Tun M Makes Rare Appearance at Sunway Pyramid

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

Tun M Makes Rare Appearance at Sunway Pyramid

Book launch draws the crowd who wanted to catch a glimpse of former Prime Minister

Tun M makes a funny face peering into his gift bag while Popular Holdings Limited chairman and managing director Chou Cheng Nyok looks on.

IT definitely wasn't the normal book launch at Sunway Pyramid last night when the guest celebrity was no other than former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself.

Making a rare appearance at the shopping centre, Tun Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali were literally mopped by the crowd the moment they stepped out of the lift.

The crowd had gathered at the Orange Concourse as early as 7.30pm although the former premier was only scheduled to arrive at 8.30pm.

Tun M being mopped by the crowd for a handshake or photograph when leaving the concourse.

It did not go unnoticed that the swelling number of people including invited guests and VIPs were all there to catch a glimpse of their respected former premier.

Even photographers from the various media were smiling gleefully at one another calling out "Tun, Tun...look here" while they clicked away at one of the most photogenic and sporting man in the country.

ADUN Subang Jaya Hannah Yeoh and her husband Ram were also present to witness the launch of the book, along with other VIPs on the front row.

What was probably disappointing though was the fact that Tun M never got the chance to talk to the crowd.

Apart from the brief Question and Answer session on stage, the crowd never had the chance to hear Tun M share some insights off the cuff.

But a book launch the organisers, Popular Book Co. (M) Sdn Bhd, did have at the end of the evening.

The Chinese edition of "Dr Mahathir's Selected Letters to World Leaders" was officially launched by Tun M.

The book contains excerpts of 71 corresponding letters by Tun M to former US President George W. Bush, former French President Jacques Chirac, former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher, Prince Charles and many others during his 22-year tenure as the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Fifty lucky readers later had a chance to obtain a book each autographed by Tun M himself.