Dr M and Kit Siang tackle the past and present at youth dialogue

Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang were the stars at a town hall session with youths in Petaling Jaya last night.

The duo - who were once well-known "sworn enemies" - fielded various questions, which included those on nepotism and the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Both Mahathir and Lim have been accused of practising nepotism due to their respective sons following their footsteps to be in politics while Lim was detained under the ISA during Mahathir's time as prime minister.

In the early part of the session last night, Mahathir said he understood why many people did not agree with the things he did during his premiership.

"This is the man (Lim) who was responsible for it. He never liked me, he said nasty things about me.

"But if you are in the opposition and want to defeat the government, you can't say nice things about it.

"Today, many ask why I'm being friendly with that 'demon'. I had a tough time explaining this," Mahathir said to laughter from the audience - and a smiling Lim.

Admitting how he had always criticised Mahathir in the past, Lim went on to stress that the criticisms were never personal in nature.

"I never called him 'Mahafiraun', 'Mahazalim' or corrupt. As prime minister, I hold him responsible for all abuse of power, including Operasi Lalang, for which he said he acted on security advice.

"But as home minister, he had to be responsible for the arrest of all detainees," Lim said.

Lim was also asked whether he would create a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate Mahathir's "misdoings" as well as the purported wealth of his sons.

Importance of checks and balances

To this, Lim said he a full investigation must be launched if there was indeed abuse of power or even if there was perception of power abuse.

"But the most important thing today is to bring about change. We don't want to become like Zimbabwe," he said.

On the question of whether there was a threat of heading towards the path of nepotism, Lim stressed the importance of checks and balances.

Things such as nepotism and a dynastic rule will not arise if proper checks and balances are put in place, he said.

Mahathir, on the other hand, said he believes that no one would like to see a leader passing on his leadership to his son.

Citing the French Revolution, Mahathir said the revolution occurred as there was a need to prevent a system in which a son succeeds his father.

"When leaders stay too long, there is a tendency to keep the leadership to the family, to get the son to be a successor and that will lead to absolute power."

Nepotism, therefore, is "bad for any leader", he admitted.

Mahathir said he had prevented his son from joining politics to show that he was not open to nepotism.

"He had to sacrifice so that I have good reputation.

"But after I stepped down I thought now he is free to do what he likes. If they like him, they can choose him, if not, I have no way to ensure he (comes into power)."

Mukhriz Mahathir is Mahathir's only child who is actively involved in politics. He contested in the Jerlun parliamentary seat during the 2008 general election.

He contested the Ayer Hitam state seat in the 2013 general election and was thereafter sworn in as Kedah menteri besar. He resigned in January 2016 after losing the support of a majority of Kedah state assemblypersons.

Mukhriz is currently Bersatu deputy president.- Mkini