POLITICS in Malaysia has descended to Third World proportions with leaders who are rude, vulgar and crude, said Umno veteran Rafidah Aziz today.

The former minister said yesterday’s incident, where shoes and water bottles were thrown at former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum, was a by-product of the boorish behaviour of today’s leaders.

“Today’s leaders are not shy about displaying their arrogance and power with crude language and boorish mannerisms.

“There’s no modesty or sense of responsibility, although they hold high positions of power,” said Rafidah in a Facebook post.

“Senior leaders, who are almost like fathers to us all, are insulted and talked down to like a child.

“Is that the leadership that we want to show our young people?

“I’m not surprised that youths would follow their leaders’ behaviour and act aggressively at events.”

Three youths were detained after lighting flares, and throwing chairs and shoes at Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir, while he was taking questions at yesterday’s forum.

Over the past several weeks, Umno leaders, such as vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, have blasted Dr Mahathir at annual Umno meetings across the country.

In Merbok, Zahid told Dr Mahathir to lay low and keep quiet, while Azeez recounted the former Umno president’s past mistakes during the party’s meeting in Baling.

“Street politics is becoming a worrying trend in our country. It is violent, rude and disrespectful,” said Rafidah.

The former international trade and industry minister said this type of politics was common in Third World nations in Africa.

“Politics has become a way and motivation for people to insult and destroy another person’s reputation just because they do not hold the same beliefs.

“The 1Malaysia slogan seems to be for one party, one race or one group with common beliefs.”

The former Wanita Umno chief urged current leaders not to destroy what their predecessors had built.

“Remember your oaths and do the right thing if you still love this nation.” – August 14, 2017.