems if the world and human civilisation is to have a meaningful future.
• The multiracial nature of our society is a fact. It is something that every Malaysian must accept, live and cope with.
• Malay culture is really a mixed culture in which elements of Chinese and Indian cultures have been absorbed, albeit modified in form.
• The task of moulding a common national culture and to integrate people of differing ethnic groups is... much more difficult today than it was before.
• The New Economic Policy was conceived with the view to remove the identification of race with economic function.
• While elements of the racial cultures of the different ethnic groups are incorporated into the national culture, each race continues to practise its distinct culture in the environment of its own society.
• If the cultures of the non-indigenous peoples are made the basis of a Malaysian national culture, then Malaysia would become simply an appendage... of the countries from which those cultures come.
• Ethnicity remains a thorn in the Malaysian body, stifling change and progress. But there is no choice for Malaysia and Malaysians. We just have to continue our efforts to bring the different ethnic groups together.
• The only choice left to us is to make everyone equally unhappy... even the indigenous people are not getting all that they ask for, and are consequently just as unhappy and dissatisfied.
• We know we have difficult periods in front of us, but with care and reduced ethnic overtones, and by channelling our energy to productive uses we can bring our vision to reality.

Opening of the 7th Malaysian Economic Convention, 18 January 1983

• It is important to re-examine policies, and make structural changes so that policies and structures do not become objectives in themselves, but rather the means of achieving economic, social and political targets.
• Malaysia is a free enterprise nation but its economy is subject to a variety of regulations as are all free enterprise economies.
• We are constantly reexamining ourselves. An Economic Panel was set up recently for this purpose.
• The world is going through a very difficult period. The whole banking system is now being questioned and with it the financing of international trade and investments.
• High interest rates in a nation which lives on credit mean lowered consumption, lowered inventories and lowered investments.
• There are things that we can change. There are others that we cannot change. Is it worthwhile to knock our heads against stone walls or should we use the prepared passage or the soft spots which will let us through.
• The NEP is one of the most liberal policies. Those who have decided to live with it have done extremely well.
• There is a lot wanting in the way policies are implemented, and economic administration is carried out.
• The Government may not accept all that you recommend, but we will not ignore your findings or your recommendations.

Official dinner speech at the residence of Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, Tokyo – 24 January 1983

• Malaysia which is the leading producer of a number of important raw materials such as rubber, tin, palm oil and tropical timber, is hard hit as a result of greatly reduced export earnings.
• That is why I have asked Malaysians to 'Look East' and to learn from Japan.
• What I have been exhorting is for Malaysians to emulate the Japanese in their work ethics and attitudes and their management system which, I think, is the main factor in Japan's rapid development and industrialisation.
• Together we would be laying the foundation for an enduring and meaningful relationship between our two countries and peoples.

Speech to Japanese economic organisations – Tokyo, 24 January 1983

• We do not intend to be the robots for foreign industry.
• Foreign investment must be accompanied by a decent dose of technology transfer, without which the broad policy objective of foreign investments will not be meaningful.
• Our "Look East" policy, in essence, is a call to return to the self-help philosophy of our earlier era: it re-emphasises the need to pull ourselves up by our own hardwork, determination and initiative.
• What we are after is not dissimilar from the uchiwa (all in the family) economic system of the Japanese.

Speech on technology transfer and economic equity at the Alcan International Management Programme, the Regent Hotel, Kuala Lumpur – 25 February 1983

• Technological imbalance among nations, in particular between the developed and the developing countries is growing at an even greater pace with the rapid scientific and technological progress of the developed nations. This phenomenon is placing a greater strain on the already inequitable situation existing in the world economic and financial systems.
• Free trade was expounded by Western economists as the most ideal form of trade until of course the developing countries learnt to export and enter western markets. Now protectionism is the acknowledged method of the developed countries which have also banded together in powerful economic groupings.
• Inequitable technology is a barrier to common progress. While the developing countries are at the early stages of applying known technologies, the advanced countries are progressing by leaps and bounds into higher technology and robotics.
• Technology is not an end in itself. It is a means to an end. And that end is the achievement of economic goals which in turn are to serve social and political purposes.
• One important factor for effective transfer of technology is the employment and training of local staff at all levels. It would be to the advantage of the corporation that the staff consider themselves as an integral and vital part of this operation.
• Joint-venture enterprises on an international scale can pave the way not only for the transfer of needed technology for the industrialisation of developing countries, but more significantly they can ensure market outlets for products manufactured in developing countries.

Official Opening of the ASEAN–EEC Industrial Sectoral Conference, The Hilton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur – 28 February 1983

• We most certainly do not want to continue to be the plantations and mines for Europe or the rest of the world.
• We most certainly do not cherish the dubious honour that ASEAN holds as a world leader in the production of various raw commodities whose prices are often dictated by the tender mercies of market manipulators and close-shop trading systems in Europe and other parts of the world.
• We most certainly do not want to perpetuate our manufacturing sectors at the lower ranges of the scale of world technology.
• We have stopped believing in altruism long ago.
• The market that we form, and potentially it is a rich market, is not there simply for you to exploit. But you may share that market if you are willing to share what you have in abundance i.e. technological know-how, capital, management and marketing skills.
• Protectionism is, needless to say, contrary to free trade.
• Clearly then interdependence means interdependence. It does not mean dependence of the weak on the strong.
• We say that we are progressing with “deliberate speed”. We want to build a structure, brick by brick, so that the final edifice will stand the test of time.

At the 7th Conference of Heads of State / Government of Non-Aligned Countries, New Delhi, India – 8 March 1983

• Without the Non-Aligned Movement, more of us will be fighting each other as pawns or proxies of the committed powers.
• We must condemn aggressors for their misdeeds, and do all within our means to undo the damage. While violence is not a part of our creed, there are other weapons that will serve us just as well.
• The Vietnamese forces in irresistible strength marched into Kampuchea and installed a puppet regime. And having done so, the Vietnamese army stayed on to prop up that regime.
• That the Kampuchean refugees are willing to join up with the Coalition Government led by Prince Norodom Sihanouk proves beyond any reasonable doubt that they do not want the Heng Samrin regime or his Vietnamese backers.
• The legitimacy of Democratic Kampuchea to represent Kampuchea here, and elsewhere, should not be disputed since the UN General Assembly has repeatedly, and with increasing majority, affirmed and recognised it.
• If a neighbour is strong, then the possibility of being occupied is very real. Might is right.
• Afghanistan, under whatever regime, is no threat to the Soviet Union. If the Soviet Union can live with the People's Republic of China as a sworn enemy, surely it can live with its Central Asian neighbours without military occupation.
• The massacres at Sabra and Shatila, committed by the Phalangists, with the knowledge and blessing of the Israeli military leaders, shall be remembered in history alongside the horrors of Auschwitz, Dachau, and Belsen.
• There is no basic difference between the Nazis and the Israelis.
• The continued existence of the white regime [in South Africa] is an insult to the whole human race.
• The recession is a man-made recession, cooked up in the capitals of some powerful industrialised countries.
• Let us stop deluding ourselves. The North is not about to abdicate their role as the aristocrats of the world economies.
• It is better that we fall back on our own resources than to place our hopes on understanding and help from the unfeeling North.
• Either we maintain a posture of genuine independence, and work for the strengthening of our Movement, or we pursue the role prescribed for us by the super-powers.

At the Launching of the "Leadership by Example" Campaign, Stadium Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur – 19 March 1983

• Only those without honour are willing to let their nation be belittled.
• A government that is clean, efficient and trustworthy will speed up development and enable Malaysians to live a better life.
• It is pointless for leaders to urge others to do good if they themselves do not practise what they preach.
• To lead by providing good examples is the most effective way to ensure that good deeds are practised by all.
• We should not delay our work for the purpose of procuring bribes. What is not rightfully ours should not be taken.
• Skill can only be obtained through appropriate training and experience.
• Without trustworthiness, disorder will prevail.
• Misuse of authority will no longer be an instrument for supervision but will instead become an obstacle which will destroy society.
• If the civil service cannot be relied on then the government will collapse, and there will be anarchy.
• With an administration that is not clean, efficient and trustworthy, Malaysia can never be successful, progressive or respected.
• We should work for the people, for the nation, and for the Almighty.
• Compared to other multi-racial nations, the racial understanding and harmony in this country is something all Malaysians can be proud of.
• In a multiracial society, we must stop making accusations and instead strengthen inter-racial relations.
• Those who give priority to short-term gains are most often involved in corruption and irregularities.
• Let us sacrifice for our religion and our nation, as this will bring lasting benefits.
• We should arrive at work on time but leave 15 minutes later as a voluntary contribution to society and the nation.
• The government cannot succeed without full cooperation from both the public and private sectors.

At the Sixth Joint Meeting of JAMECA and MAJECA – 20 March 1983

• I emphasised not only on the heart-to-heart diplomacy, but also the mind-to-mind technology transfer, and hand-in-hand cooperation in building the existing relationship into a mutually beneficial and long lasting one.
• Malaysia is very grateful to the Japanese Government for agreeing to Malaysia's request for a special loan amounting to 50 billion Yen in addition to its pledge of 21 billion Yen for the Ninth Yen Credit. This agreement was most significant in the context of our cooperation in the field of economic development.

At the Banquet given by Lt. Gen. H. M. Ershad, Nanday, Bangladesh – 18 April 1983

• Malaysia has always followed a consistent policy of establishing friendly relations and mutual cooperation with all countries irrespective of ideology or political systems, based on the principles of territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs.
• We cannot and will not accept foreign military intervention in Kampuchea or elsewhere as a means of settling disputes.
• As Muslim countries we cannot but share the anguish of our brethren in West Asia.
• Only by helping each other in the spirit of South-South cooperation, and growing economically strong can we expect to gain the respect and have equitable relations with the developed world.

At the Plenary Session on “International Security in 1984: How Can We Unblock the Situation?”, 1 January 1984

• International security is not something that can stand alone or be solved separately from other international issues. Indeed international security is a part of, or the result of the political, economic and financial problems that beset the world.
• Faced with this adverse turn of events, the West, particularly America, resorted to tight money policy. At one stage the interest rate went up to 23%. This hurt not only the Third World but even the developed countries of the West.
• To be prepared for war in the 80s involves the investment of fantastic sums. The planes and tanks, the ships and the guns seem almost to be made of gold if their costs are assessed.
• Guerillas and terrorists are good potential customers. Who cares what these people will do with the weapons? The important thing is volume and foreign exchange earnings.
• The poor countries are close to any one of them [superpowers] not because they care for the patron of the moment, it is simply because they have no choice.
• Diplomacy is not possible now. Long before an envoy arrives to convey a message, the contents are already splashed in half the world’s newspapers.
• Basically International Security is a human relations problem. It is a problem of how to get along with the other fellow — a fellow whom you cannot bully into accepting you on your terms.
• Today’s equivalent of gunboat diplomacy is the balance of terror. It is quite fantastic to see how the big powers still believe that they can overcome each other with the number and the destructive capacity of the nuclear warheads at their disposal.
• Nuclear warhead diplomacy or balance of terror tactics are therefore stupid.
• Let us forget our Right to Know, our cameras, televisions, analysis, leaks and probings into the souls of the negotiators. Let us give them a free hand to tackle the task of achieving détente.
• Outside there should be an embargo on all news and comments. Our curiosity will have to remain unassuaged. Everyone must accept that whatever agreement is reached is binding on all.

At the Fellowship Night of the Malaysian Institute of Directors, Equatorial Hotel, Kuala Lumpur – 6 January 1984

• It is not our intention to transform Malaysians into Japanese, or to give all contracts to the Japanese and Koreans through our Look East Policy. Rather what we have in mind is to encourage Malaysians to adopt the best of what the Japanese and Koreans have practiced in the development of their countries.
• If the centre of gravity in world affairs is shifting to our part of the globe, and signs are certainly pointing in that direction, then it is only appropriate that we gear ourselves to take on the responsibilities attached to that shift.
• Let us have less bellyaching on the reluctance of others to transfer technology but instead let us focus ourselves on certain areas and concentrate on them.
• Integrity is the hallmark of corporate success. Without it, whatever initiative you have or progress you make will become meaningless.
• There is no problem that cannot be solved if the intention to reach compromise without sacrificing principles is present.
• Whatever achievements made in the national interest has been due to team effort and to the support and cooperation of the people.

At the Official Dinner Hosted by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Ottawa, Canada – 13 January 1984

• There is a need for all nations to muster the will to put the present world economy in order. The declarations, resolutions and statements emanating from the various economic summits and conferences must be carried into the realm of action.
• It is action that is needed. In order to drive home this point, Malaysia is taking various steps to promote mutual cooperation among countries of the South.
• We should be indefatigable in finding a solution to the problem in West Asia. It is our view that nations should lend their support to the Geneva Declaration and Programme of Action on Palestine.
• We must sensitise ourselves to the cries of agony of the women and children of Afghanistan, Kampuchea and Lebanon.

At a Luncheon Hosted by the Asia Society, the Far East American Business Council, and the ASEAN-American Trade Council, New York City – 16 January 1984

• Not being known in America is actually a good thing — it means that we are peaceful and stable.
• In the good old days when the world was divided into a number of Empires... the colonised people were given sufficient to survive and no more.
• To manufacture we must have access to the world market. But we see the access being denied even before we embark on the modest industrialisation programme we have drawn up.
• Many developing countries need aid but a substantial number, and Malaysia is one of them, do not care for aid. They want trade, fair trade.
• Preventing the developing countries from industrialising is not doing anyone any good. Everyone is forced to pay high prices when there is an abundance of everything.
• Some people think we are being quixotic. That is left to be seen.
• The NICs are never ever going to displace you. They may in a few unsophisticated areas — and this will be to the good. But on the whole they are going to remain relatively backward.
• We should not allow that dilemma to be solved politically, especially by people with rather dubious credentials.

Response Speech at the Welcoming Ceremony at the National Monument Grounds, Washington D.C. – 17 January 1984

• My current visit to the United States is aimed at reinforcing this friendly cooperative relationship.
• The international environment is pregnant with possibilities of serious tension, conflicts, even unthinkable catastrophes for mankind.
• We hope that we will be able to bequeath a safer, spiritually and economically prosperous and just world to the future generations.
• It is my belief that my official visit to the United States will further strengthen the existing ties of mutual respect and cordial friendship which our two countries happily enjoy.

Speech at a Dinner Hosted by Vice-President Bush, Washington, USA – 18 January 1984

• Our shared commitments to democratic government and its values, to the free enterprise system and its opportunities, and to the spiritually secure, humane and just society, transcend the gap of physical distance.
• We have no expectation of each other, and we make no demands on each other, beyond these shared interests and values. The positive aspects of our relationship and our shared interests and values far outweigh these occasional differences.
• In the fields of investment and trade, the United States continues to be a significant economic partner for us, and most recently in the field of education, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of our students in this country which, I am convinced, will have long-term benefits.

Remarks of the President and Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia Following Their Meetings – 18 January 1984

• If you were to ask me what is it I would want the United States to do with regard to economic policy, my honest and simple response is for the U.S. economy to get ahead and regain its strength, for the healthier and more vibrant the U.S. economy becomes, the better it will be, not only for the United States and Malaysia but all the developing countries in the world.
• We do not expect handouts in our search for a better tomorrow. What we look for are new areas of cooperation and collaboration, particularly in the area of economy and trade interchange to help us in the realization of our aspirations to be a more self-relying and progressive nation.
• Where we differ in respect to perception or policy, I'm gratified to note that there is a willingness on the part of the United States to achieve closer understanding and cooperation.
• We pledge to continue this friendly and cooperative relationship for mutual benefits.

At the Foreign Policy Association in Washington, D.C., United States – 19 January 1984

• Often times we disagree on methods but that should not blind us to the fact that essentially we seek the same objectives: a peaceful and stable international environment based on justice and equality for all nations.
• Small though we may be, we intend to actively participate in the political and economic life of the comity of nations in an independent manner.
• The small Third World countries, the silent majority as it were, must no longer be silent.
• Charity is not our objective though sometimes the sheer magnitude of the problems besetting some Third World countries may make this inevitable. Rather, what we seek is a fair and equitable international economic system and principled political behaviour.
• If the small countries of the world that constitute the majority in our comity of nations cannot count on respect for their territorial integrity and sovereignty, then I fear the very basis of the international political system that has evolved is in dire jeopardy.
• There can be no peace in the Middle East for the United States, for the Arabs or for the Israelis, unless and until the basic and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people are restored to them.
• The problems that I have touched upon, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference, self-determination and a fair and equitable economic system could be the basis of a new 'Bill of Rights' for the Third World with the United States as its most ardent advocate.

At a banquet in Paris, France – 23 January 1984

• The widespread usage of [tariff and non-tariff] measures to protect too many sectors simply cannot have a positive effect on international trade, and consequently on the recovery from this recession. I believe that it is a negative trend, and one that cannot solve any economic problem with any permanence.
• The two superpowers and the world cannot afford an escalation in nuclear rearmament. The discussions must go on no matter how difficult.
• Antarctica should remain the heritage of mankind, that its future regime should promote international harmony and not discord, cooperation and not conflict, and that the exploitation of its resources should benefit mankind as a whole.

• It's quite obvious that when the Eastern bloc was still there, it was a bustle between capitalism and communism. Once communism was defeated, then capitalism could expand and show its true self. It's no longer constrained by the need to be nice, so that people will choose their so-called free-market system as opposed to the centrally planned system. So because of that, nowadays there is nothing to restrain capital, and capital is demanding that it should be able to go anywhere and do whatever it likes.
  • "Commanding Heights" interview with PBS (2 July 2001).

• Clearly Islam the religion is not the cause of terrorism. Islam, as I said, is a religion of peace. However through the centuries, deviations from the true teachings of Islam take place. And so [people who call themselves] "Muslims" kill despite the injunction of their religion against killing especially of innocent people.
  • Speech in New York City Islam, Terrorism, and Malaysia's Response (page 2). Asia Society (4 February 2002).

• History should remember Blair and Bush as the killers of children or as the lying prime minister and president.
  • Perdana conference, Kuala Lumpur, cited in "Malaysian ex-PM: Blair and Bush are 'evil murderers'". Irish Examiner. 5 October 2007. 

• We need an opposition to remind us if we are making mistakes. When you are not opposed you think everything you do is right.
  • The Star (Malaysian publication, December 2005).

• I believe that the country should have a strong government but not too strong. A two-thirds majority like I enjoyed when I was prime minister is sufficient but a 90% majority is too strong.
  • December 2005, on his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Parliamentary majority of 92%. [1]

• I believe that if that bastard leaves, we then won't be bastardised.
  • in reference to Prime Minister Najib Razak during a speech at Pasir Gudang on 29 August 2015. Previously, Najib Razak had warned that Malaysian Malays would be "bastardised" were UMNO to lose power in the government, raising controversy by using a swear word (Malay "bangsat", loosely translated as "anus") in his speech.

• To be a great leader, one needs to have good strategies, be knowledgeable and able to predict the future. "Dr M on what makes a great leader" malaysiakini (13 August 2009)

• We call upon all Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion, political situation, creed or parties, young and old, to join us in saving Malaysia from the government headed by Najib Razak. We must rid ourselves of Najib as prime minister. If he’s allowed to go on, the damage will be worse and worse.
  • Mahathir's move to oust Prime Minister Najib Razak, quote above read from a joint statement endorsed by prominent members from the ruling party, opposition, and civil society groups, quoted on Channel News Asia, "Dr Mahathir movement will be bad for country: Malaysia Foreign Affairs Minister" (5 March 2016).