Malaysia’s ‘Jedi council’: meet Mahathir’s 5 Eminent Persons
The members of the newly formed advisory body are nothing if not experienced: they have a combined age of 376
The newly formed Malaysian Council of Eminent Persons had its first meeting last week, gathering together five prominent Malaysians who will discuss national issues and put forth recommendations to the government. The Who’s Who of Malaysia’s influential class, they have a combined age of 376.
Robert Kuok part of Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad’s plans for strong ties with China
The face of Malaysian governance will be familiar to those who grew up through the heydays of Malaysia’s industrial development: not only is the government headed by the former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad who returned for another crack at the job, but tycoon Robert Kuok and a former finance minister feature in the line-up of the council.
The formation of the council was met with enthusiasm on social media. “Was Council Member of Eminent Persons, Dr Jomo Behind Your Sexual Awakening?” tweeted parody account @ViceMalaysia, while @elmoehussaini posted: “We got a PM who’s [sic] 93 years old. We got a Team of Eminent Persons to repair the economy who are of 60 years old and above. I guess the “I’m too old for this s***” is no longer valid.” Another Malaysian Twitter user described the council as a “Jedi Council”, formed to provide a check and balance to the government and safeguard its integrity.
“The best part? Both councils consist of the top notch, most badass OGs we know,” said @asimsaffar, using the acronym for “original gangster”.
EMINENT PERSONS
