Quarrel with ex-PM keeps my brain working – Dr M

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said his quarrel with the previous prime minister is among the factors that kept his brain working.

“I had a big quarrel with the previous prime minister. So all the time my brain is actively thinking about ways and means to change the government.

“So when you keep on thinking, using your brain, that means you will not lose your memory, like you often see in old people,” he said.

Dr Mahathir was speaking at the “Ageing, Learning and Technology: Enriching Lives Connecting Communities” Conference yesterday which was also attended by his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali and Third Age Media Association President Cheah Tuck Wing.

He explained that his political comeback after retirement was motivated by the people's desire to change the previous government and administration in order to get a better life.

“Two weeks after I retired people came to see me. They were not happy with my successor. They asked me, can you do something about it?

“So I started doing something. I became very active. Of course when that successor eventually gave up, we had a second man to succeed the first man after me.

“Unfortunately again people came to see me and said please do something. First I tried to advise but it did not work. Then I decided I can't have this man as my leader so I left the party (Umno),” he said.

He pointed out that in order to change the previous administration, he formed a new party (BERSATU) to defeat the party that he had once led and thus took over the government after the 14 General Election.

Touching on the older generation, Dr Mahathir said this specific group had to stay active after retirement in order to maintain a healthy body.

“It is not just your muscle but also your brain. If you don't use your brain it tends to regress.

“Then the ability to talk, to lecture, to speak out, to complain, that all will go because your brain is no longer functioning. So I suppose it is good for old people to read, to write, and also to quarrel. Because that exercises your brain,” he said to laughter from the audience.

Dr Mahathir, 93, also shared his experience that throughout his life he had studied the ageing process whereby people would have a good chance of living to an old age if they did not get some of those incurable diseases like cancer.

He also pointed out that getting old was something biological but when people did not use what they had, the body would diminish and rot.

“What do we have? All of us have muscles. We use it to do all kinds of physical things. If you don't use your muscles, it will deteriorate, lose it's strength and you will feel unwell.

“And when you feel unwell, then you want to rest and sleep. When you rest and sleep your muscle is not used at all.

“So like I said when you don't use your muscle it will become weaker and weaker. That is the inclination of all old people. So what should old people do? I think they shouldn't go and sleep (all the time),” he added. - Bernama