Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad being awarded the prestigious Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers by Japan makes us Malaysians walk tall again after suffering much from the kleptocracy that is plaguing us to this day.
The conferment of this honor goes beyond the stated recognition of his huge contributions in strengthening bilateral ties. Indeed, all right-minded and ethically motivated Malaysians will celebrate too as the award gives us all a badge of honor.
However you regard this nonagenarian, we owe much to Mahathir for returning to serve a nation paralysed by the tentacles of kleptocratic national debts. He could not have come back to serve our nation if not for his deepest love for Malaysia.
Thank you Japan. This award will further resurrect our nation's fallen global reputation. It will inspire us as we continue to cradle hope for a greater Malaysia.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.