Watch part two
He was a champion of independence and a loyal leader to his supporters – and an autocratic ruler who sacrificed individual freedoms to his critics.
There is no denying, however, that Mahathir Mohamad shaped modern-day Malaysia - tackling everything from armed conflict and racial tensions to converting a farming society into an industrialized economic powerhouse.
On Thursday's Riz Khan we talk to former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. We ask the elder statesman how he views the future of his nation and its relations with the West.
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Send us your views and get your voice on the air
This episode of the Riz Khan show airs from Thursday, December 4 at 1400GMT with repeats at 2030GMT on Friday at 0030 and 05:30 GMT.
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