Frankly Speaking

Musa Hitam resignation as Deputy Prime Minister in 1986 shook the Malaysian political establishment to the core, triggering a chain of events that even now casts a long shadow over the nation politics. What were the real reasons behind his resignation? And do they have any lessons for the way politics is conducted in Malaysia today?

In this book, Musa draws on the lessons from the past to illuminate the future. The period when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was Prime Minister (1981-2003), he argues, marked a crucial shift from performance-based politics under the late Tun Abdul Razak towards one based primarily on political loyalty  the sort of politics we still see in Malaysia today.

Musa also seeks to clarify issues that go well beyond the reasons for his resignation as Deputy Prime Minister. They include allegations that he contributed to the escalating racial tensions that resulted in the May 13 riots in 1969, as well as his supposed contribution to the violence between police and villagers in Memali in November 1985.

Some observers have described Musa as the best prime minister Malaysia never had. Readers are invited to read this and judge.