He said this in reaction to recent remarks by Mahathir detractors that he was cursed by Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, who died in December 1990 at the age of 87.
During the final years of his life, the Tunku toured the country to call on the public to stop supporting Mahathir, who was the prime minister at the time.
“Back then, the Tunku went on campaigns to help (Umno splinter) Semangat 46 and DAP,” Zainuddin told FMT. “Not many people remember this.”
He said history seemed to be repeating itself, with Mahathir, at 91, now campaigning against Prime Minister Najib Razak.
“Mahathir too is now campaigning with DAP, and a few months ago shook hands with his former enemy, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang,” he noted
However, Zainuddin said he would not see the similarity as the effect of a curse. “This is a case of Malay leaders who can never accept defeat,” he said.
He noted that Mahathir wrote an open letter to apologise for his opposition to the Tunku not long after he was expelled from Umno following the race riots of 1969. The party readmitted him in 1972.
Zainuddin paid tribute to both leaders for their contributions to national development. “Tunku Abdul Rahman [was for] unity, compromise and tolerance, principles which the people still hold on to strongly today,” he said. “Mahathir brought pride and integrity to the nation.”