Dr M: Term Malay applies to people of this region
The Star – 15/5/2006
KOTA KINABALU: The Malays do not have exclusive rights to the term “Malay,” which should instead apply to the ethnic people of this region, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.  
In fact, according to him, the term originated from a small community in Sumatra but even the Filipinos now regarded their independence fighter Jose Rizal as a Malay hero.  
“I have never perceived the people of Sabah as being non-Malays. We all share a common ancestry,” said the former prime minister.  
He was speaking on Saturday during a question-and-answer session after delivering a keynote address on the Internationalisation of the Malay Race colloquium at Universiti Malaysia Sabah here.  
The two-day event was organised by Umno Youth’s International and NGO Bureau, headed by Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.  
To a question on the qualities needed in a leader, Dr Mahathir said the person must have vision or a goal to take the country forward.  
“But we practise democracy and sometimes we choose our leaders because of their pretty faces or because they are friendly or religious.  
“This will undoubtedly result in some weaknesses. So it is up to us to determine who our leaders are,” he said.  
He also said it was possible for a Sabahan to become prime minister one day but added that the person must have the necessary support and ability.  
Asked whether the country’s problem with unemployed graduates was a result of weaknesses in the education system and reliance on “obsolete” technology, Dr Mahathir said these could be among the factors.  
However, he added: “We cannot blame lack of facilities and weaknesses among some teachers, because there are those who excel even in the worst of conditions.”  
Umno Youth members could do their part by encouraging the younger generation to seek knowledge instead of being preoccupied with trivial activities such entertainment or spending time in shopping centres, he said.   
Source: http://thestar.com.my