LETTER | History is the best teacher when it comes to right and wrong. History always stays at the side of righteousness and punishes the wrongdoing or the criminals.

The 1MDB case and the wrongdoing of Mr and Mrs Najib once again have proved that history is the best teacher but are we learning from this great and painful lesson?

To me, the answer is no, especially the politicians. I had witnessed and recorded, even participated in this exciting moment of the history of Malaysia. On May 8, the excitement of the eve; on May 9, the polling day; May 10, the episode of the swearing-in of the new prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and May 11, the immediate action by the seventh PM in keeping with his promises with sincerity at the very old age of 93 by appointing three cabinet members.

This 93-old-man, burning the candles at both ends to save this almost broken nation with his coughing and refusal to take rests, with genuineness and sincerity - but these traits are hard for those that are not around him to understand or appreciate.

The evidence is that he had to destroy and burn his own house and go against his own child Umno and second was having to give up his own pride. I know he holds it dearly. Running up and down, working hard with people who once opposed him and rejected him.

The humiliation he had to go through; the betrayal of the old comrades; the cold and cruel treatment of some of his friends and relatives for they distanced themselves from him as if he carried a plague. Instead of defending his past actions, he admitted all of it was his own mistake.

Going against all odds, at the age of 93, this wouldn’t have happened if one was not sincere. This can’t be achieved, without God's help, if God was not with him. I believe God can create miracles and what happened to this nation is a real miracle. Only those with true faith will believe.

But sad to say, the ugly politicians will continue to judge him by the cover of the book. Forgetting that he is 93, forgetting that he has retired for 15 years, forgetting that Putrajaya was created by him. They choose not to believe his new way.

They are ignorant and choose to ignore that his comeback is with the backing of the people. This time no manipulation - real support and a clear mandate by the people. To build a government of the people, by the people, for the people - not for any political party. The country must come first.

But sad to say, the young Rafizi, whom I respect, has made a mistake by taking a strong party line in that the party comes first and objected to the appointment of three senior cabinet members.

I know that claiming credit and become a favourite in the party is important to politicians, especially with Anwar Ibrahim about to be released but the country must come first, everything else comes second. Follow the Federal Constitution for the new way for Malaysia and Malaysians.

I believe the seventh prime minister is sincere and genuine and is putting in place a succession plan for Anwar to take over, in cleaning up the government, in daring to appoint an outstanding woman as deputy prime minister (best way to say no to an Islamic state and extremism) and appointing a true Malaysian as finance minister.

All these are evidence of Tun’s genuine, sincere actions. And the key is making sure your actions and your words are aligned, which not many can do.

I hope the young Rafizi will be patient, the years will pass very fast and we can’t afford another political crisis at this juncture and I believe the people will not allow this to happen. And this is what the majority had agreed in the results of GE14.

A stable country is what is required to build a strong nation. And the stability of the country is dependent on the stability within Pakatan Harapan.

Let’s forget the past and look to the future which I hope has more economics and less politics.

Sincerely,

Lee Kim Yew

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.