Clubhouse, the new social media app that has been taking the world by storm, has not only attracted influencers and celebrities to its platform, but also business moguls and politicians as well.
Today, Malaysian users had a pleasant surprise when former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad held a talk on Clubhouse and it had around 2,000 listeners tuning in. The discussion was moderated by Vijay Tharumartnam and Shona Anne Thomas.
Throughout the talk, Mahathir discussed about multiple topics ranging from facts about himself and local politics. He started off by describing his childhood and how his parents had an immense influence on him.
“My father was a rigorous man, and his greatest impact on me was in the area of my education. My mother, on the other hand, was a gentle woman who taught me many valuable life lessons.” Mahathir also described about how he met his wife, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah, when he offered to teach her physics and how it eventually led to marriage.
“In those days, Malay girls didn’t attend university. She was one of the very few and this made all the Malay boys ‘fight’ over carrying her books.”
He then proceeded to touch on heavier topics such as corruption, racial tensions, and how Malaysia can continue to develop in the future.
When asked what was the one thing he would have done if he still was the prime minister, he said that he would have gotten rid of all corrupted ministers and members within his party instead of trying to monitor them.
“I initially thought the future government would continue implementing my policies, but it was quickly abandoned and forgotten after I stepped down.”
During the QnA session, Mahathir was also asked about his view on the LGBT community in Malaysia, which has suffered intense discrimination and labelled as a ‘deviant’ group. “As a conservative Muslim, I still believe in certain ‘old values’. But if other people wish to practice different values, it is none of my business to interfere,” he said.
He added that he does not agree with the way Western countries are using to make other countries follow its footsteps in legalizing gay marriage as all countries have the sovereign right to decide their own policies.
Mahathir also urged the younger generation to be more concerned about Malaysian politics and not be fanatical over any particular party.
“If you realized the party you voted for is not what you wanted, use your vote to bring them down in the next General Election.” Mahathir advises the younger generation.
Clubhouse stands out among other platforms thanks to its convenience for online discussion and sharing. And through its podcast-like feature, more politicians and public figures are making it their platform of choice for meaningful and thought-provoking conversations.
Did you join the discussion? What are your thoughts? If you didn’t manage to join, do you wish to have a similar discussion in the future? Tell us in the comments!
Editor: Raymond Chen
Proofreader: Sarah Yeoh
