Mahathir Mohamad: (AFP)

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was awarded an honorary political science degree from the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah in Ciputat, South Tangerang, on Wednesday.

The university honored Mahathir with the degree for his efforts to craft new economic policies and build effective institutions and state bureaucracy.

According to UIN, when he came into office, Mahathir began establishing collective change by improving state schools, the central bank and other important institutions in Malaysia.

Mahathir built a strong government and weakened 'fragmented social organizations' in the mid-1980s until his retirement from public service in 2003, said the university.

In his acceptance speech, Mahathir said when he came into power he had to face increasing fragmentation by Chinese, Malays and Indians, all divided by religion, region and economic status in Malaysia.

He said that this division was rooted in the country's history. He added that the British colonial empire would not grant Malaysia independence until assurances were given all races would be treated equally.

He went on to say that after a long struggle to build understanding, the three ethnicities started to cooperate with one another because they realized that they each had a stake in the country.

'With stability, we were able to develop the country. We were pragmatic. We have no ideology. We do what can be done and we take what can be done. Even if it seems to be not in accordance with our beliefs and our cultures' he said.

Mahathir said the Malaysian government had improved education by spending at least 25 percent of its budget on that sector.

'We've founded universities. We gave leverage scholarships to all of our people for going all over the world so that they can come back and bring their knowledge and skill for development,' Mahathir said.

'We decided to open the country for foreign direct investment and invited investors to come to Malaysia and set up factories, largely labor intensive factories so that our people can have jobs and income,' he said.

He added that improving industries would create more jobs, which would generate tax revenue for the state.

The ceremony was held at the social and political sciences department at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah in Ciputat, South Tangerang.

A number of retired politicians attended the ceremony inlcuding senior Golkar Party politician Akbar Tandjung and Hanura Party politician Fuad Bawazier. (put)

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