When Mahathir Wake Up Again

NAJIB PERFOMANCE: MORE NEGATIVE!

2009-07-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

NAJIB PERFOMANCE: MORE NEGATIVE! - TUN DR M

KHIR TOYO LIAR

UNDER FIRE FROM DR M, ROUND 2?

KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — With more than 65,000 votes and counting, a poll uploaded on former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's blog is quickly becoming a headache for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's administration.

Dr Mahathir started the poll two days ago to gather public opinion to prove his point that Malaysians are against the government's move to scrap his policy to teach maths and science in English. More than 85 per cent supported him.

A day later, a still annoyed Dr Mahathir gave his assessment of Najib's performance during his first 100 days in office, saying it was “more negatives than positives”.

He also listed oil giant Petronas' revenues year by year, asking the government to explain how the money had been spent. As he must have known the answer, the intention was clearly to plant an idea that the revenues could be in jeopardy.

The needling was quite an irony as Najib had in the past been labelled a Mahathirite who took his cue from Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister. But Najib has gone his own way.

The PM has so far avoided comment, so clearly he is still hoping to avoid a collision course with his one-time mentor. Najib's supporters say the premier does not want open confrontation and that he believes the situation can still be managed.

The Sunday Times understands that Dr Mahathir has made known his disagreement personally to Najib. According to a top Umno leader who is close to Najib, the former premier was unhappy over the measures to liberalise the economy, including removing the quota on Malay corporate ownership, and the proposal to build a third bridge to Singapore.

Dr Mahathir was, of course, also unhappy over the scrapping of the policy on teaching maths and science in English.

As it has yet to develop into a clash, Umno leaders are hoping to avoid a second round of bruising attacks. The first took place about a year after Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became prime minister, when Dr Mahathir began sniping at him.

It shook Umno badly as Dr Mahathir relentlessly fanned the image of Abdullah as an incapable and hapless leader. Many blamed the attacks for creating a situation ripe for the Barisan Nasional's stunning losses in last year's general election.

Raja Ahmad Zainuddin, a Perak Umno leader, said the party needed to be united. But, he added, he was confident that Dr Mahathir was mindful of this, and believed his criticisms have been sincere.

“He has a right to criticise, but if it's a personal attack, that's a different story. I believe he won't,” he said.

Najib's aides have privately said the same thing — that the PM respects Dr Mahathir's views and is prepared to accept criticism of his policies, but hopes that it will not turn personal.

With Abdullah, Dr Mahathir's attacks had also begun with his policies. Later, however, he took personal potshots, poking fun at his hand-picked successor for allegedly sleeping on the job and attacking his family members.

Some Umno leaders think that Dr Mahathir will not go this far this time, partly because his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir is part of the government as deputy minister for international trade and industry.

A more pertinent reason, perhaps, is that Umno may begin to lose patience with a second battle between premier and predecessor. It may not take well to its president coming under fire yet again.

However, as political analyst Shamsul Amri Baharuddin said, even if Dr Mahathir took his attacks further, the severity of the damage may be contained if Najib continued to adopt the right measures.

He pointed out that Najib's approval rating has shot up to 65 per cent from 42 per cent when he started out as PM.

“Dr Mahathir is respected but the relevance of the attacks will be reduced and the sting minimised if Najib continues to perform well,” he said. — Straits Times

--THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER--

MONEY POLITICS AND RACISM

2008-11-29T18:20:00.000-08:00

TUN DR.M: RASUAH SUKAR DIBENDUNG WALAU NAJIB JADI PM

TUN DR.M: MONEY POLITICS WILL RUIN UMNO IN GE

RACISM AND 2008 ELECTIONS

Posted by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at November 17, 2008 9:15 AM

1. When the Barisan Nasional did badly in the March 2008 General Election, foreign observers and many in this country were jubilant because they claim that it marked the demise of racial politics and racial parties in Malaysia.

2. I did not agree with this simplistic view and I had put my thoughts on this blog. I believed that it was rather protest against the failures of the Abdullah Government that caused many Barisan Nasional members and supporters to vote for the opposition. But many still insist that race based politics is no longer relevant in Malaysia. Is it?

3. If it is because the Malaysian electorate had rejected racial politics, why did they vote for such parties as PAS, a very Malay Muslim party, and DAP, a Chinese dominated party. Even the Keadilan is made up of violently racist Hindraf Indians, Chinese dissatisfied with the MCA's representation of the Chinese in BN and self-serving Malays who could not find a place in the other Malay parties.

4. These three parties did not campaign for human rights or open Governments or even against the Internal Security Act. PAS had made no secret of their Islamic State pretensions. DAP talked of Malaysian Malaysia which was the battle cry of its very Chinese PAP antecedents of Singapore (no non-Chinese PM) and Keadilan talked about reforms etc., but the stress was on Hindu Rights and anti-Malay racism.

5. Their accredited supporters who may really subscribe to their creeds had never been big enough to make them strong opposition parties in the past. They were never able to deny the BN a 2/3rd majority. It should be remembered that Keadilan won only one seat in the 2004 elections. The other two, DAP and PAS did not do much better either.

6. It was the defection by the BN party members which resulted in the opposition parties, regardless of the quality of their candidate getting the large number of votes to win so many more seats than they or anybody else expected.

7. Apart from the voters supporting the essentially race based opposition parties, the claim that it was the rejection of racial politics which led to the poor results by the BN has also not been borne out by the attitudes and debates by Malaysians post 2008 elections.

8. What we are witnessing today is an explosion of racial politics that is more bitter and blatant than ever before. Even the least observant cannot fail to notice how Malaysian politics now is more about racial inequities than about liberalism, human rights, openness etc.

9. True there has been quite a lot of discussion on the ISA. But most of the angry and bitter discussion is about Malay "privileges", about the Social Contract, about the Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister being Malays, about UMNO bullying, about being or not being immigrants, about Malay dominance. Even the criticisms regarding the way judges are appointed or promoted have elements of race that is hardly disguised.

10. Truly Malaysian politics have not been decoupled from racial sentiments and loyalties. And it is going to remain so for as long as the different races prefer to be separated and divided, prefer to strongly uphold their languages, cultures and their historical origins and links. All that is said about reforms and liberalism is mere lip service.

--CHEDET.COM--

DR MAHATHIR: MONEY POLITICS

2008-11-12T03:01:00.000-08:00

DR MAHATHIR: PEMIMPIN UMNO AKAN DITOLAK PADA PRU DEPAN

AWANI: EXCLUSIVE WITH DR MAHATHIR - PART 1

AWANI: EXCLUSIVE WITH DR MAHATHIR - PART 2

AWANI: EXCLUSIVE WITH DR MAHATHIR - PART 3

DATUK MUKHRIZ WITH AWANI - PART 1

DATUK MUKHRIZ WITH AWANI - PART 2

DATUK MUKHRIZ WITH AWANI - PART 3

MAHATHIR RECEIVES MUJAWAR'S INVITATION LETTER

10 November 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 10 (Saba)- Yemen ambassador to Malaysia Abdullah al-Montasir delivered on Monday an invitation letter from Prime Minister Ali Mujawar to the former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed to visit Yemen to attend Yemeni Industries Conference which will be held on 20-23 December.

Mohammed welcomed the invitation, expressing appreciation for the Yemeni government to invite him to visit the country which is his third visit.

During the meeting, they reviewed successes of Yemen in the economic development and the comprehensive reforms as well facilities of investment in the country.

--SABA NEWS, YEMEN--

DR. MAHATHIR DECISION TO QUIT THE PARTY

2008-05-20T02:52:00.000-07:00

TIDAK HAIRAN TUN DR. MAHATHIR KELUAR DARI UMNO

Sememangnya saya telah menjangkakan bahawa Tun akan keluar dari UMNO sekiranya cita-citanya tidak tercapai dan tidak di endahkan oleh sesiapa pun.
Dalam siri jelajah keseluruh negara atas nama UMNO PASCA PRU 12, Tun pernah membangkitkan keadaan dimana bekas presiden UMNO yang lalu juga pernah mati diluar UMNO termasuk pengasanya, Dato Onn, Tunku Abdul Rahman Dan Tun Hussein Onn.

*TIADA SEBAB SELAIN KETAKUTAN PADA BAYANG SENDIRI

Mengapa Tun memilih langkah ini?
Tidak lain hanya mahu menyekat kebangkitan Pakatan Rakyat yang diketuai oleh Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim selain sebagai tindak balas terhada[ kepimpinan Pak Lah yang dilihat seolah tidak memberi 'pengampunan' dalam isu VK LINGAM.

Tun melihat Pak Lah lebih mudah tunduk pada desakan-desakan DSAI dalam beberapa perkara.Sehingga meletakkan Tun dalam keadaan bahaya.
Sememangnya Tun mahukan peralihan kuasa secepat mungkin kerana bimbang ada MP dari BN yang melompat ke Pakatan Rakyat, sekaligus meletakan BN dibarisan pembangkang.
Malah Tun telah memberitahu kepada BBC dalam rancangan Hard-Talk dimana Tun sememangnya tidak percayakan perbicaraan kesnya dibawah kuasa kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat sekiranya beliau mahu didakwa atas pelbagai kesalahan sepanjang pemerintahanya.

Secara peribadi saya melihat Tun lebih bimbangkan kebangkitan berterusan Pakatan Rakyat.Oleh sebab itu Tun mahukan Dato Seri Najib mengambil-alih tampuk kekuasaan dari Pak Lah yang didakwa oleh DSAI sebagai parasuah mengantikan si-lemah.

UMNO sepatunya tidak perlu bimbang dengan tekanan terbaru yang cuba diberikan oleh Tun.Saya melihat Tun seakan mahu melarikan cakap-cakap kes VK LINGAM kepada isu terbaru ini.Sekiranya Najib berjaya menggantikan Pak Lah, maka Tun adalah orang yang paling gembira kerana kes-kesnya tidak akan berpanjangan malah mungkin Tun akan menjadi Penasihat kanan kepada tiap langkah Dato Seri Najib dalam pentadbiran Negara.

TUN DR. MAHATHIR CERAIKAN UMNO - 1

TUN DR. MAHATHIR CERAIKAN UMNO - 2

MUKHRIZ BAKAL CERAIKAN UMNO PADA JULY INI

FAKE FAREWELL FOR MALAYSIA'S MAHATHIR

By Anil Netto

PENANG - Former premier Mahathir Mohamad's decision to quit the ruling United Malays Nasional Organization (UMNO) on Monday represents his strongest political protest yet against his hand-picked successor Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi - and perhaps his biggest gamble.

His high-stakes decision came after a royal commission of inquiry last week recommended that the former prime minister and a number of his associates face probes under various laws for suspected involvement in the fixing of appointments, promotions and removal of judges, including the sacking of six top judges in 1988, which critics claim permanently undermined the judiciary's independence.

Among those implicated are gaming tycoon Vincent Tan, the then de facto law minister, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, prominent lawyer V K Lingam, and a retired top judge. The inquiry said that Mahathir was also "entangled" in the alleged scandal. All denied any wrongdoing during inquiry hearings held earlier this year.

Mahathir's surprise decision comes while Abdullah is fighting for his political life after UMNO's poor showing at general elections held in March. Some contend Abdullah is trying to regain the reform high ground from opposition parties through his pursuit of the backward-looking charges against Mahathir and his associates.

Some observers see Mahathir's move as a clever ruse to raise the political ante, while others say it smacks of desperation, as he could have waited for rivals to oust Abdullah during UMNO party elections scheduled for the end of this year. It is also being seen as an attempt to divert public attention away from the actual inquiry findings.

Many observers believe that Mahathir's desperate move also stems from his concern that his nemesis, former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, who was jailed on corruption and sodomy charges, could soon rise to power through his opposition Pakatan Rakyat party and then open the books on Mahathir's 22-year tenure, which spanned from 1981 to 2003.

Ironically, Mahathir is resigning from the so-called UMNO Baru, or New UMNO, the party he founded in 1988 after a court declared the original UMNO, established in 1946, illegal. That court decision was made due to voting irregularities during party elections held in 1987, which Mahathir had won by a thin majority over his then arch rival Tengku Razaleigh.

Abdullah, UMNO's current president, now faces a stiff leadership challenge within the party, not least from the ambitious and ever-persistent Razaleigh, a former finance minister and prince from the eastern coastal state of Kelantan. Intra-party leadership elections are scheduled for later this year and already there is intense jockeying for position to oust Abdullah from UMNO's top post.

At the same time, few political analysts believe that the 82-year-old Mahathir will fade away without a fight. Instead, they expect him to step up his crusade from outside UMNO. He has already urged other UMNO party members to follow him out of the party, saying that once Abdullah steps down they could collectively return to the party's fold.

Some saw the recent establishment of a royal commission as an intensification of the ongoing proxy war between Abdullah and Mahathir, which until now has largely been fought in the press. The former premier had slammed Abdullah on a wide range of policy matters, including the cancelation of key mega-projects he initiated and the growing political and commercial influence of Abdullah's family members.

Although Mahathir said he was willing to be charged in court so that he may "expose more conflicts faced by the judges, including those who have implicated me", the recommendation that he be investigated was probably the last straw for the ex-premier, who considers himself the father of modern Malaysia.

Legacy in doubt
In recent months, Mahathir had watched quietly from the sidelines as his legacy was drawn into question. Critics say that apart from rapid economic growth, his legacy also included a loss of judiciary independence, religious polarization, uneven economic development, yawning income inequalities, environmental degradation and declining standards in public universities.

All the alleged corruption, cronyism and superficial nation-building during his administration - and some say carried over into the Abdullah administration - finally came home to roost with UMNO's comparatively poor performance at the March general elections.

The opposition Pakatan Rakyat, led by former UMNO big wig and deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, made sharp electoral inroads at the polls, winning close to half the popular vote. The UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition still maintains a 140-82 majority of seats in the federal parliament, but there is growing speculation that Anwar's party could soon seize power through defections.

With Mahathir's surprise announcement, many Malaysians believe his departure will work to Pakatan's political advantage and even perhaps signal the beginning of the end of UMNO. "You know UMNO is in trouble when its party members start abandoning ship," said one political scientist, who requested anonymity.

Soon after Mahathir made his shock decision, UMNO stalwart Razaleigh addressed a crowd of over 1,000 people at a hotel in Alor Star, the capital of Mahathir's home state of Kedah, saying that he would challenge for the party's top post and that UMNO needed to adopt among other things a more democratic culture.

One political analyst at the scene told Asia Times Online that he believes Mahathir is now prepared to throw his backing behind his former rival Razaleigh to protect his legacy. Analysts are also watching closely to see what Mahathir's son, Mukhriz, who is a committee member of the party's youth wing, and UMNO deputy president and Mahathir ally Najib Razak, do next.

Barring UMNO's outright implosion, with Mahathir's departure intra-coalition factionalism is likely to intensify ahead of the party leadership contest. As the countdown to the UMNO polls begins, few are betting that Abdullah will last the distance. Abdullah's initial reaction to Mahathir's departure was one of measured calm, admitting on one hand that his resignation would impact on UMNO but with the other impressing upon party members the importance that they continue to support the party.

Even with the charges against him, few are willing to write off Mahathir, who some believe for his own personal reasons is attempting to heighten the sense of crisis within UMNO and disenchantment with Abdullah's leadership. Much will depend on how many UMNO members are swayed by Mahathir's decision to actually leave the party.

To be sure, Mahathir's gamble could backfire, particularly if it encourages defections among restless ruling coalition parliamentarians from Sabah and Sarawak, who won 54 of the ruling coalition's 140 seats, to the opposition. In recent weeks Sabah politicians in particular have articulated demands for higher oil royalties and greater political representation.

UMNO supreme council member, Shahrir Samad, has suggested that if the party's lawmakers start to defect the government would have no choice but to call for new general elections. Though not imminent, with UMNO in crisis such a possibility cannot be discounted in the months ahead. And if fresh polls were held while Anwar's Pakatan party gains political momentum, a weakened UMNO could fare even worse than it did in March.

Anil Netto is a Penang-based writer.

--AsiaTimes Online--

MAHATHIR CHALLENGES GOVT TO CHARGE HIM

2008-05-18T03:53:00.000-07:00

TUN DR. MAHATHIR ON 'UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12'

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 1

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 2

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 3

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 4

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 5

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 6

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 7

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 8

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 9

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 10

UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 12 : SUARA HATI RAKYAT - 11

MALAYSIA'S MAHATHIR CHALLENGES GOVT TO CHARGE HIM

JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad on Saturday challenged the government to charge him for his alleged involvement in a judge-fixing scandal during his rule.

The government on Friday released a report that found evidence of an "insidious" conspiracy to influence the appointment of judges and had listed Mahathir, along with other top figures, as being involved.

Following the release of the report, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's cabinet agreed for the attorney-general's chambers to immediately investigate the allegations against those identified in the report, including Mahathir.

"I welcome it," the 82-year-old influential leader said at a meeting in southern Johor state.

"I want them to charge me in court. Only then will I have the opportunity to expose more conflicts faced by the judges, including those who have implicated me," he told reporters.

The report was prepared by a royal commission that investigated a video clip allegedly showing top lawyer V.K. Lingam brokering judge appointments.

"We are of the view that there was, conceivably, an insidious movement by (V.K. Lingam) with the covert assistance of his close friends," it said, citing business tycoon Vincent Tan -- Mahathir's close associate -- and secretary general of the ruling United Malays National Organisation, Tengku Adnan.

"In the process, Tun Mahathir Mohamad was also entangled," the report said, referring to the man who ruled Malaysia with an iron fist for 22 years.

The report said there was "sufficient cause" to invoke laws including those on sedition and corruption against "some of the principal individuals involved." But it did not specify who should face prosecution.

During the commission inquiry, Mahathir testified that he was not influenced by his associates when he selected judges.

His arch foe and former deputy premier, Anwar Ibrahim, unleashed a furore last year by releasing the clip, which apparently showed Lingam telling a person identified as former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz that that he would put him forward for a top job.

--AFP--

DR.MAHATHIR BLOG

2008-05-01T21:58:00.000-07:00

BLOG TUN DR. MAHATHIR

Semalam Tun Dr. Mahathir telah melancarkan blog peribadi bagi memudahkanya melancarkan serangan bertali-arus terhadap UMNO dan Kepimpinan tertinggi khususnya terhadap Pak Lah.

Dalam penulisan pertamanya menerusi laman http://www.chedet.com , Tun telah mempersoalkan tentang hasrat kerajaan UMNO/BN untuk bersekongkol dengan pembangkang bagi mencapai majaroti 2/3 dalam dewan rakyat supaya perlembangaan perlantikan hakim dapat diubah.

Apakah Tun bimbangkan keadaan ini?
Apa yang merisaukan Tun sehingga menulis sesuatu yang seakan terdesak?
Adakah Tun turut berasa malu melihat parti kesayanganya terpaksa bersekongkol dengan pembangkang di dewan rakyat kelak?

Atau Tun bimbangkan masa depanya?
Sekiranya dewan rakyat berjaya mengubah perlembagaan perlantikan hakim, tun dijangka bakal terjerumus dengan lebih dalam lagi berkaitan isu perlantikan hakim ini.
Dimana kita sedia maklum Tun sedang diasak hebat berkaitan isu perlantikan hakim-hakim ketika era kepimpinanya.Termasuk isu pemecatan Tun Saleh M. Abbas.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FORMER PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR STARTS BLOG

The Associated Press
Published: May 1, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad started his own blog Thursday, joining a growing band of politicians who are using the Internet to spread their views.

In keeping with his vehement criticism of his successor, Mahathir's first post questioned the government's recent decision to set up an independent commission to appoint judges. They are currently appointed by the prime minister at his discretion.

Mahathir pointed out that a constitutional amendment is needed to change the system. But such an amendment can only be made with a two-thirds majority in Parliament, which the ruling coalition lacks following its disastrous performance in the March 8 general elections.

"Is the Government proposing to work with the opposition on this issue, and so display its weakness? Will there be a quid pro quo, a bargain with the opposition? It would be interesting to see how the PM proposes to deal with this," Mahathir wrote.

Mahathir, Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister from 1981 to 2003, invited comments but there were none 12 hours after his blog went live. It had, however, registered 254 views.

The 82-year-old Mahathir is the latest of the old guard politicians who have started their blogs after the March 8 elections in which the power of Internet was clearly on display.

Unable to get coverage in the government-controlled mainstream media, many opposition leaders including Democratic Action Party leader Lim Kit Siang reached out to the people through blogs. Jeff Ooi, a professional blogger known for his anti-government views, contested the elections on a DAP ticket and won.

The ruling National Front coalition acknowledged after the election that it lost the cyberwar to the opposition.

It was not clear what prompted Mahathir to start his blog. But it could have been prompted by the fact that the mainstream media may be ignoring his bitterly critical remarks about Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Although Mahathir hand-picked Abdullah to succeed him in 2003, the two men now detest each other. Mahathir accuses Abdullah of corruption, nepotism and inefficiency, charges that Abdullah denies.

Mahathir's blog is named after his former pen name Che Det, or Mr. Det. This was Mahathir's byline when he wrote for the Straits Times newspaper more than three decades ago.

Det is a shortened version of Mahatdet, which is how some people used to pronounce his name.

On the Net:

http://www.chedet.com

--INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE--

MAHATHIR VS PAK LAH AND ANWAR?

2008-04-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

MENGAPA DR. MAHATHIR MENYERANG PAK LAH?

Seluruh dunia mengehtahui tentang Dr.Mahathir yang lantang mengkritik orang kepercayaanya suatu ketika dahulu.Ada banyak fakta kebenaran yang dikemukakan oleh Dr.M mengenai kepimpinan UMNO/BN hari ini.Ada diantaranya menyakitkan hatinya sendiri seperti penjualan MV AGUSTA yang mencipta sejarah 'kejayaan dalam sektor perniagaan'.
Juga masalah pembatalan jambatan bengkok di tambak Johor, isu AP dan masalah-masalah lain.

Secara demokrasi, DR.M berhak bersuara dan menyatakan pandangan peribadinya demi kebaikan negara Malaysia Kita.

Namun, terlintas difikiran apa sebenarnya yang membuatkan Dr.M semakin lantang menyerang bahkan mahukan peralihan kuasa dengan segera diantar Pak Lah dan Najib Tun Razak.Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyatakan bahawa ia satu usaha untuk menyekat kemaraanya dan PR.Kerana Dr.M tidak lagi yakin dengan kepimpinan Pak Lah dalam usaha menyekat kebangkitan Anwar dan PR.

Dr.M dikenali sebagai PM yang paling berjaya dan paling cerdik di negara kita.
Selama 22 tahun, kita melalui zaman emas dan gelap dibawah gugusan 'MAHA'.
Setelah bersara dan kemudian memulakan serangan pertama sehingga membantu kekalahan UMNO/BN pada PRU yang lalu, Dr.M sebenarnya tidaklah berasa begitu takut.Kecuali beliau mungkin tidak menyangka bahawa PR mampu mara dengan baik.Dalam suka mahathir riang kerana Pak Lah gagal saingi kehebatanya.Bahkan bakal rebah dek tekanan dari dalam UMNO sendiri.Namun, dalam Duka Dr.M bimbang jika DSAI menjadi PM seterusnya meletakan UMNO/BN dibarisan pembangkang.

Yang paling ditakuti jika Dr.M menjadi mangsa dendam kesumat walaupun DSAI berkali-kali memaafkan bekas sifunya itu.Dr.M seorang yang tidak mempercayai sesiapa walaupun orang paling rapat bersamanya.Sepanjang pemerintahanya, beliau telah berjaya melahirkan 4 orang Timbalan Perdana Menteri.Hanya seorang yang berjaya, iaitu Pak Lah.Diantara yang disingkir samada secara 'baik' mahupun paksaan, dunia tahu dan menyaksikan kedegilan DSAI untuk berundur secara terhormat.Lantaran itu, DSAI dipecat dan gerakan REFORMASI dicetuskan.

Selepas 10 tahun, perjuangan REFORMASI berbalas dan mungkin impian DSAI akan tercapai dan sememangnya DSAI layak ke kerusi PM.Ini kerana beliau berusaha sekeras-kerasnya bukan sahaja sanggup merengkok dan dihina bahkan melalui tempoh sukar selama 10 tahun.Selepas pembebasan, DSAI masih terus dihina dan dituduh dengan pelbagai tuduhan yang bercanggah dari pihak yang bimbangkanya.

Sejak awal lagi Dr.M menyatakan bahawa beliau terkejut dengan pembebasan DSAI.Seakan tidak percaya ada hakim yang berani membebaskan beliau.
Dalam hal ini, saya fikir 'TERIMA KASIH PAK LAH'.

Digelanggang politic, mereka ini bertarung.Masing-masing samada PAK LAH mahu pun DSAI pernah menyerang polisi politic antara satu sama lain.Namun hati saya seakan yakin bahawa ada nilai persahabatan didalam hati masing-masing.
INILAH YANG MEMBIMBANGKAN DR.M SEBENARNYA.
Apakah Pak Lah yang akan tergugat jika DSAI menjadi PM?
DR.M sedar bahawa beliau yang akan tergugat lebih
dari mana-mana politikus lain.

Justeru itu, bagi menghalang kebangkitan berterusan DSAI, DR.M mahukan peralihan kuasa dengan segera diantara PAK LAH dan timbalanya.Menurut DSAI, mungkin DR.M mahu Najib meneruskan misi dan policynya yang ditangguh dan dibatalkan oleh PAK LAH atau DR.M mahukan seorang ketua yang mampu menyaingi DSAI dengan hebat.Disini dilihat kekuatan Najib melebihi kekuatan PAK LAH.

Di sebalik kekuatan tersebut, apakah selamat Malaysia Kita ini jika dipimpin seorang PM yang didakwa oleh pembangkang sebagai KORUP DAN KEJAM?
Isu-isu COME-CENT (KOMISEN) dan Pembunuhan kejam ALTANTUYA SHARIBU masih menjadi tanda-tanya yang sehingga hari ini tidak dijawab dengan berkesan oleh Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Apakah menjadi kesalahan rakyat, jika mempersoalkan tentang isu-isu tersebut?
Sedangkan tiada siapa mendengar penjelasan kuat samada berbentuk penafian lisan mahupun penafian ke mahkamah.

Dr.M tiada pilihan selain Najib.Terpacul tempoh hari bahawa Naib President UMNO, Muhyidin Yassin juga boleh menjadi pengganti andai beliau bijak.

Hari ini, DR.M bercakap seolah-olah pemerintahanya telus dan bersih.Tidak dinafikan fakta-fakta yang dibawanya untuk menyerang PAK LAH dan BN, namun ia dilihat terkepung dengan situasi 'PAKU DULANG PAKU SERPIH'....itulah DR.Mahathir Muhamad.
Beliau seakan mahu pergi seperti seorang pejuang agama, bangsa dan negara tanpa pernah dilihat akan kesilapan dan kezalimanya.Menuju waktu-waktu penghujung maghrib ini, beliau seakan mengambil sabun dan clorox untuk membersihkan kesan-kesan kotor.

Dikalangan ARABs, beliau dilihat sebgai seorang yang sangat berani.Menyerang dan mempersoalkan tentang bangsa YAHUDI, PRO-BARAT hanya dalam bidang ekonomi tetapi tidak dalam soal polisi dan mempertahankan ARAB sendiri dari sebarang bentuk tekanan.
Tetapi kita diberitahu bahawa beliau membayar berbillion Dolar kepada pelobi yahudi hanya semata-mata mahu berjumpa Bush.Juga melantik seorang yahudi untuk menjadi penasihat MULTIMEDIA SUPER CORIDOR.Selain membawa masuk squad kriket Israel ke Malaysia Kita.

UMNO ATAU SELURUH MELAYU TERTEKAN?

'MEDIA SEBAR CERITA DONGENG'

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MAHATHIR: MALAYSIA's PM MUST RESIGN NOW

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia's former leader Mahathir Mohamad on Saturday urged the prime minister to step down immediately instead of planning a protracted power transition, the national news agency reported.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told ruling party officials on Friday that he would eventually hand over power to his deputy, Najib Razak. However, Abdullah is only expected to determine details of the succession after the ruling United Malays National Organization holds its annual congress in December.

Speaking at a political forum late Saturday, Mahathir said Abdullah should resign immediately because most party members want a change in leadership after the government suffered severe setbacks in last month's general elections, the national news agency Bernama reported.

"For his own good, he should step down now, because then it'll be very smooth," Mahathir was quoted as saying. "But if he waits until the (ruling party) assembly, then you don't know what people are going to say."

Mahathir — who appointed his then-deputy Abdullah to succeed him in October 2003 — refused to say whether he supported the plan for Najib to become prime minister, but acknowledged it would be in line with government tradition.

Aides to Mahathir could not immediately be contacted Sunday.

Mahathir ruled Malaysia for more than two decades, and he remains influential and well-respected in the ruling party although he holds no official post.

Despite personally picking Abdullah as his successor, Mahathir is now the prime minister's most vocal critic and has been demanding his resignation since the ruling National Front coalition lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament and control of five state legislatures in March 8 elections.

Some United Malays National Organization leaders have blamed Mahathir's unstinting criticism of Abdullah's policies for the government's electoral losses.

Abdullah has repeatedly said he will not resign anytime soon, insisting that he still commands widespread support. Nevertheless, he has accepted partial responsibility for the poor election results and stressed that he will not cling to power for too long.

Party officials have said Abdullah suggested at a private meeting Friday that he would only discuss how and when to hand power to Najib after the year-end assembly of the United Malays National Organization party, which leads the National Front.

Najib — the eldest son of Malaysia's second prime minister, Abdul Razak Hussein — indicated Saturday that he was in no hurry to take power and that no deadline was being considered, saying that a leadership transition "can wait."

"Give room to the top leadership, particularly the party president (Abdullah), to think of the best ways to restore the party and win back confidence," Najib said.

--AFP--

MALAY TRANFER IS MATTER OF TIMING

Abdullah Rejects Calls
To Resign Right Now;
Defections to Anwar

ASSOCIATED PRESS
April 15, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Monday he will seek re-election this year as the leader of Malaysia's ruling party, defying critics and dissidents who want him to resign immediately because of massive election losses.

Later Monday, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he could topple Malaysia's ruling coalition immediately if he wanted to, because enough government lawmakers have agreed to defect to his side. Mr. Anwar made the claim after police halted his speech at a rally celebrating his formal return to politics; a corruption conviction from the past had barred him from holding office until April 15.

"Now I can say for the first time that we are ready to govern the country," Mr. Anwar told reporters. "We have the numbers....Some [government lawmakers] have had discussions with us, but we are not in a hurry."

Earlier in the day, Mr. Abdullah reiterated that he will hand over power eventually to his deputy, Najib Razak, but not before party elections in December, to ensure a smooth transition. The party president normally becomes prime minister.

"Of course, I want the transfer to be smooth. That's very important. I do not want to leave the party in a state of chaos. I would not say 'Najib, good luck. That's your problem, not mine.' That's not the way," Mr. Abdullah said.

He was speaking to reporters after meeting with party members to discuss plans following general elections last month in which the ruling National Front coalition suffered its worst losses in history.

The coalition, led by Mr. Abdullah's United Malays National Organization party, lost its longstanding two-thirds majority in Parliament, conceding an unprecedented 82 seats in the 222-member house to the opposition. The coalition also lost five state legislatures.

Although party members rallied around Mr. Abdullah immediately after the elections, many are now grumbling openly and calling on him to step down. Mr. Abdullah acknowledged that some in the party are upset with him. "There are some who say [quit] as soon as possible. There are some who say, 'Not so much in a hurry.' Let me just listen. I have two ears. I am not deaf," he said.

Mr. Abdullah's statements indicate he realizes his days in office are numbered, although he says he won't quit "suddenly."

He said his plan is to first run for the post of UMNO president during the party's general assembly in December, with Mr. Najib running for deputy president. "Why shouldn't I contest? You tell me," Mr. Abdullah said. After the elections, the premier said, he and Mr. Najib "will consider matters relating to the transfer."

Asked whether a transfer of power will be completed by next year or by 2010 he said: "I cannot reveal that to you, sorry."

Mr. Abdullah noted that even his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, gave himself more than a year in office after announcing his intention to retire. Dr. Mahathir is one of those calling for Mr. Abdullah's immediate resignation.

Other senior leaders of the party have complained that the succession plan revealed so far by Mr. Abdullah is too vague. Mohamad Khir Toyo, a member of the ruling party's policy-making council, wrote on his blog that Mr. Abdullah "must be brave enough to accept the facts and create an exit plan."

--THE WALL STREET JOURNAL--

RESURGENT ANWAR PILES PRESSURE ON MALAYSIA PM

8 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysia's embattled premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi faced a serious challenge Tuesday as opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he had the support of enough government defectors to seize power.

Analysts backed Anwar's dramatic claim, saying turmoil in the ruling coalition could hasten an exodus of lawmakers and propel Anwar to power after last month's stunning general election gains by the opposition alliance.

Anwar, a former deputy prime minister who was sacked and jailed a decade ago, said at a rally late Monday that he had enough support to form a government but would not act until he had a more comfortable majority.

"Yes, we have enough MPs to topple the government," he told reporters after police broke up the rally, which drew more than 10,000 supporters to celebrate the end of his ban from politics.

"We are saying here for the first time that we are ready (to rule)," he said. "But we will only enter when the majority is comfortable."

"Do we want to be a government with a two- or five-seat majority?"

Police on Tuesday summoned Anwar's wife Wan Azizah Ismail, who is president of their Keadilan party, as well as Selangor state chief minister Khalid Ibrahim and several others over the rally, which had been declared illegal.

Keadilan said it considered the move an act of "intimidation and provocation," and the official Bernama news agency quoted Azizah as saying she would not give a statement to police -- a move that could see her arrested.

"We can apply to the court to issue a warrant of arrest for them. However, we do not want to do that," Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Abdul Samah Mat told Bernama.

The Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance claimed more than a third of parliamentary seats and five states in the polls, dealing an unprecedented blow to the Barisan Nasional coalition which has governed for half a century.

Abdullah faces growing demands to quit, but has defiantly claimed a mandate to rule and refused to discuss a succession plan until after his United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) conducts internal leadership polls in December.

Anwar has said that coalition lawmakers from Sabah and Sarawak states on Borneo island have approached him about switching sides, but so far none has declared their intentions publicly.

James Chin, political science professor at Monash University's Kuala Lumpur campus, said coalition MPs were ready to defect because of UMNO infighting and uncertainty over Abdullah's leadership.

"It is true MPs are waiting to jump. They will do it for money and power," he told AFP.

"Abdullah is fighting for his political life and Anwar is pouring oil onto the fire by stating that he has enough defectors to form the next government."

Tricia Yeoh from the Centre for Public Policy Studies said Anwar was highlighting his ability to form the government in order to "inject in people's mind that there can be an alternate government."

"My gut feeling says yes. He has been rallying support in East Malaysia. It will be risky for him to lie," she said, when asked if he had enough support to take power.

However, Domestic Trade Minister Shahrir Samad dismissed Anwar's claims, saying he was not aware of any coalition lawmakers planning to jump.

"Not as far as I know," he told AFP.

Timbon Herbert Lagadan, a state assemblyman from Sabah, said Anwar's comments were merely "political rhetoric."

"I don't think he will get MPs from Sabah or Sarawak to join him," he told AFP.

"Anwar is a man who cannot be trusted. He promised development for Sabah when he was deputy prime minister and finance minister but he failed to deliver."

--AFP--

BOYCOTT PM AND DUTCH PRODUCTs

2008-04-02T00:13:00.000-07:00

UMNO MASIH MENTAH?

Seorang budak sekinchan yang berjawatan dalam cawanganya telah dibawa keluar dari forum UMNO PASCA PRU-12 akibat hanya sekadar menanyakan tentang 'DATO SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM'.
Selepas selesai menyebut nama DSAI, budak ini terus dilemparkan dengan kata-kata kesat.
Apa masalah, jika ambil positif dengan idea yang diwar-warkan-nya?
Walaupun pada FORUM yang berlangsung semalam, Tun Dr. Mahathir seakan terkejut dengan soalan tersebut, namun penyokong Tun yang lebih ghairah menghalau 'budak' ini keluar dari forum itu.

Wajar atau tidak, biar Tun sahaja yang menjawabnya.
Mengapa ahli-ahli UMNO perlu memaki-hamun budak ini?
Apabila anda berada didalam 'forum', maka wajarlah bertindak secara terbuka tanpa had dan sempadan demi mencapai suatu kata putus yang baik.

Teringat pada satu mesyuarat Agong MCA beberapa ketika dulu yang menjadi haru-biru demi untuk mencapai satu kata putus yang terbaik.
Walaubagaimanapun, forum tersebut berjaya mengupas dan 'menghentam' kepimpinan UMNO yang kini semakin dirindui akan kegagahan zaman emasnya.

ANDA SAKSIKAN SENDIRI VIDEO-VIDEO YANG KAMI SEDIAKAN (INI IHSAN DARI MALAYSIAKINI).

CADANG ANWAR KEDALAM UMNO (APRIL FOOL)

ABOUT NAJIB TUN RAZAK

AFTER 'BENTONG KALI'...NOW ANOTHER 'KALI'

PAKATAN RAKYAT BOLEH HANCURKAN UMNO

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GO NOW, MAHATHIR TELLS PM

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is urging successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign following disastrous election results.

Abdullah, also the president of the ruling United Malays National Organisation, is facing increasing calls to quit from party leaders.

"I ask [Abdullah] to resign," Mahathir, who ruled Malaysia for 22 years, told a gathering of at least 2,000 UMNO members.

The focus of the meeting was to analyze the March 8 election results but it turned out to be a platform to demand Abdullah's resignation. "Anyone else would have already resigned but [Abdullah] has no shame," said Mahathir, who picked Abdullah to succeed him in October 2003.

At the same time, Malaysia's three opposition parties announced a strategic alliance.

"In today's meeting, we have proposed to consolidate the cooperation between the three parties under the name Pakatan Rakyat [People's Front]," former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim said.

--THE STANDARD--

MAHATHIR URGES MUSLIMS TO BOYCOTT DUTCH PRODUCTs

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad is urging the world's 1.3 billion Muslims to boycott Dutch products following the release of an anti-Islam movie by a maverick anti-immigrant lawmaker, a news report said Sunday.

His government, meanwhile, has joined the international community in strongly condemning the 15-minute film, calling it disrespectful and insensitive.

Mahathir was quoted as saying by the Malay-language Utusan Malaysia "If Muslims unite, it will be easy to take action." If we boycott Dutch products, they will have to close down their businesses."

Dutch anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders' movie, titled "Fitna," or "ordeal" in Arabic, was posted online Thursday but removed from the site, LiveLeak.com, one day later.

Meanwhile, Australia has condemned the film, with the foreign minister calling it "highly offensive."

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith rejects the film's premise of equating Islam with acts of terror and violence and says it is an attempt to incite racial hatred.

Islamic and Arab leaders denounced the film Saturday, demanding international laws to prevent insults to religions.

The film brought condemnations from Muslim capitals and street protests in Pakistan after it was posted on a Web site Thursday.

The film came on the heels of the republishing in Danish papers of a cartoon of Islam's Prophet Muhammad that Muslims view as insulting.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir called on Muslims at an Arab summit in Damascus to "challenge those who insult" the prophet and proposed "a binding international charter" calling for the respect of religious beliefs.

"The offenses against our Arab and Islamic nations under the banner of freedom of expression are derogatory and defamatory and go against all human values," al-Bashir said.

In Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit called Wilders' film "a humiliation" to Islam.

Wilders said he made the film because "Islam and the Quran are dangers to the preservation of freedom in the Netherlands in the long term, and I have to warn people of that." It shows statements from radical clerics and cites Quranic verses interspersed with images from September 11, 2001, and other terror attacks. Video Watch Wilders speak about his controversial film »

The European Union's 27 foreign ministers said they too objected to the film's depiction of Islam.

"This view is sharply rejected," they said in a joint statement released at the end of a two-day meeting in Slovenia. "The vast majority of Muslims reject extremism and violence."

But unlike the Arab leaders, the European ministers defended the right to freedom of speech and called on Muslims to react peacefully. "Feeling offended is no excuse for aggression or threats," they said.

The Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Conference said the film was intended to fuel hatred of Islam and "incite disturbances, conflicts and to threaten the security and stability of the world."

The organization's secretary-general, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, said at the Damascus summit that the cartoons and the film only increase anti-Islamic sentiments in the West at a critical time. However, he praised the Dutch government for distancing itself from the movie.

Hundreds of Muslims have demonstrated in Pakistan over the film and the country's Foreign Ministry summoned the Dutch ambassador to deliver an official complaint against what it called a "defamatory film which deeply offended the sentiments of Muslims all over the world."

--CNN--

DR M DROPS SUPPORT FOR NAJIB

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB

Dr M withdraws support for Najib as Prime Minister

PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has withdrawn his support for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to be Prime Minister.

In the past, the former Prime Minister had, countless times, openly said he wanted Najib to take over from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister.

“I feel we should not pick who the replacement should be. We should give the opportunity to a number of people so that we can evaluate them whether it is Pak Lah, Najib or (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin).

“For now, I can’t say who (should replace Abdullah). Although I have said before it should be Najib, I don’t know why for ‘some reason’ I have now changed my mind,” he said at a packed “Umno Post 12th General Election: An Assessment” forum organised by mykmu.net.

Dr Mahathir said the Cabinet and Umno supreme council were not relevant anymore because they were all just “yes” men to Abdullah.

He said those who tried to speak up were chastised for supposedly being disrespectful.

“They are then invited by the Prime Minister and given an explanation why they should agree with him,” he said, adding that their mouths were kept shut because they were afraid of losing their position and power.

He said Abdullah preferred to seek advice on government and party matters from “outsiders” such as family members including his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin rather than his own Cabinet and Umno supreme council members.

Speaking about the losses suffered by Barisan Nasional in the general election, Dr Mahathir said it was clear that the people, including Umno members, wanted Abdullah out.

Going back to history, he said Datuk Onn Jaafar, the founder of Umno, was a man of dignity as he quit the party when his idea of opening it up to non-Malays was rejected.

He noted that the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, also resigned shortly after the 1969 election when Barisan lost ground.

“He withdrew on his own accord without being chased out by anyone. These two leaders were sensitive and listened to the views of the people and acted accordingly,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said that, as Prime Minister for 22 years, he resigned respectably when he heard that people were questioning why “this old man” was staying for so long in the position.

He questioned why Abdullah was not prepared to do the same.

“Does he want to wait until Umno is destroyed?” he said.

Dr Mahathir also threw support behind Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s proposal for the party to hold an extraordinary general assembly to discuss the polls results, and urged members to speak out and reform the party.

Dr Mahathir’s son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said he was inclined to support Najib if he were to vie for the Umno president’s post.

--thestar Online--

AFTER GENERAL ELECTION: WHATs HOT?

2008-03-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Forum anjuran MyKMU.net: “UMNO Pasca PRU 12″

Portal MYKMU NET akan menganjurkan satu FORUM bertajuk

“UMNO PASCA PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE 12: SATU PENILAIAN”

1 April 2008

9.00 pagi - 12.30 tengahari

Hotel Singgahsana Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad akan menyampaikan Ucapatama.

Selain itu tiga pemimpin UMNO akan menjadi ahli panel forum ini:

1. EXCO Pemuda UMNO Malaysia, Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir.
2. Ahli Majlis Tertinggi UMNO, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir bin Toyo.
3. Ketua Penerangan UMNO Johor, YB. Dr. Mohamad Fuad Zarkashi.

Tempat adalah terhad.

Sesiapa yang berminat boleh menghantar maklumat dalam format berikut untuk pendaftaran:

Nama, nombor telefon, jawatan dalam UMNO (jika ada), pekerjaan dan emel kepada penganjur di: demokrasimalaysia@yahoo.com

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M.KHIR TOYO (MKT) BAKAL DEDAH RAHSIANYA?

Menurut sebuah laman web berpengaruh, pada forum yang bakal mendapat perhatian seluruh rakyat Malaysia, bekas MB Selangor Khir Toyo akan mendedahkan serta menjelaskan faktor mengapa beliau meletakan semua jawatan kecuali sebgai ADUN.

Sumber memberitahu, bahawa ada gerakan 'UNDERGROUND' yang tampak sedang disusun oleh poticus yang berpengaruh untuk terus menjerat Pak Lah.Dikatakan juga bahawa mereka yang sedang rancak mengumumkan perletakan jawatan adalah orang-orang yang mahu menyertai 'PLAN UNDERGROUND' ini.Apa yang pasti ialah, 'PLAN' ini dicetus dari dalam sendiri dan dijangka terus menular sebelum meletus dalam tahun ini juga.

Pasti ramai yang mahu mengehtahui tentang perkembangan terbaru ini dimana dua orang bekas pemimpin serta 'bintang darah politic' menyertai sebuah forum khas bagi mengupas, menghentam dan mendesak UMNO dibersihkan dari dalam sebelum semakin parah.

Sama-sama kita tunggu apa yang akan berlaku pada forum tersebut yang sudah pasti bakal disertai oleh PARA SB dan 'PERISIK KU NAN (Tengku Adnan)'.

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DR M SPEAKS UP ON MB ISSUE

By TUN DR MAHATHIR MOHAMAD

A concerned Malaysian has expressed his worry over the role being played by Sultans in the appointment of the Mentri Besar.

His Royal Highnesses have clearly refused to take the advice of the chief minister, that is the Prime Minister. Instead, they have chosen on their own a member of the state legislature to head the Government.

We hear a lot of opinions on the propriety of the action by the Sultan. Some say he has the right to do this while others point out that as a constitutional ruler he could not do this.

The Constitution says that the Ruler or Head of State must choose the elected member who enjoys the support of the majority of members in the legislative body to be the Prime Minister or the Mentri Besar. Subject to this provision, it is the Ruler who chooses and appoints the Prime Minister or Mentri Besar.

The Prime Minister, as Prime Minister has no role in the choice of the State Mentri Besar or Ketua Mentri. His naming of a candidate who should be the Mentri Besar is purely a party matter. Obviously if the state is captured by the Opposition party he cannot name the candidate.

However, if the Ruler chooses someone who does not enjoy majority support that person could be deposed at a sitting of the legislative body through a vote of “no confidence”.

After that another member can be appointed by the Ruler to take his place. But if for some reason there is no other candidate or the candidate with majority support is considered unsuitable by the Ruler, a new Government cannot be formed. The Ruler may then dissolve the legislative body and a new election may be held.

This new election may lead to the same impasse. The Ruler may not like the member with majority support.

However, it should be noted that this kind of thing never happened during the premiership of the four previous Prime Ministers. Concerned Malaysians should wonder why.

Is it just that the particular Ruler is being difficult, unwilling to accept the principles of democracy, wanting to return to feudalism and the absolute authority of the monarch?

I do not think so. There must be a reason why the Ruler refuses to accept the candidate named by the party. But the Ruler chooses not to reveal the reasons and indulge in public debates. He merely expresses his displeasure by refusing to do what normally the Rulers would do.

Concerned Malaysians must ask what has the particular candidate done which is so wrong that it incurs the displeasure of the Ruler.

There is a lot of talk in the town. Terengganu is blessed with petroleum deposits. It should get 5% of the total earnings from oil production. The Federal Government, fearing the previous PAS Government might use this money wrongly, had withheld payment.

But when the Barisan Nasional regained Terengganu, the money, now called “Wang Ehsan”, was lavishly spent by the Federal Government on Terengganu. It is not a small sum. Over these years “Wang Ehsan” totalled several billions.

We know that since the Barisan Nasional regained Terengganu in 2004 all kinds of projects have been developed in Terengganu. This includes The Monsoon Cup, luxury housing for sale to foreigners, Crystal Mosque and theme park, university etc. Some of these projects are very good but many are totally unnecessary and wasteful.

But what the Terengganu people are saying is that all these mega projects costing billions of Ringgit have been contracted out to people outside Terengganu. Terengganu contractors got practically nothing.

But additionally they say the contracts all went to one person and they are suspicious that behind this person are members of the first family. The rumours also say that the previous Mentris Besar were responsible for these things happening and of course they think that he might have benefited financially. The rumours went on to say that the Prime Minister might have influenced the Mentri Besar into doing wrong things.

These are all rumours. It will be quite impossible to prove anything as the perpetrators are skilled in hiding themselves.

This is not good for a Government keen to abolish corruption and be transparent. To clear its name an investigation should be made.

But the public is leery of investigations by government agencies and departments. Even Royal Commissions are not highly regarded. The people believe, not true of course, that the Government has been interfering with the work of the Anti-Corruption Agency, the Police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers. The say this is borne out by the results of investigations by these agencies.

When a Deputy Minister was accused of accepting money for the release of a detainee, the Attorney-General said there was no case because the detainee said he did not give any money to the Deputy Minister. It is so easy. If you have a case involving someone, all the enforcement agencies need to do is to ask him whether he was involved. If he says “no” then there is no case.

For some reason judges are finding that people accused of murder are not guilty because of insufficient evidence by the police. Yet people who are totally not involved in a case, who were not accused of any misdeeds and who did not appear in court at all and been given a hearing, are found guilty and publicly condemned.

The public cannot be blamed for not having faith in government agencies conducting investigations. The public cannot be blamed for suspecting cover-ups by the Government or, worse still, that the Government may be using these enforcement agencies to threaten people.

To clear its good name, the Government should get credible foreign agencies to conduct the investigations. Of course they must be given full access to the documents etc.

Now my detractors are going to say I did worse things when I was Prime Minister. Well if that is so let us have the foreign agencies investigate me also. I am aware that people are looking into possible misdeeds by me during my 22 years so as to threaten me and ask me to shut up. So far they have not found anything.

Not only have I not taken anything that was not due to me while I was Prime Minister but I have given back to the Government and the people everything that I had received as gifts during my tenure. The Government had offered me land in Kedah and Langkawi and I had refused to accept. I have a five-acre piece of land in Putrajaya which I paid for even though the Government was offering it to me free.

Unless there is a frame-up I think there should be nothing to pin on me. Even other accusations against me including the dismissal of judges were not my doing and I do not feel obliged to apologise. Ask the Tribunal to apologise.

The person asking that the Government should apologise for what happened to Tun Salleh Abbas may have forgotten that as President of the Muslim Lawyers Association, he fully supported the action that was taken. He castigated the Bar Council for condemning Tun Hamid Omar over the dismissal of judges. Now he wants to be more correct than correct. I wonder why.

--thestar online--

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MALAYSIAN KING BLOCKS ABDULLAH NOMINEE

By John Burton in Singapore

Published: March 26 2008 02:00 | Last updated: March 26 2008 02:00

Abdullah Badawi's political problems are mounting as the Malaysian prime minister faces a potential constitutional crisis with the king over the appointment of a new state government head.

Mizan Zainal Abidin, who is serving as Malaysia's king for a five-year term under a rotating system among the country's nine sultans, has blocked Mr Abdullah's nominee as chief minister of Terengganu, where the king is sultan.

The king's action marks a rare intrusion into politics by the country's largely ceremonial monarchy, whose powers were curbed in the 1980s by Mahathir Mohamad, the previous prime minister. The move suggests an attempt to reassert royal authority after the government's biggest electoral setback in 50 years.

Mr Abdullah is already facing a leadership challenge as head of the ruling party - the United Malays National Organisation - amid reports that some government MPs could defect to the opposition, which threatens to bring down his administration.

The sultan of Perlis last week rejected Mr Abdullah's nominee for the state government in the first royal challenge to the prime minister's authority, prompting the appointment of a compromise candidate.

But the possible confrontation with the king over the Terengganu chief minister carries more serious implications for Mr Abdullah.

Although the king is mainly a figurehead, he still has the power to appoint the prime minister and dissolve parliament. Public support for the royalty has grown since it is seen as a potential check on the civil government's strong authority.

Legal scholars say the constitution is vague on whether a sultan has the authority to veto the government's choice of a state chief minister, although the constitution states that a sultan should act on the advice of the prime minister.

Razaleigh Hamzah, a royal prince who is challenging Mr Abdullah as ruling party leader, said the possibility of a constitutional crisis suggested a "stunning ineptness [by Mr Abdullah] in managing fundamental relationships and straightforward functions of government".

The dispute also carries risks for the government in keeping control of Terengganu, which until 2004 was held by the opposition Islamic Party of Malaysia.

The government-held state assembly could reject the king's nominee, who took office yesterday. But this would lead to new state elections that the government might lose because of strong local support for the sultan. The loss of Terengganu would mean that six of Malaysia's 13 states would be in opposition hands.

Malaysia's information minister also said yesterday that the ruling party might postpone internal elections until next year to avoid a challenge to Mr Abdullah.

--FT.COM--

MUKHRIZ VS PAK LAH

2008-03-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

MUKHRIZ JADI MACAM BOLA

Ahli Parlimen Jerlun, Dato Mukhriz Tun Mahathir semalam dijadikan seperti bola dengan ditendang semula ke PM.

Ketua Pemuda UMNO, Dato Hishamudin Tun Husein tidak mampu menjatuhkan hukuman terhadap Mukhriz diatas perbuatan beraninya mengutus surat mendesak Pak Lah meletakkan jawatan sebagai PM dan sebagai Presiden UMNO.
Sehari selepas mengutus surat tersebut, Pak Lah menyerahkan kedudukan Mukhriz kepada ketuanya, Hishamudin Tun Husein untuk dikenakan tindakan.Namun selepas mesyuarat Pemuda UMNO semalam, keputusan yang diambil adalah menyerahkan kedudukan mukhriz kepada Pak Lah semula.

Kini, Mukhriz dijadikan sebagai bola, dengan ditendang keatas dan kebawah....
mungkinkah bola ini akan rosak?

Atau mungkin terus boleh digunakan tanpa sebarang gangguan.....

Secara tersiratnya, mesyuarat semalam dibuat selepas pengumuman barisan kabinet baru oleh Pak Lah yang memperlihatkan kejatuhan 'orang-orang' TPM Najib.Sebagai saudara kepada Najib, Hishamudin sebolehnya tidak mahu menghukum Mukhriz kerana mungkin perbuatan Mukhriz turut disokong oleh Hishamudin secara senyap.
Sekiranya Pak Lah berundur, semestinya Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak akan menjadi PM.Kedudukan Hishamudin pula, pasti lebih terjamin dan selesa serta mugkin beliau yang akan naik selepas Najib.

Kini Mukhriz menarik nafas lega dan keadaan terkini juga membantu beliau mengelak dari dikenakan sebarang tindakan oleh PEMUDA.
Sebarang hukuman pada saat-saat kritikal ini, akan mengundang kekalutan dalam krisis kepimpinan UMNO yang kini mengharungi detik-detik sukar selepas terumbang-ambing pada Pilihanraya lalu.

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MALAYSIA RULLING PARTY LETS MAHATHIR's SON OFF HOOK
FOR ASKING PRIME MINISTER TO RESIGN

The Associated Press
Published: March 18, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia's ruling party said Tuesday it will not punish former leader Mahathir Mohamad's son for calling on the prime minister to resign in the wake of disastrous election results.

The United Malays National Organization said it accepted Mukhriz Mahathir's explanation that he was speaking in his private capacity — not as a party member — when he urged Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down.

By letting Mukhriz off the hook, UMNO may embolden his supporters and others to intensify their criticism of Abdullah ahead of internal party elections in August. Abdullah claims the UMNO-dominated National Front ruling coalition fully supports his leadership.

Mukhriz sent a letter to Abdullah and a few other UMNO leaders last week, saying he should quit to take responsibility for the National Front's losses in March 8 elections — when its two-thirds parliamentary majority was reduced to a simple majority and it lost elections in five states.

The letter was later posted on a Web site.

Education Minister Hishamuddin Hussein told reporters the letter "was damaging because it was made public." But he said Mukhriz, who won a parliamentary seat in the elections, did not leak it.

"We are not taking any action toward him" even though he is not retracting his view, Hishamuddin said.

"He's reflecting what is voiced on the ground. There is nothing wrong with that," he said — indicating that there was grumbling in the party about Abdullah's leadership.

The decision about Mukhriz was made at three-hour meeting of UMNO's Youth Wing, which Hishamuddin heads. Mukhriz is a senior official of the wing and was at the meeting, and as he emerged from the room his supporters shouted, "Long live Mukhriz."

Mukhriz said he was "very relieved" by the decision even though some UMNO youth members were "quite critical" of what he said about Abdullah.

But in the end "we agreed to disagree on some issues," Mukhriz said. "I have made my stand quite clear. I have not changed my mind."

He said he has received many calls and cell phone text messages, some from UMNO members who support his stance. He said the focus now is on rebuilding public confidence in the party.

Mukhriz's father, Mahathir, called for Abdullah to resign just after the elections. Although Mahathir hand-picked Abdullah to replace him when he retired in 2003, he has been extremely critical of the prime minister in the last two years, accusing him of nepotism, corruption and inefficiency.

--INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE--

MAHATHIR SAYS HIS SUCCESSOR 'DESTROYED' MALAYSIAN COALITION

* Admits made a mistake in choosing Badawi as PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s former premier Mahathir Mohamad said Sunday his successor Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had “destroyed” the ruling coalition after disastrous weekend elections.

Mahathir, who led the ruling United National Malays Organisation (UMNO) which helms the Barisan Nasional coalition (BN) for 22 years before stepping down in 2003, lashed out after its worst performance in history.

“My view is that he has destroyed UMNO and destroyed the BN,” Mahathir told reporters. He suggested Abdullah should resign, and said he had made a mistake in selecting him as prime minister. “I think he should accept responsibility for this. He should accept 100 percent responsibility,” he said, adding, “I am sorry but I apparently made the wrong choice.”

Mahathir has previously said he never intended for Abdullah to serve more than one term, and that he should have opted instead for influential deputy prime minister Najib Razak who is now leader-in-waiting.

The Barisan Nasional suffered its worst ever result in Saturday’s polls, losing its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time since 1969 and conceding four more states to a resurgent opposition. Abdullah was punished over rising crime and inflation in an election also tinged by rising racial tensions between majority Muslim Malays and minority ethnic Chinese and Indians.

“I think the people must have been very angry, all the races, Chinese, Malays and Indians,” said Mahathir, adding, “The problem is we (the government) have become so arrogant. We suppress any opinion that we do not like and they begin to believe in their own reports which are not actually consistent with what is happening in the country.”

Abdullah was Mahathir’s hand picked successor when he stepped down, but after the new leader dumped several of his pet projects, he began launching accusations of economic mismanagement, nepotism and corruption.

--DAILY TIMES, PAKISTAN--

KHAIRY TO BLAME FOR BN's ELECTORAL DEFEAT

2008-03-12T03:27:00.000-07:00

KHAIRY PUNCA BN TEWAS MENGEJUT?

Mar 9, 08 10:12pm

Najib menang dengan 26,000 undi dan jumlah ini lebih banyak daripada 2004 ketika BN sangat, sangat popular. Sebaliknya, Pak Lah - yang mempunyai majoriti 18,000 undi sebelumnya - kini hanya berjaya mendapat 11,000. Kenyataannya, dia telah hilang banyak undi. Dan tidak banyak pemimpin yang berjaya meningkatkan majoriti sejak 2004.

Transkrip sidang media Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad pagi tadi:

Adakah Tun terperanjat dengan keputusan (pilihanraya semalam)?

Mahathir: Saya rasa ia memang menggemparkan. Walaupun saya menjangkakan BN akan kalah tetapi saya tidak fikir mereka boleh tumbang di lima negeri.

Saya minta maaf, saya salah pilih Pak Lah. Saya tidak sangka seseorang Perdana Menteri boleh menukar semua dasar sebuah kerajaan. Jadi saya fikir masyarakat seluruhnya mesti rasa sangat-sangat marah. Ketiga-tiga kaum, Cina, Melayu dan India semuanya memberi reaksi.

Apakah Tun akan menekan Pak Lah agar meletakkan jawatan?

Saya rasa dia patut memikul tanggungjawab (atas kekalahan) ini. Macam tahun 2004, ketika mendapat majoriti besar, kemenangan itu digambarkan kerana dirinya 100 peratus. Sekarang dia harus terima 100 peratus tanggungjawab itu.

Apa maksud Tun mengambil tanggungjawab?

Dia telah memusnahkan Umno, merosakkan BN. Dan dia harus bertanggungjawab atas kekalahan teruk ini.

Jika dia enggan mengambil tanggungjawab, apakah anda fikir Umno akan memastikan dia melepaskan jawatan?

Saya fikir orang Umno di peringkat akar umbi sangat takut pada lelaki ini. Ketika saya (memimpin) dulu, mereka boleh mencabar saya. Tapi kali ini saya sendiri tidak dibenarkan bercakap. Saya diundang berucap di depan ahli-ahli Umno tetapi semuanya terpaksa dibatalkan. Mereka kata, polis meminta mereka membatalkannya.

Apabila anda kata (dia harus) 'meletakkan jawatan', apakah anda maksudkan (presiden) Umno atau Perdana Menteri?

Saya fikir dia patut (letak jawatan). Kalau orang Jepun, dia sudah lakukan 'hara-kiri'. Saya fikir pencapaian Najib (Razak) bagus. Dia telah menang dengan menakjubkan, lebih baik berbanding 2004.

Apakah yang anda fikir penyebab kekalahan ini?

Saya fikir menantunya (Khairy Jamaluddin) ada peranan besar.

Anak muda ini yang tidak pernah mencapai apa-apa sebelumnya tetapi jelas Perdana Menteri lebih bersedia mendengar daripadanya berbanding polis, anggota Cawangan Khas dan angkatan tentera, yang lebih dekat dengan masyarakat akar umbi.

Mereka terlalu percaya pada laporan akhbar mereka sendiri sehingga mereka tidak dapat mendengar (sumber-sumber) yang lain. Mereka membuang apa sahaja yang mereka tidak gemar.

Apakah anda fikir masa untuk mengadakan pilihanraya ini (tidak sesuai) salah perhitungan?

Ia bolehlah disebut salah perhitungan tetapi saya ragu-ragu jika mereka menangguhkan tahun depan, keputusannya akan berlainan.

Apakah isu-isu yang mendorong tumbangnya negeri-negeri itu?

Banyak isu yang menyebabkan perasaan orang ramai, walaupun ada pertumbuhan ekonomi, mereka tidak rasa apa-apa (nikmat).

Mereka rasa kenaikan kos sara hidup satu faktor besar. Mereka juga nampak bahawa kerajaan kini ditadbir oleh satu keluarga sahaja. Apabila keutamaan keluarga melebihi kabinet, kerajaan, maka orang akan menentangnya.

Apakah anda fikir kerosakan ini akan kekal bersama BN?

Semuanya boleh diubah jika anda buat sesuatu dengan baik. Mereka menjadi begitu bongkak sehingga mereka menutup semua pandangan lain yang mereka tidak suka dan percaya pada laporan mereka sendiri yang tidak sejajar dengan apa yang sebenarnya terjadi dalam negara.

Dengan kejayaan pembangkang menembusi banyak lagi negeri-negeri, apakah yang akan terjadi?

Akan wujud ketidakstabilan untuk seketika. Jika pembangkang pandai, mereka boleh memperbaiki keadaan itu.

Apakah anda fikir Anwar Ibrahim masih lagi relevan?

Saya fikir dia masih lagi relevan tetapi dia tidak akan menjadi perdana menteri di negara ini.

Jika anda berada di tempat Pak Lah, apakah anda akan tergesa-gesa untuk menubuhkan kerajaan?

Saya akan mengambil tanggungjawab. Jika orang minta saya meletakkan jawatan, saya akan letak.

Selepas ketewasan teruk ini, apakah anda fikir BN masih mampu memperbaiki keadaan ini?

Masih ada harapan. Tetapi sama ada pemimpin-pemimpin bertekad untuk memperbaiki BN adalah persoalan lain.

Siapakah yang patut menggantikan Pak Lah?

Najib menang dengan 26,000 undi dan jumlah ini lebih banyak daripada 2004 ketika BN sangat, sangat popular. Sebaliknya, Pak Lah - yang mempunyai majoriti 18,000 undi sebelumnya - kini hanya berjaya mendapat 11,000.

Kenyataannya, dia telah hilang banyak undi. Dan tidak banyak pemimpin yang berjaya meningkatkan majoriti sejak 2004.

Benar, menantunya menang (di Rembau) tetapi dia hanya menang dengan majoriti kecil, lebih rendah daripada sebelumnya. Dia juga bertanding di kerusi yang selamat.

Bagaimana memperbaiki Umno?

Orang yang bertanggungjawab harus undur.

Jika orang Melayu tidak mengundi pembangkang, kekalahan teruk ini tidak akan terjadi. Kenapa boleh wujud gejala penyokong Umno memilih pembangkang kali ini?

Mereka fikir mereka kini dalam tekanan. Inflasi meningkat. Kehidupan mereka ala kadar. Semua tahu bahawa anda boleh cakap (bahawa) pertumbuhan (ekonomi) kini 6 peratus tetapi di mana 6 peratus ini di badan mereka? Mereka terpaksa membayar lagi.

Saya telah cakapkan perkara ini kepada Malaysiakini. Apabila anda berkata 6 peratus, ia hanya ukuran purata. Ia boleh dicapai apabila seseorang memiliki peratusan yang tinggi tetapi orang lain tidak mendapat apa-apa. Anda tidak boleh menunjukkan perangkaan jenis ini dan kemudian berharap orang ramai akan mengundi anda.

Seseorang yang cerdik akan tahu bahawa ia (statistik) tidak betul. Mereka yang tidak faham semua perangkaan ini, akan berpandukan apa yang sebenarnya dialami mereka. Apa yang mereka hadapi ialah kos sara hidup yang semakin tinggi dan tingkat kehidupan mereka makin rendah.

Jika kita tengok (sejarah) pilihanraya umum 1969, selepas Perikatan (kini BN) tewas, anda termasuk dalam golongan yang mendesak Perdana Menter (Tunku Abdul Rahman) melepaskan jawatannya kepada timbalannya (Tun Abdul Razak Hussein) ...

Saya dalam keadaan dilema kerana saya masih lagi ahli Umno.

Apakah anda akan menjadi pendesak lagi?

Saya akan terus bercakap. Jika orang tanya, saya akan berikan pendapat saya. Dan pandangan saya dalam perkara ini ialah orang yang bertanggungjawab harus berundur.

Melihat barisan pemimpin BN sekarang, apakah anda fikir kerajaan BN boleh mengurus ekonomi?

Tidak, saya tidak fikir mereka boleh mengurusnya. Walaupun mereka mempunyai ramai orang dan banyak wang, mereka tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa.

Kenapa?

Anda kena tanya pemimpin-pemimpin di negeri.

Pulau Pinang telah jatuh ke tangan DAP, bagaimanakah keadaan ini memberi kesan kepada Melayu?

Ia bukan hanya di Pulau Pinang. Jika kita hendak membaikinya, kita mesti mempunyai pemimpin-pemimpin Melayu, kita memang ada kerajaan Melayu dan warga Melayu mestilah tahu bagaimana mengatasi masalah mereka.

Apakah yang pemimpin veteran seperti Tengku Razaleigh (Hamzah) boleh buat untuk membantu Umno, setakat kini?

Mereka boleh memberi idea.

Apakah ia untuk melawan dan memaksa Pak Lah meletakkan jawatan?

Saya tidak bercakap soal pemberontakan tetapi (kita) mesti beri tekanan. Dan jika tekanan itu diabaikan oleh Pak Lah, maka ia akan menjadikan perkara ini suatu ketegangan.

Apakah anda fikir kemenangan besar itu akibat dorongan Anwar?

Saya tidak fikir kerana dia. Saya fikir keinginan (mereka) menentang BN lebih kuat daripada (mereka) menyokong pembangkang.

Mereka (pengundi) tiada pilihan. Jika anda tidak memilih BN, siapa lagi yang anda pilih? Hanya ada dua calon. Jadi anda memangkah calon pembangkang atau anda langsung tidak membuang undi. Kedua-duanya (keadaan ini) menyebabkan BN hilang banyak sokongan.

Orang kata Umno masih takutkan Pak Lah. Jadi bagaimana mereka boleh menekan Pak Lah agar berundur?

Saya yakin akan ada beberapa anggota yang berani di luar sana.

Apakah ada pilihan lain bagi Pak Lah selain melepaskan jawatan?

Saya tidak fikir ada pilihan lain. Seseorang yang bertanggungjawab 100 peratus harus menunjukkan bahawa dia sedia bertanggungjawab.

Ada orang kata jika majoriti dua pertiga BN dinafikan, peristiwa 13 Mei akan berulang. Kenapa ia tidak terjadi sekarang?

Tidak, saya tidak fikir ia akan berulang. Polis juga sangat berhati-hati, melarang orang berdemonstrasi dan jangan berarak.

Pada 1969, polis memberi keizinan kepada pembangkang menganjurkan perarakan kemenangan. Dan mereka bergerak ke Kampung Baru dan mula menghina orang-orang di situ, yang tentunya akan dibalas. Ia berakhir dengan rusuhan.

Jika polis terus bertegas dengan demonstrasi dan perarakan, saya tidak fikir akan wujud apa-apa masalah.

Apakah ini waktunya menghapuskan politik perkauman?

Saya katakan, ini (penolakan pada BN) melibatkan semua kaum. Bukan Cina sahaja tolak BN atau semua India tolak BN. Dalam kes ini, anda lihat Cina, India dan Melayu menolak BN kecuali di Sabah dan Sarawak.

Umno masih mengekalkan banyak kerusi berbanding parti-parti komponen seperti MIC dan MCA. Apakah mereka sanggup mendesak Pak Lah meletakkan jawatan?

Itu terpulang pada mereka sama ada mahu menekan atau tidak tetapi konsep BN masih relevan. Jika tidak ada (presiden MIC) Samy Vellu, maka cari seorang lagi Vellu.

Boleh ulas tentang Zam (Zainuddin Maidin)?

Dia menang atau kalah? [ada orang jawab "kalah"] Oh, dia kalah. Cara dia berkempen sangat kelakar, memberitahu orang supaya tengok muka dia dan menunjukkan pada mereka bagaimana ia (muka Zam) tidak pernah berubah-ubah. Tetapi saya fikir, muka yang tidak berubah-ubah akan menyebabkan orang jemu. Kadang-kadang anda mesti ketawa, kadang-kadang anda kena menangis.

Dia beritahu semua orang "Ini muka tak bertukar, tak bertukar" [Zainuddin berkempen dengan menyindir politik Anwar yang sering berubah-ubah]. Siapa yang berminat tengok muka dia? Jika dia Britney Spears, lainlah ...

Jika anda mengalami ketewasan yang sama, apakah anda juga letak jawatan?

Ya, saya akan undur jika itulah kehendak orang ramai. Saya selalu tunduk pada hasrat orang ramai, sehinggakan ramai yang pernah menentang saya dimasukkan semula sebagai anggota kabinet, dan mereka itu termasuklah Pak Lah, Syed Hamid (Albar), Rais Yatim dan (Abdul) Kadir Sheikh Fadzil. Ini semua (pemimpin) pernah menentang saya.

Tetapi apabila Pak Lah dipilih sebagai naib presiden, saya tidak boleh (melantiknya) seperti yang dikehendaki Umno. Jadi, saya lantiknya kembali dalam kabinet.

Tetapi anda tidak meletakkan jawatan pada 1999?

Saya tidak letak jawatan sebab kita menang dua pertiga. Kita menang dengan sokongan penuh Cina. Ya, kita tewas di Terengganu dan Kelantan tetapi kita selalu kalah di Kelantan, dan (kita tewas) Terengganu kerana sebab-sebab khusus.

Apakah BN tewas kerana ramai pemimpin seperti Samy Vellu yang bergayut pada kuasa terlalu lama?

Saya fikir Samy Vellu turut menjadi penyebab utama ketewasan itu. Ketika dia dalam BN, dia tidak benarkan orang MIC sampai ke peringkat setinggi dia. Jika mereka menang sebagai timbalan atau naib presiden, mereka akan disingkirkan dan malah dibuang dari parti.

Dan dia tidak benarkan parti-parti lain kaum India menyertai BN. (MG) Pandithan cuba sertai, merayu pada saya untuk membenarkannya dan saya bersetuju tetapi kita dalam BN ada kata sepakat bahawa jika ada satu parti tidak bersetuju, kita tidak boleh menerimanya.

Apakah anda terkejut dengan kemenangan (tahanan ISA) M Manoharan?

Ia pernah berlaku pada 1959 atau apakah itu tahun 1964, apabila PAS masuk ke kampung-kampung dengan membawa kasut calon dan dia boleh menang.

Apakah pandangan anda tentang peranan media, khususnya media arus perdana, dalam kempen (BN) ini? Apakah anda fikir ia patut diubah?

Memang patut diubah. Mereka patut melaporkan apa yang sebenarnya berlaku dan melakukan analisis yang betul. Dulu, media berupaya memberikan maklum balas kepada saya tentang apa yang berlaku di bawah. Mungkin apabila mereka bercakap tentang isu kaum dan seumpamanya, saya akan menutup (media), seperti saya buat pada 1987.

Patutkah semua ketua atasan akhbar-akhbar ini meletakkan jawatan?

Mereka sendiri ada batasannya. Sebahagiannya kawan saya dan penyokong saya juga dan mereka memohon maaf kerana tidak mampu membantu. "Ini semua angkara Kali. Kali ini," cerita mereka pada saya.

Apakah Umno makin tidak relevan?

Untuk masa ini, ya. Ia tidak selalunya begitu. Jika Umno memberikan khidmatnya pada negara, dan menjaga semua kaum, maka Umno akan menjadi relevan semula.

Apakah ulasan Tun tentang calon-calon muda BN yang tewas?

Memang ada khabar-khabar angin bahawa sebahagian calon-calon ini (orang) Khairy dan bahawa dia mahu menjadi perdana menteri.

Apakah anda fikir pemimpin-pemimpin komponen BN yang lain patut meletakkan jawatan?

Saya rasa sudah ada seorang pemimpin yang tewas. Untuk kes (presiden MCA) Ong Ka Ting, terpulang kepadanya. Keputusan itu terlalu teruk padanya dan MCA dan ia tidak pernah seburuk ini.

Semua orang kata PAS dan DAP tidak boleh bekerjasama tetapi jika mereka gagal bekerjasama di Selangor dan Perak, mereka tidak boleh membentuk kerajaan negeri. Apakah komen anda?

Jika mereka kerja bersama, mereka boleh membentuk kerajaan negeri. Jika tidak, maka wakil-wakil Umno - jika mereka cukup - boleh membentuk kerajaan minoriti. Tetapi ia akan menjadi kerajaan yang goyang.

Apakah anda sedih melihat keputusan itu?

Ya, walaupun saya sangat berharap satu mesej telah disampaikan kepada kerajaan.

Apakah anda berminat aktif kembali dalam politik?

Saya tidak akan kembali bergiat dalam politik tetapi jika mereka meminta nasihat, saya boleh beri. Bagaimana saya hendak kembali kerana apabila saya melepaskan jawatan, mereka layan saya seperti seorang pariah.

--MALAYSIAKINI--

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Q&A: Khairy to blame for BN's electoral defeat
Mar 9, 08 9:05pm
I think his son-in-law played a big role (in the defeat). This young man who has no achievements before but apparently the PM listens to him. said Mahathir at a press conference.

Are you surprised by the results?

Mahathir: I think it’s shocking. Although I expected BN to lose but I did not think that they lost five states.

I'm sorry that I made the wrong choice in Pak Lah. I never expected a PM to reverse all the policies of the government. So I think the people on the whole must have been very angry. All the three communities, the Chinese, the Malays and the Indians, have reacted.

Will Tun pressure Pak Lah to resign?

I think he should accept responsibility for this. Just as in 2004, the huge majority, the huge victory was purportedly due to him 100 percent. Now he should accept 100 percent of the responsibility.

What do you mean by taking responsibility?

He has destroyed Umno, destroyed BN. And he has to be responsible for this terrible defeat.

If he doesn't want to take responsibility, do you think that Umno will do something to make him go?

I think Umno people on the ground are fearful of this man as they have never been before. During my time they would challenge me. Here I was not allowed to speak. I was given invitations to give talk to Umno members but these were withdrawn. They say that the police told them to withdraw it.

When you say ‘step down’, do you mean (from) Umno or PM?

I think he should (step down). The Japanese would have performed ‘hara-kiri’. I think that Najib (Razak) has done very well. He has scored an amazing victory, more than the 2004 elections.

What do you think led to this defeat?

I think his son-in-law (Khairy Jamaluddin) played a big role. This young man who has no achievements before but apparently the PM listens to him more rather than the police, the special branch and the armed forces, who are closer to the ground. They were so taken up with their own newspaper reports that they couldn't hear anything else. They dismissed everything they didn't like.

Do you think the timing of the election was a miscalculation?

It can be called a miscalculation but I doubt if they had waited another year, the results would have been any different.

What were the issues which led to the loss of the states?

Many issues led to the pent-up feelings of the citizens of which despite the economic growth, the people aren't feeling anything. They feel the rise in the cost of living a big factor. They also see that this government is run by one family. When family takes precedence over cabinet, over government, then people will be against it.

Do you think this damage is permanent for BN?

Everything can be reversed if you do things properly. They have been so arrogant that they have suppressed any opinions they don't like and believe in their own reports which are not consistent with what is really happening in the country.

With the opposition making so much inroads in Malaysia, what do you think will happen?

Well, there will be instability for some time. If the opposition is good, they should be able to remedy the situation.

Do you think that Anwar Ibrahim is still relevant?

I think he is relevant but he is not going to become the prime minister of this country.

If you were in Pak Lah's shoes, would you be in a hurry to form the government?

I would take responsibility. If the people want me to resign, I would resign.

After this setback, do you think that Barisan has any hope to remedy this situation?

There is hope. But whether the leaders have the will to repair BN is another question.

Who should succeed Pak Lah?

Najib won by 26,000 votes and this is much more than in 2004 when the BN was very, very popular. On the other hand, Pak Lah - who had a majority of 18,000 before - only has a majority of 11,000 now. The fact is that he lost a number of votes. And there are not many people who have improved (their majority) since 2004.

Yes, his son-in-law won but he only won by a small majority, smaller than previously. He was also in a safe seat.

How to cure Umno?

The person responsible should retreat.

If the Malays had not voted for opposition this would not have happened. Why did the Umno supporters vote for opposition this time?

They feel their situation is under pressure. Inflation is high. Their lives are on the line. The people know that you can say that there is 6 percent growth but where is the 6 percent on their body? They are having to spend more money.

I've said this to Malaysiakini. When you say 6 percent, it is an average. This can be achieved by one person having a very high percentage but the rest have nothing. You can't have this sort of figures and expect people to vote for you.

The intelligent people would know that this is not correct. Those that don't understand all these figures, rather be guided by what is actually happening to them. What is happening to them is the higher cost of living and a lowering of their standard of living.

Going back to the 1969 elections, after the Alliance had lost, you were one of the main agitators for the prime minister (Tunku Abdul Rahman) to transfer his powers to his deputy (Tun Abdul Razak)...

I am in a dilemma as I'm an Umno member.

Are you the agitator again?

I will voice out my opinion. If people ask, I will give my opinion. And my opinion in this matter is that the person responsible should step down.

Looking at the current BN line-up, do you think that the BN government can manage the economy?

No, I don't think they can manage. Even when they have full force and tons of money at their disposal they have not done anything.

Why?

You have to ask the state leaders.

Penang has fallen to DAP, how do you think this will affect the Malays?

It's not just about Penang. If we want to correct that, we have got Malay leaders, we've got a Malay government and the citizens who are Malay must know how to overcome their problems.

What can veterans like Tengku Razaleigh (Hamzah) do to help Umno at this juncture?

They can give ideas.

Is it to revolt and cause Pak Lah to resign?

I am not talking about a rebellion but there must be pressure. And if that pressure is ignored by Pak Lah, then this would turn the matter into a heated confrontation.

Do you think that the opposition success is attributed to Anwar?

I don't think it is so. This is more of something against BN than strong support for the opposition.

They (voters) have no choice. If you don't vote BN, who do you vote for? There are only two candidates. So you vote for the opposition or you don't vote at all. Either way, the BN was going to lose a lot of support.

People say that Umno is still afraid of Pak Lah. So how can they pressure Pak Lah to step down?

I'm sure that there are some brave members out there.

Are there any alternatives for Pak Lah other than to resign?

I don't see any other alternative. The man that is 100 percent responsible has to show that he is responsible.

Some people were saying if BN's two-thirds majority is denied, a repeat of May 13 would take place. Why won't it happen now?

No I don't think it would happen. In the first place, the police have been very careful, telling people no demonstration and no parades.

In 1969, the police gave permission for the opposition to hold a victory parade. And they went to Kampung Baru and started insulting the people there, which caused a reaction. This ended up as a riot. If the police remain strong on these demonstrations and victory parades, I don't think there will be any problems.

Is it time to end racial politics?

I'm going to tell you this (rejection of BN) involves all the races. It's not as if the Chinese reject BN or all the Indians reject BN. Here, you see Chinese, Indian and Malay reject BN except for Sabah and Sarawak.

Umno has retained more seats compared to the other component parties like MIC and MCA. Will they pressure Pak Lah to step down?

That depends on them to whether to apply pressure or not but the Barisan Nasional concept is still relevant. If there is no (MIC chief S) Samy Vellu, then find another Vellu.

Can you comment on Zam (Zainuddin Maidin)?

He won or lost? Oh, he lost. Well, the way he was campaigning was really funny, telling people to look at his face and how it doesn't change. But I think that a face that doesn't change can be very boring. Sometimes you must laugh, sometimes you must cry.

He was telling everybody "Ini muka tak bertukar, tak bertukar". Who is interested in his ‘wajar’? If he was Britney Spears, then….

If you had suffered the same defeat, would you have resigned too?

Yes, I would resign if that is the wish of the people. I've always abided by the wish of the people, so much so that people who were against me were brought back into the cabinet, and that includes Pak Lah, Syed Hamid (Syed Albar), Rais Yatim and (Abdul) Kadir Sheikh Fadzil. All these (leaders) were against me.

But when Pak Lah was elected vice-president, I cannot (not appoint him) as he was wanted by Umno. As such I appointed him back into the cabinet.

But you did not resign in 1999?

I did not because we won two-thirds. We won with full Chinese support. Yes, we lost Terengganu and Kelantan but we have always lost Kelantan and Terengganu was for very specific reasons.

Did BN lose because too many people like Samy Vellu had hung on to power too long?

I think that Samy Vellu played a big part in the defeat. When he was in BN, he doesn't allow any of the MIC people to come up to his level. If they come up (to be) deputy or vice-president, he will knock them down and even expel them from the party.

And he wouldn't allow any other Indian party to join BN. (MG) Pandithan tried to join, begged me to allow him and I wanted to agree but we have this consensus in BN that if one party doesn't agree we cannot accept them.

Are you surprised by (ISA detainee) M Manoharan's victory?

This has happened before in 1959 or is it 1964, when PAS used to go from village to village carrying the candidate's shoes and he won.

What can you say about the media’s - especially the mainstream ones' - role in this campaign? Do you think that there should be changes there?

There should be changes. They should report what actually happens and make a proper analysis. Before, they were able to feed back to me what was happening on the ground. Maybe, when they talk about races and things like that, I would have to clamp down on them, which I did in 1987.

Should all the bosses of the newspapers resign too?

They have their constraints. Some of them are my friends and supporters too and they apologise say that they can't help. "It's all this Kali. This Kali," they tell me.

Has Umno become irrelevant?

For the moment, yes. It's not always so. If Umno serves the country well, and looks after all the different races, then Umno will be relevant again.

What is your comment on the young BN candidates losing?

There is this rumour that some of these candidates are Khairy's and that he wants to be prime minister.

Do you think that other BN component leaders should resign too?

I think that one component leader has already been knocked out. As for Ong Ka Ting, it's up to him. This is a very bad defeat for him and MCA and it's never been this bad before.

Everyone says that PAS and DAP cannot work together but if they don't in Selangor and Perak, they can't form state government. What is your take on this?

If they work together they can form state government. If not, then representatives of Umno - if there are many - can form a minority government. But it will be a shaky government.

Are you sad with the results?

Yes, I am although I had hoped that a message would be sent to the government.

Will you return to active politics?

I won't return to active politics but if they want advice, I can give them. How can I return when once I stepped down they treated me like a pariah?

--MALAYSIAKINI--

STILL ATTACK

2008-03-06T02:59:00.000-08:00

TUN DR.MAHATHIR's SPEECH IN KOTA BAHRU ABOUT PAK LAH's ADMINISTRATION - PART 1

TUN DR.MAHATHIR's SPEECH IN KOTA BAHRU ABOUT PAK LAH's ADMINISTRATION - PART 2

TUN DR.MAHATHIR's SPEECH IN KOTA BAHRU ABOUT PAK LAH's ADMINISTRATION - PART 3

TUN DR.MAHATHIR's SPEECH IN KOTA BAHRU ABOUT PAK LAH's ADMINISTRATION - PART 4

Dr M: SAMY KEKANG SUARA INDIA

Nash Rahman | Mar 6, 08 4:06pm

Masalah yang dihadapi masyarakat India mungkin boleh diselesaikan jika presiden MIC Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu digantikan, kata bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Beliau juga menafikan bahawa masalah yang melanda masyarakat India bermula di zaman pentadbirannya, yang didakwa terlalu memberi tumpuan kepada usaha memajukan masyarakat Melayu, sehingga masyarakat India terpinggir.

"Saya tahu rungutan utama mereka bukan tentang saya, (tetapi) terhadap Samy Vellu kerana beliau telah menafikan orang India peluang untuk naik," katanya.

Dalam temubual dengan Malaysiakini semalam, bekas pengerusi BN itu berkata, masalah muncul apabila Samy Vellu menghalang pemimpin India lain bersuara.

“(Presiden parti Barisan Progresif India (IPP), MG Pandithan diketepikan, (bekas timbalan presiden MIC, Datuk S) Subramaniam juga diketepikan, Datuk K Pathmanaban telah meninggal dunia, tetapi sebelum itu, beliau adalah (bekas naib presiden MIC).

“Itu adalah cara (Samy Vellu) bekerja dan tentulah suara-suara lain tidak sampai pada saya. Dan tentulah, dia tidak cerita mengenai pergolakan di kalangan orang India," jelasnya.

Berikut petikan temubual Dr Mahathir dengan Malaysiakini:

Kaum India didakwa terpinggir pada zaman Tun dan kerajaan sekarang menanggung akibatnya?

Jadi, mereka mahu menyalahkan saya? Mereka (tidak mahu) mengundi saya sekarang (ketawa). Lihat pada statistik. Orang India hanya 9 peratus penduduk Malaysia (tetapi) 40 peratus daripada mereka menjadi doktor.

Tetapi jumlahnya semakin merosot...

Jumlahnya tidak menurun, ia naik sewaktu pentadbiran saya. Ia tidak pernah mencapai 40 peratus sehinggalah saya menjadi PM. Mengapa mereka tidak kata “terima kasih, terima kasih, terima kasih”? Banyak orang yang datang jumpa saya untuk mengucapkan terima kasih, tetapi hanya segelintir orang India yang cakap terima kasih.

Saya tahu rungutan utama mereka bukan tentang saya, rungutan utama mereka terhadap (Datuk Seri S) Samy Vellu kerana Samy Vellu menafikan peluang orang India naik.

Anda tahu orang India begitu kuat berpolitik. Tunku Abdul Rahman pernah kata, “jika ada seorang India, maka ada sebuah parti politik. Jika terdapat dua orang India, akan ada dua parti politik”.

Mengapa biarkan beliau berbuat demikian?

Bukan begitu. Samy Vellu tidak memintanya, masalahnya ialah beliau menyekat orang India lain daripada bersuara. (Tan Sri MG) Pandithan (kini presiden Barisan Progresif India) telah diketepikan, (bekas timbalan presiden MIC, Datuk S) Subramaniam telah diketepikan, (Datuk K) Pathmanaban telah meninggal dunia tetapi sebelum itu, beliau adalah (bekas naib presiden MIC).

Inilah cara (Samy Vellu) buat kerja dan sudah tentu suara-suara yang lain tidak sampai kepada saya. Dan tentulah, beliau tidak memberitahu tentang pergolakan dalam masyarakat India.

Mungkinkah penyakit yang melanda kaum akan selesai jika Samy Vellu diganti?

Boleh jadi, boleh jadi... kerana orang lain akan dapat bersuara. Perkara utamanya ialah apabila kita menubuhkan Barisan Nasional, Umno menerima PAS -- sebuah lagi parti Melayu, menyertai BN. Tidak kiralah PAS keluar kemudiannya.

Tetapi Samy Vellu bertegas bahawa pertubuhan India yang lain tidak boleh sertai (BN) dan ini telah mengecewakan ramai orang yang tidak bersetuju dengannya.

Anda rasa sudah tiba masanya Samy Vellu bersara?

Terpulanglah kepada beliau untuk membuat keputusan. Ramai yang akan berkata “jika anda lepaskan jawatan, kami juga akan turut melepaskan jawatan” dan mereka akan menangis dan sebagainya. Tetapi bila saya melepaskan jawatan, tiada seorang pun yang ikut sama berbuat demikian.

Anda rasa Samy Vellu sudah terlalu lama memegang jawatannya?

Saya rasa seseorang itu tidak patut (pegang jawatan) terlalu lama. Saya rasa, saya juga terlalu (memegang kuasa), saya sepatutnya melepaskan jawatan pada 1998 tetapi kerana ada masalah dengan (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim), saya terpaksa teruskan. Tetapi saya bersara atas kehendak saya sendiri, saya tidak dipaksa berbuat demikian.

Saya masih popular pada masa itu dan jika saya mahu teruskan lagi, Umno akan menyokong saya sebagai ketuanya. Tetapi saya rasa tidak adil bagi saya untuk kekal lama di situ. Anda mesti beri peluang kepada orang lain. Tentulah ramai orang yang kata “bilakah orang tua ini hendak bersara”? Jadi OK, saya bersara. Sekarang anda mempunyai pemimpin lain, anda putuskanlah sama ada ia satu langkah yang wajar atau tidak.

Samy Vellu kata beliau bangkitkan isu-isu masyarakat India di Kabinet, tetapi cadanganya tidak dilaksanakan?

Itu alasannya. Saya tahu banyak mana dia bercakap dalam Kabinet. Jangan beritahu sesuatu yang orang lain tidak dapat buktikan kerana tiada orang yang mendengar apa yang dicakapnya (Samy Vellu) dalam Kabinet, kecuali kami. Beliau bercakap, tetapi bukan isu-isu yang dibangkitkannya itu, seperti mendapatkan pampasan untuk buruh India yang dibawa secara paksa ke sini dan sebagainya.

Beliau tidak pernah menyebut tentangnya. Saya tidak pernah dengar. Beliau tidak pernah berkata bahawa orang Melayu telah melakukan pembersihan kaum. Beliau tidak kata. Mengapa beliau tidak bercakap mengenainya?

Samy Vellu kata kerajaan tidak menyokong kaum India dalam bidang ekonomi?

Itu juga tidak benar. Cuba kaji statistik mengenai semua perkara tersebut. Bagaimanakah kedudukan masyarakat Melayu dan bagaimanakah kedudukan masyarakat India. Purata pendapatan orang Melayu lebih rendah daripada purata pendapatan orang India. Anda mesti ingat bahawa bagi kumpulan yang kecil, puratanya amat bermakna tetapi bagi kumpulan yang besar, ia tidak bermakna.

Bolehkan Samy Vellu dianggap satu beban kepada BN dalam pilihanraya ini?

Saya tidak boleh kata begitu kerana saya adalah penyokong BN.

Apakah Samy Vellu memindahkan kesalahan itu kepada kerajaan?

Anda boleh andaikan demikan, tetapi saya tidak kata begitu.

Apakah pandangan Tun tentang Hindraf?

Banyak tuntuan mereka yang tidak munasabah dan menolak kedudukan orang Melayu sebagai kaum asal negara ini. Anda tahu, ini adalah sesuatu yang amat sensitif kepada orang Melayu. Sama ada anda mendapat sokongan orang Melayu atau anda mendapat sokongan orang India.

Jika kerajaan memberitahu orang Melayu “maaflah status anda adalah sama dengan status orang India”. Maka saya rasa sokongan orang Melayu kepada kerajaan akan jatuh merudum. Tetapi anda mesti membaca memorandum yang mereka hantar kepada kerajaan Ratu Elizabeth.

--MALAYSIAKINI--

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MAHATHIR: SAMY STIFLED INDIAN VOICES

Soon Li Tsin | Mar 6, 08 2:47pm

The problems plaguing the Indian community could be resolved by removing MIC president S Samy Vellu who stifled Indian voices, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday.

In the second part of an exclusive interview with the Malaysian statesman, Mahathir said removing the MIC leader would allow more Indian voices to be heard.

"I know their main grouse is not with me, their main grouse is with Samy Vellu because with him there, another Indian has been deprived of the chance to come up," he said.

Speaking to Malaysiakini at his Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya, Mahathir deflected allegations that the root cause of the Indian community’s strife was due to his pro-Malay focus during his tenure as PM.

"So they want to blame me? It is not that. Samy Vellu did not ask for assistance. The problem is that he is preventing other Indians from having a say.

"(Indian Progressive Front president MG) Pandithan was got rid of, (former MIC deputy president S) Subramaniam was got rid of, K Pathmanaban died but of course before that, he was (former MIC vice-president).

"That is his (Samy Vellu) way of doing things and of course the other voices cannot reach me. And of course, he doesn’t say there is this battling among the Indians," he explained.

Pandithan, who was formerly with MIC, started IPF in 1990 after falling out with Samy. The two parties have been at odds with each other, especially after IPF sought to join the BN coalition.

Both Subramaniam and Pathmanaban have a history of bad blood with Samy in their failed attempts to challenge for the party presidency.

Mahathir also said in jest: "You know Indians are very political. Tunku Abdul Rahman used to say if there is one Indian, there is one political party. If there are two Indians, there are two political parties."

‘Don’t stay too long’

In the interview that lasted almost an hour, Mahathir also alluded that people should not stay in power for too long and chances should be given to others.

"It is up to him to decide (to step down). A lot of people will say "if you step down, we will step down" and they will cry and all that. But when I step down, nobody stepped down," he mused.

Samy Vellu who is the works minister and the longest-serving cabinet minister has been the MIC president since 1979 for 10 consecutive terms.

Mahathir also criticised Samy for not bringing up Indian issues in the cabinet.

"That is his excuse. I know how much he talks in the cabinet. Don’t (say) something that others cannot prove because nobody heard him in cabinet except us.

"He talks, but these things were not the issues that he raised - like the recovery of money for the Indian community who were brought here by force and all that.

"He never mentioned that, I’ve never heard him. He never said that the Malays were committing genocide and ethnic cleansing. He never said that. Why didn’t he say that?" he asked.

Asked to comment on the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), the former PM said their demands were unreasonable.

"Quite a lot of their demands were quite unreasonable - practically denying the position of the Malays as the indigenous race on this country. You know this is something very sensitive to the Malays.

"If the government tell the Malays ‘sorry you’ve got the same status is the Indians’ I think there will be a big drop of support for the government from the Malays," Mahathir added.

--MALAYSIA KINI--

A&A: INDIAN GROUSES NOT WITH ME BUT SAMY

Soon Li Tsin | Mar 6, 08 3:16pm

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that the Indian grouses are not directed at him but at MIC president and Works Minister S Samy Vellu in this second instalment of a three-part interview.

Let’s talk about Indian sentiments on the ground. Many are saying that the root cause of the anger started during your time when you ignored all the other communities in order to focus on developing the Malay community. The Indians have been so marginalised that the government today is bearing the brunt of it. Can you comment on that?

So they want to blame me? They (won’t) vote for me now (laughs). Look at the statistics. Indians make up nine percent of the population in Malaysia. The number of doctors, they make up 40 percent.

But that is coming down over the years.

Well, it is not coming down, it went up during my time. It never was 40 percent until I was PM. Why didn’t they say ‘thank you, thank you, thank you’? I get many people coming up to me to say thank you but very few Indians say thank you.

I know their main grouse is not with me, their main grouse is with Samy Vellu because with Samy Vellu there, there is no chance for another Indian to come up.

You know Indians are very political. Tunku Abdul Rahman used to say if there is one Indian, there is one political party. If there are two Indians, there are two political parties.

As the PM then, you could’ve done something like tell Samy Vellu that this is not the way to do things instead of allowing him to proceed with it.

It is not that. Samy Vellu did not ask for assistance. The problem is that he is preventing other Indians from having a say.

(MG) Pandithan (right in photo) was got rid of, (S) Subramaniam was got rid of, (K) Pathmanaban died but of course before that he was (former MIC vice-president).

That is his (Samy Vellu) way of doing things and of course the other voices cannot reach me. And of course, he doesn’t say there is this battling among the Indians.

Would you say the malady affecting the Indians will go away with the removal of Samy Vellu?

It could be, it could be ... because then other voices will be heard. The thing is that you must know when we formed the Barisan Nasional, Umno accepted PAS - another Malay party into BN. The fact that PAS left later on is another matter.

But Samy Vellu insists that nobody else, no other Indian organisation can come in and this is frustrating a lot people who do not agree him.

Do you think it is time for Samy Vellu to step down now?’

It is up to him to decide. A lot of people will say "if you step down, we will step down" and they will cry and all that. But when I step down, nobody stepped down.

Do you believe Samy Vellu has overstayed his tenure?

I think that people should not stay on for too long. I felt that I stayed for too long also. I would have gone in 1998 but because of the problems by Anwar (Ibrahim), I had to stay back.

But I went away on my own volition, I was not pressured out. I was still very popular at that time and I know that if I wanted to stay on, Umno would bank me as the leader.

But I thought that it is not fair for me to be there all the time. You must give a chance for another. Of course, many people were saying "when is this old man going to go" so okay, I went. Now you have another leader, you decide whether it is a wise move or not.

To Samy’s defence, he said he has brought up the Indian issues at the cabinet level, he has blamed the past and present administrations for not pursuing the proposals he has brought about.

That is his excuse. I know how much he talks in the cabinet. Don’t tell something that others cannot prove because nobody heard him in Cabinet except us. He talks but these things were not the issues that he raised like the recovery of money for the Indian community who were brought here by force and all that.

He never mentioned that, I’ve never heard him. He has never said that the Malays were committing genocide and ethnic cleansing. He never said that. Why didn’t he say that?

Even until today he is not saying that. Instead, Samy Vellu is saying that the government is not supporting the Indian economically.

That is not true either. Let’s do a statistical study of all these things. What is the position of the Malay community and what is the position of the Indian community.

The average income of the Malay are lower than the average income of the Indians. You have to remember that for a small number of people the average is meaningful but for a big number of people, this is not meaningful.

So can we say Samy Vellu is a burden for BN in light of the elections and the campaign?

I can’t say that because I am a supporter of BN.

Are you saying that Samy Vellu is shifting the blame to the government to cover up his shortcomings?

You can assume that but I didn’t say that.

What do you think about the Hindu Action Rights Force (Hindraf) and their demands?

Well, quite a lot of their demands were quite unreasonable - practically denying the position of the Malays as the indigenous race on this country. You know this is something very sensitive to the Malays. Either you get the support of the Malays or you get the support of the Indians.

If the government tells the Malays "sorry you’ve got the same status as the Indians" I think there will be a big drop of support for the government from the Malays. But you have to read the memorandum they sent to Her Majesty’s government.

--MALAYSIAKINI--

ITs MY FALSE

2008-02-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

TUN DR.MAHATHIR AKUI ANWAR
TIDAK BERSALAH DAN DIZALIMI

Alhamdulillah, syukur kehadrat ilahi.
Akhirnya apa yang diharapkan oleh para pendukung politic bersih, termakbul jua.
Tun Dr. Mahathir telah mengakui bahawa Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim tidak bersalah dan Tun mengakui menzalimi Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim ketik krisis politik negara pada tahun 1998.Tun juga mengakui bahawa Anwar tidak ada apa-apa kesalahan tetapi disepak terajang kedalam penjara hanya kerana kerakusan kuasa yang ada ditangannya pada ketika itu.

Kepada para penyokong BN yang anti Anwar sejak dahulu lagi dengan pelbagai alasan yang antaranya mendakwa Anwar ejen yahudi, bakal menjahanamkan ekonomi negara, penzina dan sebagainya.....hari ini kamu yang anti Anwar sudah boleh menutup mulut dan merasa malu dengan apa yang anda dakwa sejak 10 tahun dahulu.

Orang yang bertanggungjawab menjatuhkan kerier politic Anwar sudah menyatakan kesilapanya diatas penganiayaan tersebut.Jadi bagaimana dengan anda yang sehingga kesaat ini masih mengakui dan mempercayai dengan segala tohmahan-tohmahan yang dilemparkan terhadap Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim?

Masih mahu mempercayaai atau anda mahu tumpukan kepada tohmahan-tohmahan baru yang dilemparkan oleh Barisan Hadhari?

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MALAYSIA's VOTE TO TEST NEW ERA OF DEMOCRACY

By YAROSLAV TROFIMOV
February 15, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Buffeted by a surge in ethnic tensions and a spate of scandals, Malaysia's government dissolved Parliament on Wednesday, opening the way for a general election.

The vote, expected to be held next month, is likely to test the degree of democratic change that has occurred in the predominantly Muslim nation since the authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad stepped down in 2003 after 22 years in office. Opposition parties hope to capitalize on discontent with Dr. Mahathir's successor, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to weaken the ruling National Front coalition's decades-long monopoly on power.

Nobody expects Mr. Abdullah's government to be ousted as a result of the vote: It is all but impossible that the ruling coalition, in power since independence in 1957, will fail to secure a parliamentary majority. The real goal for opposition parties is to obtain at least one-third of federal Parliament seats, depriving the government of the authority to amend the constitution at will and to alter electoral constituencies.

Such a feat in the election could, for the first time, give Malaysia's opposition a say in how this multiethnic nation of 26 million people is governed. The National Front, an alliance of ethnic-based parties dominated by Mr. Abdullah's United Malays National Organization, holds more than 90% of federal Parliament seats and controls all but one of Malaysia's 13 state governments.

"Malaysia is a strange country. You don't need to win to create an earthquake -- you just need to deny them two-thirds, and the one-party state will crumble," contends opposition politician and UMNO defector Anwar Ibrahim, once deputy prime minister from UMNO and Dr. Mahathir's heir-apparent before the two had a falling out. While Dr. Mahathir was premier, Mr. Anwar was tried and convicted on sodomy and corruption charges. Malaysia's Federal Court overturned the sodomy conviction, saying it was flawed by a shoddy prosecution case.

Mr. Anwar's centrist, multiethnic People's Justice Party, or PKR, will contest the election in concert with two other opposition groups -- the ethnic-Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party and the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, a conservative Islamist movement that appeals to rural Malays.

"If these elections are fair and we can get access to the media, we'll create history. Getting one-third of the seats [for the opposition] is almost a certain thing," Mr. Anwar predicts.

That may be an overly optimistic forecast, given UMNO's formidable strength among the country's ethnic Malay majority, who accounts for about 60% of the population. Prime Minister Abdullah said Wednesday that the ruling coalition hopes to secure "at least a two-thirds" majority in the election.

"I don't think we are standing at the precipice of defeat," says Khairy Jamaluddin, deputy chief of UMNO's youth wing and Mr. Abdullah's son-in-law. He forecast that the National Front will retain at least 80% of Parliament's seats.

Still, the election is likely to be one of the most hotly contested in Malaysia's recent history, in part because Mr. Abdullah has been relatively more tolerant of media criticism and political dissent than his predecessor. His critics -- including Dr. Mahathir -- have called him an ineffectual leader with no compelling vision for the resource-rich country, whose export-driven economy faces stiff competition from India, China and regional upstarts like Vietnam.

Often held up as a model for economic development across the Muslim world, Malaysia under Mr. Abdullah has maintained generally good relations with the U.S., a contrast with Dr. Mahathir's frequent anti-Western outbursts. Malaysia is a major exporter of palm oil -- now in demand for biofuel -- as well as natural gas and oil. It is also home to a significant electronics-components industry, with foreign investors such as Intel Corp. and Motorola Inc.

The timing of the election signals the government's nervousness, some analysts say. The Parliament's mandate doesn't expire until mid-2009. But in addition to fears about an economic downturn, the ruling coalition is facing a crucial deadline related to Mr. Anwar. The opposition politician, who retains popularity among many UMNO voters, is barred from standing for elected office until April 14 because of his conviction on corruption charges under Dr. Mahathir. Going to the polls before that deadline prevents his return to Parliament, at least for now.

--THE WALL STREET JOURNAL--

MAHATHIR TERUS TENTANG BN

2008-02-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

Secara logik, pernahkah kita terfikir mengapa seorang bekas PM masih tidak berpuas hati dengan anak buah harapan sedangkan usia sudah tampak membatasi kesihatanya.
Saya dikhabarkan oleh rakan-rakan PRO-UMNO(BN) dengan kenyataan seperti, Tun Dr Mahathir sengaja menguji kekuatan Pak Lah, Tun tamak kuasa dan mungkir janji, Tun tidak puas hati dengan pembatalan beberapa projek yang membawa income kepadanya serta Tun tidak faham strategy plan-plan ekonomi 'ala Pak Lah'.

Setelah meneliti beberapa keterangan tersebut serta penilaian dari kenyataan Tun pada siri peneranganya keseluruh negara, maka saya membuat kesimpulan berikut:

Kebanyakan fakta yang dikemukakan oleh Tun adalah tepat, logik dan tidak berunsur fitnah.Malah hampir kesemua faktanya membuatkan kita bertambah bimbang dengan keadaan yang sedia dibimbangi.Jika kita mengambil kira luahan Tun menerusi Video dibawah ini, kita akan ketahui betapa hancurnya UMNO dan para hulubalangnya yang seakan berada didalam sebuah 'BALANG'.

Jika kita menyusun satu-persatu FAKTA yang didedahkan oleh TUN, D.S ANWAR IBRAHIM, TUAN GURU NIK ABDUL AZIZ SERTA D.S HJ HADI AWANG, NESCAYA KITA MAMPU MENGUKUR DENGAN LEBIH TEPAT SETAKAT MANA KEMAMPUAN Pak Lah dan Konco-konconya.

Secara peribadi, ianya semakin rapuh, reput dan akan hancur lebur dengan polisi ala koboi berpaksikan 'KERAJAAN BIZNES'.

TUN Dr MAHATHIR - PART 1

TUN Dr MAHATHIR - PART 2

DATO SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM - JANUARY 1st 2008, DUNGUN TERENGGANU

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Malaysia elections: Between change and inertia

Farish Noor

AND so, with the dissolution of the Malaysian parliament on Wednesday, Malaysia is heading to the elections once again. Scheduled for March 8, it is clear that this will be one of the more hotly contested elections that Malaysia has witnessed.

Over the past two years alone a string of controversies have stirred the Malaysian public's interest in the goings-on in the corridors of power in the country: The highly publicised case of the murder of a Mongolian model has dragged many a famous name (including that of politicians) into the limelight; the revelation of irregularities in the appointment of senior judges has brought the judiciary into close focus; the destruction of a number of Hindu temples has aroused the anger of many Malaysian Hindus; while the plethora of on-going marriage and divorce cases between Muslims and non-Muslims has added to the widening of the gulf between the religious and ethnic communities in the country.

What is more, the spate of public demonstrations - many of which took place in the capital Kuala Lumpur - would suggest that sections of the Malaysian public are more politically aware and politically literate than before. The BERSIH campaign calling for free and fair elections, for instance, was a movement that is rooted in Malaysia's civil society and which cut across the racial, ethnic and religious divides which have always been the salient markers of the Malaysian political landscape. Conversely the demonstrations organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) would suggest that communitarian and sectarian issues remain a defining factor of Malaysian politics until today.

All eyes will now be on the administration of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who faces the tough prospect of retaining the public's support for a second term.

Badawi came to power following the resignation of former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad, who led - and in many ways transformed - Malaysia for more than two decades. In the immediate aftermath of Mahathir's unannounced resignation that stunned the nation, Badawi was chosen as his successor. Yet when Badawi came to power with an enormous mandate in the elections of 2004 (with one of the highest approval ratings ever given to any Malaysian leader) he promised a wide range of reforms that included the promise of greater accountability, transparency and a thorough overhaul of some of the key institutions of government including the civil service, judiciary and police force.

Four years on, there seems to be the widespread perception that the Badawi administration has failed to deliver. Despite earlier promises that the long-standing cases of alleged corruption and nepotism between government and the corporate sector were to be resolved, no major cases have been dealt with until now. Instead the Malaysian public has been witness to a number of embarrassing revelations about the murky dealings within the governmental system instead.

Another area where Badawi seems weak is his stand on Islam, which was encapsulated in his vision of a modern, progressive, 'Islam Hadari'. While admittedly Badawi has expressed the keen desire to see Islam understood and practiced in a universal, inclusive and tolerant manner, the realities on the ground would suggest that the religious authorities in the country have not taken heed of any of the universal principles he has espoused all along: The seizure of Bibles by Malaysian customs officers, the activities of the morality police that spy on the private lives of Malaysians, the banning of books that are deemed 'a threat' to Islam and Muslims, etc, have all prompted Malaysians to ask: 'What sort of modern, progressive Islam is this?'

But Badawi's greatest challenge to date has been the pervading presence of his former mentor Tun Mahathir himself. More than the danger of increased communitarian and sectarian politics, more than the challenge of a resurgent Islamic party (PAS) waiting to regain control of the Muslim-majority states, more than the challenge posed by the new generation of politically-conscious urban civil society activists and dedicated professional classes; it is the dominating presence of Tun Mahathir that looms over the Badawi government at the moment.

When Badawi promised a new era of transparency and openness, many observers of Malaysian politics noted that this was a departure from the ways of the Mahathir administration. To some extent it has to be said that Malaysia's civil society and media have indeed opened up, with issues being discussed in the public domain as never before. But this has also incurred a cost to the Badawi government, and it has irked those who were more comfortable with the ways of the Mahathir era when governance was strictly a top-down unilateral process with less public participation.

The down-sizing of several mammoth projects that were initiated during the Mahathir period, the revelation of corruption and abuse of power dating back to the 1980s, the attempt to introduce some degree of accountability to the workings of the police and security forces; etc have been seen as a means of overturning many of the developments made during Mahathir's time.

The former prime minister has further upped the stakes by publicly stating that Badawi was perhaps not the best man to replace him, and to suggest that Badawi may eventually be a 'one-term' prime minister.

This, then, is one of the core issues that really being fought out in the coming elections of Malaysia. While the Badawi government is pressed to take on the opposition parties and to address a host of demands from a wide section of Malaysia's now vocal civil society, the real - and perhaps only - threat to Badawi's position in power comes from the old guard of the ruling elite and governmental system itself, who do not relish the prospect of real, long term institutional change, reform and modernisation.

The 12th general elections of Malaysia will therefore determine whether the reform process continues, or whether institutional inertia will win the day.

--gnews--

FORCIBLE

2008-01-30T19:32:00.000-08:00

LUAH MATI MAK, TELAN MATI PAK - TUN Dr.Mahathir

MALAYSIAN PM OVERSTAYING HIS WELCOME: MAHATHIR

18 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysia's former premier Mahathir Mohamad said Wednesday he never intended his successor Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to serve more than one term and suggested he should stand down.

Abdullah, who has had a very public falling out with the veteran leader, will contest for his second term in general elections expected to be held in March.

Mahathir previously said he made a mistake in picking Abdullah, and should have opted for influential deputy prime minister Najib Razak.

"That was my thinking, since (Abdullah) was older than Najib, he should be PM for one term and then Najib should be able to take over," he told a press conference.

"I know it takes time to implement plans and projects but I think if that is to be used as an excuse to stay in power for 18 years then that will not be very welcome."

Abdullah won a landslide victory in 2004 polls when voters were enthused by his plans to fight corruption, but since then he has been widely criticised for inaction and suffered a steep tumble in popularity.

In recent months he has faced an unprecedented wave of public protests over the rights of minority ethnic Indians, as well as electoral reform and rising food and fuel prices.

"They see a government that is retreating and they want to take advantage," Mahathir said of the street rallies which would have been unthinkable during his term in power which ended in 2003 after more than two decades.

Abdullah was Mahathir's hand-picked successor when he stepped down, but after the new leader dumped several of his pet projects he began launching accusations of economic mismanagement, nepotism and corruption.

--AFP--

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BOOK ON Dr Mahathir's Selected Letters Launched

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today launched his book entitled "Mahathir's Selected Letters to World Leaders.

Never-before-published correspondence with esteemed leaders from the world over, the 71 letters by Dr Mahathir, Bush, Chirac, Blair, Thatcher and Prince Charles (among others) are unique as they interpret and argue their contrasting positions on terrorism, globalisation, economic and diplomatic relations, and war and conflict.

The correspondence were transparent, solid, and informative.

Dr Mahathir writes directly, in his own recognisable voice and style, a unique correspondence by a remarkable Malaysian Prime Minister.

It is a book to be enjoyed, on many different levels, by all who love politics, diplomacy and international relations.

None of these letters have been published before and the most obvious feature is the style, the simple words used to explain various complex, issues were written in ordinary English sentences.

The 237-page book, retailed at RM49.90 was published by Marshall Cavendish, an international publisher of books, directories, magazines and on-line learning.

It was edited and compiled by Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad who is an MCKK-Cambridge and Harvard-educated writer, public intellectual and the founding chairman of the Institute of Political and Economic Studies (KAPE).

Abdullah was special envoy to the United Nations between 1996-2000 and editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times for several years.

--BERNAMA--

V.K. LINGAM SCANDAL VIDEO

2008-01-16T18:43:00.000-08:00

V.K. LINGAM SCANDAL (PART 1)

V.K. LINGAM SCANDAL (PART 2)

MAN IN VIDEO CLIP KNEW OFFICIAL SECRETS

By CHELSEA L.Y. NG, CECIL FUNG and LISA GOH

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the V.K. Lingam video clip was left wondering as to how the man in the clip knew “official secrets” privy only to the Prime Minister, Chief Justice and Chief Secretary to the Government.

Commissioner Datuk Mahadev Shankar pointed out during the testimony of former Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Samsudin Osman that the “man in the video” knew the details of a letter sent by the then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to the then Chief Justice Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah regarding the nominations of High Court judges.

Samsudin, the sixth witness in the inquiry, was testifying on the correspondence in late 2001 between himself, Dr

Mahathir and Dzaiddin on a list of proposed candidates for the appointments.

These correspondence, he said, were official secrets that even ministers and deputy ministers had no access to.

In his testimony, Samsudin said the names of two lawyers originally proposed by Dzaiddin were dropped along the way.

Mahadev, who clarified with the witness on the date of this omission, pointed out that the man having the telephone conversation in the controversial video clip already knew about the matter 15 days later.

According to the transcript, the man in the video clip said in a telephone conversation:

“Then, there is a letter. It ... according to Tengku, I'm going to see him tomorrow, there is a letter sent to ... ah ... CJ ... ah I mean to Tan Sri Dzaiddin that Datuk Heliliah, Datuk Ali ... and Datuk Ramly Datuk Ramly and Datuk Maarop be made judges, ... and aa ... he rejected ah ... that Dr Andrew Chew and apa itu Zainudin Ismail lah because Zainudin Ismail who condemned your appointment and Tan Sri Mohtar's appointment.”

Mahadev: By Dec 5 (2001), the rejection of the two names (Dr Andrew Chew Peng Hui and Zainudin Ismail) were already an established fact. The event had already taken place and the only people who knew were the parties to the correspondence?

Samsudin: Yes.

Mahadev: Allegedly on Dec 20, 2001, according to the video clip, Dr Andrew Chew and Zainudin Ismail had been rejected. How did he (the man in the video) come to know about it?

Samsudin: I honestly don’t know. But I assure you whatever in the Cabinet we guard very closely. Security there is very, very tight.

Mahadev: If it is so tight, how it is that somebody can mention in the video clip something so confidential?

Samsudin: I’m puzzled too.

Mahadev: If he knows this, he might know a lot of other things too.

Samsudin: I don’t know. That’s the simple answer.

Mahadev: You can’t speculate?

Samsudin: I don’t even know this gentleman.

Earlier, Samsudin testified that Dzaiddin wrote to Dr Mahathir in October 2001 regarding the proposal to appoint five individuals as High Court judges.

He said Dr Mahathir forwarded the list – comprising the names of then Solicitor-General Datuk Heliliah Mohd Yusof, judicial commissioners Datuk Ramly Ali and Datuk Ahmad Maarop, and lawyers Dr Chew and Zainudin – to him to ask for his opinion.

“I asked the Attorney-General for input on the first three names. I also noticed that several judicial commissioners had been appointed at the same time as the proposed two.

“So I forwarded the names of these judicial commissioners together with the original list back to the Prime Minister for him to decide,” he said.

Samsudin said Dr Mahathir then wrote to Dzaiddin on Dec 5, 2001 and consented to the candidacy of Heliliah, Ramly and Ahmad.

“He also proposed to the Chief Justice for two more candidates to be selected from the list of five serving as judicial commissioners,” he said.

When commissioner Tan Sri Steve Shim asked why Dr Chew and Zainudin’s names were dropped, Samsudin replied that he did not know the reason.

The witness then said that Dzaiddin subsequently wrote to Dr Mahathir on Jan 11, 2002 to thank him for consenting to the appointment of the first three names he had proposed.

He said the Chief Justice also asked the Prime Minister to reconsider the two lawyers.

“But in a letter dated January 2002, the Prime Minister chose to nominate Datuk Sulaiman Daud and (Datuk) V.T. Singam for the appointments and refused the other two lawyers’ names,” he said.

Samsudin, who said he did not know Lingam, added that he had only seen the segment of the video clip shown on television.

He said he knew business tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan as he often met people from the private sector in the course of his work.

As for Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Samsudin, who is now Putrajaya Corporation president, said he knew him because he had been a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department before becoming a minister.

“I interact with him a lot nowadays because he is the Putrajaya MP and Tourism Minister,” he said.

--THE STAR ONLINE--

MAHATHIR AND GLOBAL

2008-01-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

LEADERSHIP FOR COUNTRY's SUCCESS

By Sunil Karunanayake

Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Lee Kuan Yew, Mikhail Gorbachev and Dr Mahathir Mohamed are some of the leaders who reshaped the history in contemporary times. Whether leaders are born or made it is they who could influence their followers and build up strong teams. This is something common in most fields such as Politics, War, Economy and even sports. In team sports like Soccer, Cricket and Rugby we have heard of many leaders who have led their countries with admiration to success. It was just a decade ago that Arjuna Ranatunga led Sri Lanka to World Championship honours beating the mighty Aussies amidst many obstacles. The year 1996 remains a landmark year where Sri Lanka gained International recognition and built a successful foundation for a lucrative Cricket Industry.

Churchill became a post war hero having given leadership to the allies and ending years of misery and war for his people thus paving the way for an energized and modern Europe. Mandela having formed the African National Congress led an underground freedom struggle that earned him a prison term of nearly three decades. Having being awarded the Nobel Prize in 1993 Mandela emerged victorious in South Africa’s first ever multiracial elections 1994 to end centuries of white dominance in South Africa.
Britons who ruled Singapore from 1819 owing to its valuable deep water Port and strategic location relinquished their power in 1959 and in the elections held in 1959 Lee became the Prime Minister until he quit the position in 1990 after 31 remarkable years. It was during this period that Singapore maintained a growth rate of 8%, per capita income of excess of US$25,000, a significant increase in quality of life, reduction in the income inequality, and rise in life expectancy and to date continues to be a global super power. Lee’s other major achievement was establishing communal harmony among diverse but small population.

The models above represent; Churchill – who governed and led the political process in business style, Mandela- a freedom fighter who having led his struggle from the prison for a greater part of his life unified a war conflict ridden nation, Lee - who beginning from the basics built one of the greatest economic miracles and a disciplined nation and Mahathir - who converted an agricultural economy into a leading prospering industrial nation. Gorbachev provided unity and stability to Europe.

These are different styles of successful leadership that caused economic and political miracles Sri Lanka has been plagued with the war for well over a decade thus escalating defence expenditure, retarding the country’s progress, further aggravated by deteriorating global conditions seriously affecting energy and food imports and a series of fiscal issues causing high inflationary trends. The poor and the fixed income earning middle class are fighting for survival amidst ever increasing prices. War has left many innocents homeless and normal life in conflict areas seriously curtailed. Politically the country seems to be in chaos with hung parliaments and thin majorities forcing the ruling party to struggle for political majority giving rise to a series of other adverse economic issues.

Lower living costs, improved infrastructure facilities, higher quality of life, eradication of poverty, law and order, peace and harmony, etc have been dream words of every Sri Lankan for decades; the distant dawn seems to be moving away each year. This situation could only be changed by honest, committed law abiding leadership that could win the confidence of people. People are simply fed up of rhetoric speeches, street demonstrations, false promises that have prevailed over our country ever since independence.

We often hear the cry we do not have leaders, this is not the reality; if we do not we must pressurize the political leadership to move in the correct direction. Though this is a task for the entire nation it could be best handled by an independent business sector as it is they who provide public revenue and foreign exchange.

Business leaders are well familiar with leadership as in business difference between success and failure rests with leadership. Churchill has earned fame as one of 20th century’s greatest leaders who is also said to have governed with a business sense.
He is said to have run his government like a large business corporation mastering with ease the day to day challenges. Difficult times require leaders with uncommon characteristics.

Let’s not forget leadership attributes of rulers like Dutugemunu and Parakramabahu and Dhatusena whose great treasured legacies still adorn the NCP of Sri Lanka. The New Year resolution and the dream of every Sri Lanka is good honest leadership that could take us out of the present crisis.

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TEHRAN TO HOST FORUM ON GLOBALIZATION

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 05:15:06

International think-tanks convene in Tehran for a conference on globalization, privatization and social economic justice.

According to IRIB, the conference which has been organized by the National Center for Studies on Globalization and Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines (CCIM), will be inaugurated with an address from Parliament Speaker Gholam-Ali Hadad Adel.

Malaysia's former premier Mahathir bin Mohamed will also address the
meeting through videoconferencing.

During the three-day forum, participants will table issues including the impact of globalization on economic growth; globalization and economic justice in Muslim countries; the interaction between states and foundations, competitiveness and economic justice.

Tehran has recently launched the National Center for Research on Globalization.
The new state-owned center is intended to engineer joint scientific and research projects by Iranian experts and academics around the world.

LATEST MAHATHIR

2008-01-02T07:01:00.000-08:00

DR.M SEDIA BERI KERJASAMA KEPADA BPR SEKALI LAGI

KUALA LUMPUR 1 Jan. – Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad sedia memberi kerjasama sekali lagi kepada Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) bagi membantu siasatan klip video perbualan telefon seorang peguam terkemuka mengenai pelantikan hakim di negara ini.

‘‘Kalau mereka panggil (untuk siasatan), saya pergi sajalah,’’ katanya ketika ditanya pemberita sama ada BPR akan memanggil beliau sekali lagi untuk membantu siasatan kes rakaman video membabitkan peguam V.K. Lingam.

Dr. Mahathir bersama isterinya, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd. Ali ditemui selepas menandatangani buku takziah kematian bekas Perdana Menteri Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto di pejabat Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Pakistan di sini hari ini.
Sebelum ini, Dr. Mahathir pernah memberi keterangan kepada BPR di pejabatnya di Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana di Putrajaya selama sejam berhubung klip rakaman video tersebut.
Rakaman video selama lapan minit itu melibatkan perbualan antara peguam Datuk V.K. Lingam dengan seorang bekas Ketua Hakim Negara mengenai pelantikan hakim-hakim di negara ini pada 2002.

Nama Dr. Mahathir turut dikaitkan dalam rakaman video klip yang didedahkan oleh sebuah parti pembangkang itu.
BPR sebelum ini sudah menyiasat lebih 10 individu termasuk nama mereka yang disebut dalam klip video tersebut.
Terdahulu, Dr. Mahathir turut menyuarakan kesedihan atas kematian Benazir memandangkan bekas Perdana Menteri Pakistan itu mempunyai hubungan baik dengan Malaysia.

“Kita juga mempunyai harapan beliau akan dapat membantu Pakistan kembali tenang dan aman serta dapat dibangunkan sekiranya perkara ini (pembunuhan Benazir) tidak berlaku,” katanya.

Dr. Mahathir mendoakan supaya kerajaan Pakistan yang ada sekarang akan dapat menenangkan keadaan huru-hara yang tercetus akibat pembunuhan Benazir.

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DR. M SAYS QUALITY OF UMNO DELEGATES HAS DECLINED

KUALA LUMPUR Oct 31 - Former Prime Minister and UMNO president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the quality of UMNO delegates had declined and this was reflected in the persistent rumours of "money politics".

Dr Mahathir also saw no easy solution to the problem of money politics since those who practised it refused to admit while others who knew about it stayed silent on the justification that those involved were their friends.

"This problem will grow unless we all are prepared to stamp it out by exposing anyone who asks for money, anyone who gives money," he said in an interview published in Mingguan Malaysia Sunday.

Asked to comment on the outcome of the UMNO Supreme Council election recently, Dr Mahathir said the election of several people whose personal integrity had been questioned showed that the choices were not made based on the assessment of the candidates but were instead influenced by other factors.

He declined to comment when asked whether he could pick out the candidates of the Prime Minister and his deputy from among the present party leadership line-up.

"Sometimes, an unexpected person can go up to become PM. We definitely want to choose people who are qualified but, in a democratic system, the unqualified sometimes win," he said.

However, he pointed out, the Cabinet had talented Ministers and he believed the successor to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would come from among the experienced ministers.

He advised the younger leaders to go through the process of gaining experience by serving from the bottom as Parliamentary Secretary, Deputy Minister and then Minister to polish up their talents.

"Without experience, they (younger leaders) will not have the wisdom," he said.

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MAHATHIR CALLS FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN PAKISTAN

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 2 - Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has called for an end to violence in Pakistan and said he was 'saddened' by the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Signing the condolence register at the Pakistan High Commission here in the wake of the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, Mahathir expressed the hope that peace would return to Pakistan.

'I hope the government can bring back peace to the country,' Mahathir, who was prime minister for over two decades, said.

Mahathir had been chief of the Organisation of Islamic countries (OIC) and of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) at different times. Both Malaysia and Pakistan are also members of the Commonwealth.

Benazir, 54, former prime minister and leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, was killed in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi on Dec 27.

The Malaysian government has advised its citizens to avoid visiting Pakistan and suggested that its students stay away from protest demonstrations.

MAHATHIR: US WANTs IRAN's OIL

2007-12-06T18:22:00.000-08:00

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:05:55

Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says the US and Britain seek a war on Iran to gain control over its oil resources.
The US and Britain lied about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and used it as an excuse to invade the country, Mahathir said in a statement.

Now, they are using the same tactic against Iran, he said.

A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency showed there is no evidence that Tehran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program but the 'war mongering nations are once again claiming otherwise and demanding this to be an excuse for war', said the former prime minister.

"Clearly they are lying again,"he added.

--PRESSTV.IR--

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Dr M: LIMA has benefited Langkawi greatly

LANGKAWI: The biennial Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) exhibition has brought tremendous economic growth to the island, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said the event’s overwhelming response since its inception in 1991 has resulted in almost 100% occupancy rate at all hotels here.

“Many hoteliers here are asking for the event to be held every week as their rooms are fully booked for the week,” he joked when visiting the aerospace exhibition hall here Wednesday.

Dr Mahathir, who had mooted the idea for Lima, said he was happy to note its progress over the years.

He said Lima was gaining popularity, noting that the event this year had a bigger number of participants and exhibition space.

Lima 2007 has 350 international exhibitors, including 20 Malaysian companies, showcasing among the world’s best systems, equipment and services in the aerospace and maritime industry.

Malaysia’s first Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who was at the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry booth, was thrilled when Dr Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali dropped by.

Earlier, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah visited the exhibition centre and witnessed an aerial display together with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre.

Tuanku Nur Zahirah will launch a new Royal Malaysia Navy patrol boat at the maritime exhibition in Awana Porto Malai here Thursday.

--TheStar Online--

MAHATHIR WARNS ABOUT WAR DRUMS AGAINST IRAN

2007-11-17T07:20:00.000-08:00

Following is the text of statement issued by former Malaysian prime minister
Mahathir Bin Mohamad in Kuala Lumpur on November 16:

After the devastation in Iraq, where more than a million Iraqi citizens have been killed, millions displaced as refugees in neighboring countries, and the barbarity committed in Abu Gharib and Guantanamo Bay, one would have thought war as an option to resolve international disputes would be rejected except as last resort or in self-defense.

But war drums are beating loudly again and young men and women are being trained to wage another murderous war, this time against another hapless country, Iran. The alleged claim, for which the world's citizens are called into support, is that Iran is producing nuclear weapons.

They lied regarding the WMD in Iraq.

Now, despite statements by the IAEA that there is no evidence of Iran embarking on any nuclear weapons program, the warmongering nations are once again claiming otherwise and demanding this to be an excuse to war. Clearly they are lying again. Once again they want an excuse for going against another oil rich country which is also a Muslim country.

Israel has now called for the dismissal of ElBaradei for reporting the truth about the current state of affairs in Iran. Britain's Prime Minister has however issued a statement that Britain would support and lead in the war against Iran. President Bush and Vice President Cheney are equally, if not more belligerent in calling for a war against Iran.

War is mass murder.

It is uncivilized. Is the world going back to the age when disputes for honor were settled by duels in which the more proficient with weapons always had the upper hand? Are we to condone the mass killings of innocent civilians because of the folly and blood lust of their government leaders as was the case in World War I and World War II?

Let us not repeat a century of killings and mass murder by WMDs with another century of mass murder and killings of the innocent.

Peace and peaceful resolutions of disputes must prevail.

I therefore call upon all world leaders, secular and religious, to join me in this global effort to condemn wars and to promote the peaceful resolution of the present U.S.-Iran dispute and all future international disputes.

God willing our efforts will succeed.

--TEHRAN TIMES--

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BANTAH AS CUBA LANCAR PERANG KE ATAS IRAN

KUALA LUMPUR 16 Nov. – Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad menggesa pemimpin-pemimpin dunia, sekular dan agama menyertai usaha global bagi menentang sebarang percubaan Amerika Syarikat yang mahu melancarkan perang ke atas Iran.

Menurut bekas Perdana Menteri, walaupun Agensi Tenaga Atom Antarabangsa (IAEA) menyatakan tidak ada bukti bahawa Iran melaksanakan program pembinaan senjata nuklear tetapi negara-negara yang cintakan peperangan menyatakan sebaliknya.

‘‘Adalah jelas mereka berbohong dan sekali lagi mereka mahukan sebab untuk melancarkan perang ke atas sebuah negara yang kaya dengan minyak yang juga sebuah negara Islam,’’ katanya dalam satu kenyataan yang dikeluarkan di sini hari ini

Ketua Pengarah IAEA, Mohamed El- Baradei pada 21 September lalu mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa Iran bukan sebuah negara yang mampu memberi ancaman walaupun ‘dunia ketika ini resah’ dengan program nuklear negara itu.

Mohamed turut meminta pemimpin global untuk memberikan peluang kepada keamanan sambil menegaskan sehingga kini tiada sebarang bahan radioaktif tersembunyi atau tapak pengeluaran bawah tanah ditemui, kata beliau ketika diwawancara oleh sebuah televisyen Itali.

Dr. Mahathir memberitahu, Israel pula pada ketika ini menggesa agar Mohamed dipecat kerana melaporkan perkara yang benar mengenai keadaan di Iran.

Malahan Perdana Menteri Britain, Gordon Brown mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa negara itu akan menyokong dan mengetuai perang ke atas Iran.

‘‘Presiden AS, George W. Bush dan Naib Presiden Dick Cheney juga menunjukkan kesediaan mereka untuk berperang,’’ katanya.

Sehubungan itu, usaha global untuk menghalang melancarkan peperangan ke atas Iran perlu dilaksanakan.

Menurutnya, langkah serupa juga perlu dilakukan bagi menghalang usaha melancarkan peperangan bagi menyelesaikan sebarang pertikaian antarabangsa pada masa depan.

‘‘Resolusi penyelesaian secara aman perlu dilaksanakan dalam menyelesaikan sebarang pertikaian.

‘‘Janganlah masyarakat dunia mengulangi berabad lamanya pembunuhan dan pembunuhan beramai-ramai melalui senjata pemusnah besar-besaran (WMD) terhadap mereka yang tidak berdosa,’’ katanya.

Dr. Mahathir menegaskan, peperangan adalah pembunuhan beramai-ramai.

Jelas beliau, peperangan merupakan tindakan tidak bertamadun dan kembali ke zaman gelap dengan pertikaian maruah diselesaikan melalui penggunaan senjata.

‘‘Adakah masyarakat dunia akan menyokong pembunuhan beramai-ramai mereka yang tidak bersalah kerana nafsu pemimpin yang laparkan darah seperti dalam Perang Dunia Pertama dan Perang Dunia Kedua,’’ katanya.

--UTUSAN ONLINE--

DR.MAHATHIR SET FOR HEART SURGERY

2007-09-02T21:31:00.000-07:00

MAHATHIR JALANI PEMBEDAHAN PINTASAN KORONARI KEDUA

KUALA LUMPUR, 3 Sept - Bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad akan menjalani pembedahan pintasan koronari kedua esok di Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) yang akan dilakukan oleh sepasukan pakar bedah diketuai Tan Sri Dr Yahya Awang.
IJN dalam satu kenyataan yang dikeluarkan di sini hari ini berkata Dr Mahathir, yang dimasukkan ke IJN semalam, akan menjalani "pembedahan pintasan koronari pilihan".
Dr Mahathir, 81, menjalani pembedahan pintasan koronari pertamanya di Hospital Besar Kuala Lumpur pada 24 Jan 1989.
Pengarah Perubatan IJN Datuk Seri Dr Robaayah Zambahari mengetuai panel doktor yang merawat Dr Mahathir.Menurut IJN, atas nasihat doktor, tiada pelawat dibenarkan melawat Dr Mahathir kecuali ahli keluarga terdekat.

--BERNAMA--

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MALAYSIA's EX-LEADER MAHATHIR TO HAVE SECOND HEART BYPASS SURGERY

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has entered a hospital for his second bypass surgery after recently suffering two heart attacks, officials said Monday.

Mahathir was set to undergo the "elective coronary bypass surgery" Tuesday, the National Heart Institute hospital said in a statement.

Mahathir, 81, was admitted to the hospital Sunday, two days after taking part in a parade to mark the country's 50th independence day.

The Star newspaper quoted Mahathir's son, Mokhzani, as saying his father — who suffered heart attacks in November and May — had wanted to postpone the surgery until after the national day celebrations.

"He is all right and preparing for the operation," the paper quoted Mokhzani as saying.

Yahya Awang, the surgeon who performed a bypass on Mahathir in 1989, was to head the surgery team Tuesday, the hospital statement said.

A November heart attack forced Mahathir to greatly reduce his physical activities, and virtually halted his one-man campaign against his hand-picked successor, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Mahathir led Malaysia for 22 years until 2003, and stepped down after choosing Abdullah to replace him. But last year Mahathir began attacking Abdullah, accusing him of corruption, nepotism and mismanaging the economy. Abdullah has rejected the allegations.

--INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE--

TIME FOR CHANGE

2007-08-27T01:05:00.000-07:00

TUN DR.MAHATHIR TERUS MENGKRITIK KEPIMPINAN MR.CLEAN.

Setelah membaca temuramah diantara bloggers dan tun dalam sebuah akhbar tempatan,ternyata tun begitu mengharap pembaharuan dalam kancah politik negara dalam skala yang besar.Dari sekecil hal sehingga sebesar-besar masalah.Tun juga secara terbuka mengharapkan bloggers agar terus menghalusi setiap inci 'rumah umno' dalam merungkai masalah dalaman umno dan kepimpinanya.

"saya sukar nak menyatakan perasaan ini.saya sayangkan umno tetapi tidak menyokong kepimpinannya.Memang saya bodoh.tidak pandai memilih pengganti yang sesuai.Dulu saya lantik musa hitam, dia lawan.kemudian anwar, juga lawan saya.Dan anda menyalahkan saya.Sebab tiada orang yang mahu memberitahu apa yang ada dalam hati orang-orang yang saya lantik.Dan saya pilih orang lama dan berumur sedikit.Anda kata dia mr.clean.memang betul-betul clean sebab hari-hari basuh dengan sabun feb.Salah saya juga lah" kata mahathir penuh makna.

Tun banyak mendedahkan kepincangan hari ini terutama
dalam projek WPI(WILAYAH PEMBANGUNAN ISKANDAR).
Tun yakin satu hari nanti melayu akan menjadi minoriti di bumi sendiri.
Dan harapan tun tentunya ingin melihat melayu bangkit melawan kepimpinan hari ini.
Tun benar-benar risau akan apa yang sedang berlaku ketika ini.Dari masalah rasuah yang semakin meningkat, perpecahan polis kepada dua block, kerugian dalam proton dan masa depan umat islam malaysia, orang melayu serta negara ini.

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TIME FOR CHANGE
Saturday, 25 August 2007

If the ruling coalition is denied a two-thirds parliamentary majority, it would be forced to become accountable, to respect the people’s rights and to conduct itself responsibly and prudently. It is time to usher in a new era of accountable politics, says K George.

After 22 years of autocratic rule by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad that was fraught with cronyism, nepotism, favouritism and squandering, and when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi entered Putrajaya as the fifth Prime Minister on 31 October 2003, we, the people, felt relieved and welcomed him with open arms. Abdullah aka Pak Lah, Mr. Clean and Nice Guy went on a charade of promises, which we implicitly believed. We believed that Pak Lah was the God-sent saviour of Malaysia.

He vowed to the people to eradicate corruption, which had become rampant under his predecessor’s regime, and to introduce an agenda of reforms. He asked us to work with him – not for him; he wanted to hear only the truth. Abdullah, in his maiden speech in Parliament on 3 November 2003, committed himself to a “clean, incorruptible, trustworthy, people-orientated, efficient government” that respects democratic principles including the separation of powers, namely Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary.

Further, he pledged transparency and greater freedom of the press and the enhancement of civil society. The PM also assured us of the re-introduction of open and transparent tenders. Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index rankings showed that Malaysia’s position has plunged from 37th in 2003 to 39th in 2004 and then to 44th in 2006.

In a few months, Abdullah will have completed four years of his premiership. Alas, our hopes and aspirations have been dashed. Abdullah has failed to deliver. His capability and capacity to be an effective Prime Minister leaves much to be desired. Mahathir, who appointed him as the Deputy Prime Minister, publicly announced that Abdullah was not fit to take over the premiership. His earlier assurance that he would only retire after finding another suitable deputy raises the question: why did he then hand-pick Abdullah to succeed him?.

That was not the end of the story. Before Mahathir’s exit, it appeared that there was an understanding to appoint Najib Razak as the Deputy Prime Minister. After assuming the premiership, when Abdullah was dilly-dallying over the announcement of his deputy, Mahathir forced his hand by proclaiming publicly that Najib had all the credentials to be appointed the Deputy Prime Minister. If not for this pressure, we will never know whether Abdullah would have opted for someone else. The prevailing perception then was that Najib was not a suitable candidate to succeed Abdullah and therefore he did not stand a chance to be appointed the DPM.

General elections and Umno elections

Abdullah in February 2004 ordered the arrest of Eric Chia and Kasitah Gaddam for corruption. In an open letter to the people, he promised that he would be fair to all the people irrespective of race and religion. Abdullah then called for the 11th General Election which was held on 21 March 2004. It was one of the worst elections ever held in Malaysia. There were three different sets of electoral rolls instead of one final one; rampant violations of election laws and rules took place; and the mass media totally blacked out the opposition. The fifth premier, Abdullah, was returned to power in an election victory with the greatest electoral mandate in our history..

With such an excellent endorsement of Abdullah’s leadership, he could have implemented all his undertakings and promises but he failed miserably to do so. One of the worst things he did was to retain the tainted leaders from the previous administration to take over key portfolios in a bloated cabinet that ranked larger than that of India’s.

Umno’s election of the Supreme Council was held in September 2004. Although he was elected president, Abdullah saw almost all his candidates, including some ministers, defeated. One of his candidates who contested the post of Vice-President also did not make it. Somehow Abdullah put on a bold face and told the press that all his candidates won the election.

Scandals, scandals...

Some months after he assumed office, Abdullah’s government was rocked by a series of scandals. Of course, Abdullah had nothing to do with this as those contracts that went awry were given during the Mahathir regime, some of which are:
• the Matrade building (RM400 million) not completed even after 10 years;
• the MRR2 Kepong Flyover (RM240 million) – extensive cracks on the structures appeared soon after completion raising doubts about the workmanship and the quality of materials used;
• the Sultan Ismail Hospital, Johor Bahru (RM560 million) - extensive fungus infection – completion had been already delayed for several years)

A public outcry ensued, with calls for Anti-Corruption Agency investigations to nail the culprits. I am not sure what has happened. These huge contracts, in all probability, might have been given to cronies with favourable clauses.

The Menteri Besar of Selangor, Mohd Khir Toyo, was linked to a series of scandals such as:
• the destruction of the Bukit Cahaya Agricultural Park in Shah Alam, which cost taxpayers more than RM200 million to develop,
• the construction of a multi-million ringgit complex of 10 bungalows with a club house and two swimming pools exclusively for the executive members of the state assembly without an approved budget,
• the dubious alienation of several large plots of state lands to private companies and individuals without proper authorisation.

Has the ACA completed its investigations? Where is the report and why has it not been made public? Have the authorities turned a blind eye to these scandals?

These are many more scandals. Khir Toyo’s response was that it was not only the state of Selangor that was involved in scandalous adventures, but other states were equally guilty of the same crime. Does it make it right? What a way to rationalise scandals and corruption!

The privatization of government assets started by Mahathir is something that is unforgettable and unforgivable. We had hoped that Pak Lah would scrutinise and rectify the numerous one-sided contracts that did not benefit the nation, Unfortunately that did not take place. Privatising the highways and allowing toll collections by the private sector without revealing the contents of the contracts have resulted in Malaysians having to pay ever-increasing tolls periodically. Besides that, why should this revenue go to the private sector? By right, toll collections must be government revenue to be used for the benefit and welfare of the people.

Umno and money politics

The Barisan National (BN) is a coalition of 14 political parties but it has been unfairly dominated by Umno ever since Independence in 1957. Originally it was an alliance of Umno, the MCA and the MIC which ruled Malaysia. There was then at least better consultation among the three and things were not as glaringly lopsided as it is now.

Umno could have played an effective role in curbing corruption and upholding certain values like justice, fairness and compassion.

Bur greed seemed to have somewhat taken hold of the party through some influential leaders who had been exposed as being corrupt. To get elected as leaders, many of the aspiring candidates resort to spending huge sums of money to buy votes from the delegates, who are prepared to sell their votes to the highest bidder. Such amounts are treated as a forward investment. Those who are elected through these filthy transactions are not expected to be committed to the progress of the party but will instead use the party and their newly elected positions to make money and entrench their power.

It was widely publicised that Abdullah had used RM600 million from taxpayers’ coffers to distribute RM3 million each to the 191 Umno divisions. It was taxpayers’ money that was used for party purpose It is yet another form of money politics without spending even a single sen from one’s own pocket or from the party coffers.

Let me now narrate something that I heard: When the doctors told our second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak, that he was terminally ill with leukemia, he is believed to have requested his brother-in-law Tun Hussein Onn, who was his deputy, to appoint Mahathir as his deputy when he (Hussein) took over and that when Mahathir became the PM, he would have to appoint Tengku Razaleigh as his deputy. So the story goes.

After Razak’s demise in 1976, Hussein appointed Mahathir as his deputy despite the latter being only the third-ranking vice-president of Umno. When Mahathir became PM, however, his choice for deputy was not Razaleigh but Musa Hitam. But when the two of them could not resolve their differences, Musa parted company with Mahathir.

It may be recalled that Mahathir was expelled from Umno by the Tunku, our Bapa Kemerdekaan (Father of Independence), but he was reinstated by Razak, the second PM.

At that time, the Selangor Menteri Besar was Harun Idris, one of Umno’s stalwarts. He was popular and sympathetic to the poor and downtrodden. He maintained a close rapport with workers and their trade unions. But he was caught for corruption, charged, sentenced and imprisoned.

When Hussein Onn was the third PM, Mahathir became his deputy in accordance with Razak’s wish. When Hussein went to London for a medical check-up, Mahathir was the acting PM and he is believed to have obtained a pardon for Harun without consulting his boss, Hussein. In my opinion, it was wrong of Mahathir to do so. Hussein later resigned on medical grounds and Mahathir took over as the fourth PM in July 1981.

Mahathir’s regime was fraught with untoward events – dictatorial rule, Operation Lalang, the nullification of Umno ‘yang asal’ (the original Umno), and the birth of Umno Baru (New Umno), the setting up of a kangaroo tribunal and the dismissal of Tun Salleh Abas and two Federal Court judges.

The finale was the dismissal of Anwar Ibrahim from the cabinet and his expulsion from Umno on fabricated charges and accusations in 1998. Assaulted by the IGP, charged in court and condemned to six years of solitary imprisonment – that was Anwar’s reward from Mahathir for having saved the then premier from defeat in the 1987 Umno election. (Anwar had surrendered his Umno Youth chairmanship to Najib in exchange for support from Najib’s bloc. Mahathir went on to snatch victory with a wafer-thin majority of 43 votes).

Time for change

I am not opposed to Umno but I am opposed to money politics and the Umno ultras. Like many other nations in the world, Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi-religious country, sufficiently wealthy with petroleum, gas, tin, rubber and palm oil apart from substantial foreign investment.

We want social justice, freedom and democracy, peace and harmony. We all believe in the One and Only God. We are all created by Him. No race is superior to another. I hope the Menteri Besar of Johor will take note of what is spelt out in the Al-Quran.

Meanwhile, a coalition of opposition parties is coalescing with Anwar Ibrahim as their leader. It will probably have a minimum programme, but it will have to face several obstacles. The controlled media will black out news about it and there could be restrictions, but I am sure it will be well supported by the people.

We have accepted parliamentary democracy as the system of governance. It is through this system that change must come. And that change will depend on the wisdom of the voters. Giving a huge majority to any ruling party is like surrendering our rights for the next five years. If, on the other hand, the BN is denied the two-thirds majority, it will be forced to become accountable, to respect the people’s rights and to conduct itself responsibly and prudently. It is time to usher in a new era of accountable politics.

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MAHATHIR : WEST ROBBING POOR NATIONS

2007-08-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

BANGKOK POST
Kuala Lumpur (dpa) - Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday lashed out yet again on Western countries which "rob" developing nations of their intellectual human resources without paying compensation to the home countries.

Mahathir, who is a firm and outspoken critic of the West, said rich countries ought to pay developing nations for the "brain drain" of trained doctors and scientists who decide to work in developed countries.

An example of injustice practise by the West was the high cost of medication for the AIDS disease due to the years of research into the drugs, he told reporters at an international forum in northern Langkawi island.

"But who does the research? It could be doctors and researchers originating from poor nations, who are given jobs by these rich countries or rich pharmaceutical companies.

"They don't pay the poor nation which educated the particular doctor," Mahathir was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

Developing and poor nations needed to unite and "concentrate on intellectual property in the true sense, because it is their intelligence that is being tapped," Mahathir said.

"Poor countries have to speak up all the time, to say that you (referring to developed countries) are taking away the best brains in our country without compensating us in any way."

Although Mahathir, 81, stepped down as premier in October 2003 after 22 years in power, he has remained an active and vocal observer in local and international politics.

REPORT TO ACA, NOT BLOGGERS, SAYS NAZRI
KUALA LUMPUR, THURS:

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said today that those with information on corrupt practices should report it to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) instead of using the blog to criticise the government.
“If you’re serious about fighting corruption, and you have the evidence, why should you go to the blogs? Give it to the ACA, let them investigate,” he said.

Nazri said the public should be encouraged to start reporting to the ACA on corruption, as “the blogs are not the correct medium to help combat graft”.

He was commenting reports on former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad encouraging bloggers to use cyberspace to criticise the government on corruption.

“I’m sure an intelligent person like Dr Mahathir knows this,” he told reporters after opening the two-day Media and Information Warfare International Conference at the Palace of the Golden Horses in Seri Kembangan, near here.
Some 300 people are attending the conference, which promotes discourse among experts, researchers of academics and non-academics to gain insights on current issues relating to the media and information warfare.

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DR.MAHATHIR SOKONG UMNO TAPI TOLAK KEPIMPINAN ABDULLAH.
BERNAMA
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
Oleh Wartawan klpos.

SIAPA kata Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dah 'sejuk' dengan penggantinya Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, pagi tadi dalam satu majlis bersama blogger, Tun mengamuk balik, biar tidak sekeras sebelum ini, tapi mesejnya jelas, mahu Umno menang dalam pilihanraya, tapi tidak mahu Pak Lah dapat nama.

Menurut bekas perdana menteri itu, pendiriannya yang tetap menyokong Umno itu tidak semestinya bermakna beliau juga menyokong sepenuhnya kepemimpinan parti.

Sebagai ahli Umno, Dr Mahathir berkata, beliau kini menghadapi dilema kerana jika terus menunjukkan sokongan padu kepada parti itu dalam pilihan raya umum nanti, ia mungkin diterjemahkan umum sebagai menyokong kepimpinan sekarang.

"Ia seperti telan mati emak, luah mati bapak. Kalau kita beri sokongan dan parti menang 90% atau lebih, pemimpin akan dakwa itu kemenangan mereka.

"Ini adalah satu masalah, tetapi jangan tanya saya bagaimana untuk menyelesaikannya, " katanya ketika menjawab satu soalan dalam dialog bersama anggota Majlis Rakyat Prihatin (PRIMA) di pejabatnya di Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana di sini hari ini.

Dr Mahathir juga menyifatkan Umno kini tidak dapat membuat keputusan tegas dalam menangani isu-isu yang membabitkan kepentingan Melayu kerana tidak memberi keutamaan kepada membela nasib masyarakat.

Beliau mengajak orang Melayu agar bertindak “membetulkan keadaan” dan tidak membiarkan undi dan maruah mereka di beli.

"Orang Melayu dia undi Umno tanpa sebab, kalau letak tongkol kayu pun sebagai calon Umno, mereka akan pangkah dan Umno akan menang.Berbeza dengan orang Cina orang Cina ada perkiraan untuk menyokong mana-mana parti,"katanya sinis.

"Orang Cina dia buat penilaian, tak semesti ahli MCA akan undi MCA dan tidak semestinya ahli DAP akan undi DAP, begitu juga Gerakan.Itu sebab kita tengok macam di Pulau Pinang, ada kalanya MCA memang, ada kalanya DAP menang dan ada kalanya Gerakan menang kerana orang Cina akan menilai undi untuk agenda mereka,"katanya.

Ketika sebelum merdeka dahulu, katanya, orang Melayu setia pada Raja-Raja, tapi kini mereka telah mengubah kesetiaan itu kepada pemimpin parti-parti mereka.

Sifat inilah, menurut Dr Mahathir, yang mesti diubah supaya kedaulatan negara dapat terus dipertahankan.

"Yang penting, orang Melayu sepatutnya boleh menyampaikan mesej kepada pemimpin bahawa mereka mesti meletakkan kepentingan rakyat melebihi segalanya dan jika mereka membuat salah, mereka boleh ditarik turun," tambahnya.

Ditanya mengapa beliau tidak menggunakan zaman bersaranya untuk berehat daripada terus memikirkan tentang isu-isu sosial, politik dan ekonomi negara, Dr Mahathir menjawab: "Saya merasakan bertanggungjawab untuk berbuat demikian kerana apa yang berlaku sekarang sedikit sebanyak timbul daripada keputusan saya sendiri." klpos, mstar online, harakahdaily.

DR.MAHATHIR'S BREATHING DIFFICULTY CAUSED BY LUNG CONGESTION

2007-05-17T02:03:00.000-07:00

Dr Mahathir’s breathing difficulty caused by lung congestion

BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, THURS:

Lung congestion associated with myocardial infarction caused Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to face breathing difficulty, consultant cardiologist Datuk Dr Nasir Muda said.
He also has an exacerbation of underlying basal bronchitis of the lung, added Dr Nasir, who is attending to the 81-year-old former prime minister, in a statement issued by the National Heart Institute (IJN) here where Dr Mahathir has been admitted since Tuesday.

Dr Mahathir was treated at Langkawi Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit on Monday after complaining of breathing difficulty and was flown to the federal capital the next day for further treatment at the IJN.

IJN said Dr Mahathir underwent routine checks and treatment, and continued to make steady progress.

It said, with the positive response, his medication and treatment was being gradually tapered down.
IJN expected Dr Mahathir to continue with chest physiotherapy and light exercise, and would remain at the Coronary Care Unit for continued monitoring and treatment.

MAHATHIR AND ABU BAKAR BASHIR

2007-05-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

'WE SHOULD NOT FEAR BEING CALLED RADICAL'

By Farish A. Noor(AL-JAZEERA.NET)

Cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, founder and head of the
Pesantren al-Mukmin of Ngruki, based in the Indonesian
city of Surakarta, is widely known in Southeast Asia
and around the world.

Following the bombings on the island of Bali in 2002,
he was accused of being involved in the attack and
subsequently jailed. After his early release last
month, he has once again appeared on the Indonesian
political scene.

Despite the accusations that were leveled against him,
many Indonesians have expressed support for the man
and skepticism over the trial, arguing that the
Indonesian government was forced to act against Bashir
due to pressure from Western governments including the
United States and Australia.

Malaysian academic and commentator Farish A. Noor
recently visited the Pesantren al-Mukmin in Solo and
met with Bashir himself. The following is a transcript
of his conversation (conducted in Bahasa Indonesia)
with Bashir:

FN: We have just returned from a demonstration where
you and the students of Ngruki were present along with
members of the Majlis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI), Front
Pembela Islam (FPI), Front Pemuda Islam Solo (FPIS),
Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), Partai Keadilan
Sejahtera (PKS) and others. When you spoke to the
crowd you focused mainly on the current conflict in
Lebanon and the aggression of the Israelis. You also
criticised the weakness of the Muslim leaders of the
world. Why has it come to this? Recently there was the
OIC meeting in Kuala Lumpur and the statement they
came up with was lame and non-conclusive; why are
Muslim governments so scared to speak up and call for
united action?

"There is not a single Muslim leader today who has the
courage and commitment to defend Islam and Muslims"

ABB: This is to be expected from them. What else can
they do? What else can they say? There is not a single
Muslim leader today who has the courage and commitment
to defend Islam and Muslims, they are all in awe of
the United States and other Western powers, and are
indebted to them. This is what we call Wahn. Our
Prophet warned that this would be the case in the
future, that the Muslim ummat would be great in
numbers, but weak in spirit - until they are trampled
upon again and again.

The Arab leaders and other Muslim leaders in Asia all
suffer from this disease called wahn, this weakness
brought about by wealth and privilege, and thus they
have become soft. That is why they cannot stand up to
the kafirs and they cannot be firm in their statements
and policies. Their love for the world and all things
wordly means that they only think of themselves. Arab
leaders worry more about making money from the profits
they get from oil and gas that they turn the other way
when Lebanon is being destroyed right next to them.
Their neighbours are being murdered, but they only
make calculations for their own benefit.

This is why I have always said that it would be better
if Muslims were poor. Oil wealth has been a curse on
us, made us weak and docile. Look at the Afghans,
during the time of the Soviet invasion. They were
among the poorest Muslims in the world, yet they were
sustained by their faith in God, and God alone.
Muslims must believe that all power, success and
victory comes from God alone. If God wills it, they
will win - no matter what the odds may be. The Prophet
defeated the enemies of Islam even when he and his
followers were small in number. Why? Because they had
the ultimate power, God, on their side. This is the
real superpower. The Afghans did not have
sophisticated weapons like the Soviets did, but with
their faith they defeated a superpower. That is when
the kafirs feared us Muslims, when we had discipline
and faith, when we were strong in our hearts and not
weak in our stomachs.

This jihad spirit is not in the OIC now. Show me an
OIC leader who can talk about jihad. Not even the
leaders of Malaysia or Indonesia have this, so how can
we do anything?

"What honour have we got left, when nobody is
listening to us?"

The only Muslim leader who has some spirit left is
your former leader Mahathir Mohamad, who called for a
boycott of US and other Western currencies. He was
right, when he said that Muslim countries should
abandon the US Dollar and trade with their own
currencies instead. Why should we use the Dollar even
when we trade among ourselves? Even though Mahathir
did not openly call for jihad, at least he said
something. This was the least we could have done.

But the leaders of the OIC could not even accept
Mahathir's proposal, yet they talk about respect and
honour. What honour have we got left, when nobody is
listening to us?

FN: Some would argue that this weakness stems from the
fear of being seen as being 'too radical'. I have
problems with this concept, for I believe that being a
radical is not necessarily a bad thing. After all
Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyata, Ghandhi,
Nehru, were all radicals in their time; and they did
not compromise in their opposition to colonialism,
imperialism, racism and apartheid. So why can't we be
radicals now?

"We should not accept the idea that being a radical is
a bad thing. Any movement for change will be radical"

ABB: You are right, but the weakness does not come
from the millions of Muslims in the world. They do not
mind being radical, they have no fear to speak out and
to protest and to jihad. But the weakness comes from
these Westernised co-opted Muslim leaders who just
want to look good in the eyes of the West and Western
media. They are scared that the BBC or CNN may call
them radicals, so they remain soft instead. The
problem lies there, with the Muslim leaders, not the
Muslim masses.

The Muslim leaders swallow the advice of the Western
powers and bodies like the IMF and World Bank, even
when it is bad for their countries and they know this.
They are the real hypocrites and traitors to Islam and
Muslims. Yet as you say we should not accept the idea
that being a radical is a bad thing. Any movement for
change will be radical. Our Prophet was a radical too-
he fought against the injustices of his community and
challenged the feudal order of his society, so they
called him a radical. So what? We should be proud of
that!

We should be proud that our Prophet came into the
world with the message of Islam to change it for the
better, and not for the worse, or to keep things as
they are. What use is revelation or religion if it
doesnt change anything?

Today the Western powers and media want to domesticate
us like sheep, to keep us tame and domesticated. But
why are animals domesticated? So that they can be
slaughtered in the end!

That is why they use the label 'radical' in the way
they do, to keep us scared and to keep us under
control. This is true for our leaders, who have all
been domesticated and trained to speak the way their
Western bosses want them to.

FN: So where do we get our role models then?

"Islam in its original form was tough and hard, not
weak and pliable"

ABB: The only model to follow is pure Islam. Because
Islam in its original form was tough and hard, not
weak and pliable. Islam is fixed, stable, ordered and
disciplined, and so are Muslims.

If we return to the real practice of true Islam we
would be much stronger and that is when the kafirs
will fear us. That is why we need to uphold the
Shariah and return to real Islam. But the West is
trying to weaken Islam from outside and inside. They
attack our people and invade our countries from
outside, and they weaken us from within with ideas
like secularism, liberalism and democracy. This is all
designed to contaminate our pure Islam.

"We want the state to be Islamic, with Islamic leaders
who have the courage and will to implement the Shariah
in total. There is no other way"

Why do we Muslims have to learn from them? Islam is
perfect, there is nothing to be added or changed. We
have shown that Islam can rule the world perfectly for
14 centuries, and during this time of Muslim power we
did not borrow ideas like democracy from others, so
why do we need to learn democracy from them now? As
long as Muslims were confident they could not be
defeated, but now we are just puppets.

This is why we are calling for the upholding of the
Shariah here in Indonesia. We demand an Islamic state,
and not some form of Islamisation of society. We want
the state to be Islamic, with Islamic leaders who have
the courage and will to implement the Shariah in
total. There is no other way.

FN: Can you elaborate a little more on that? What do
you mean by enforcing Shariah with determination?

ABB: Islams laws are fixed and that is why Islam is
stable. Laws are to be enforced justly but firmly,
with an iron hand. This is the case anywhere, even in
a family.

"We want an Islamic state where Islamic law is not
just in the books but enforced, and enforced with
determination. There is no space and no room for
democratic consultation"

Look at my own case: I am the father in my family. It
is my duty to enforce the Shariah in my family and I
do so with an iron hand. If my children do not behave
according to Islam, if they do not pray for instance,
I will punish them. Likewise the leader of any state
has to do the same, he has to enforce Shariah firmly,
for he will be held in account later in the afterlife
if he fails. If his society breaks Islamic law, who is
responsible? Is it not the leader, who has failed to
enforce the laws of God? Here in Indonesia we have
such laws but they are never enforced, that makes a
mockery of Islam and Shariah.

So we want an Islamic state where Islamic law is not
just in the books but enforced, and enforced with
determination. There is no space and no room for
democratic consultation. The Shariah is set and fixed,
so why do we need to discuss it anymore? Just
implement it!

Right now we are drafting our own constitutional
ammendents for Indonesia, the framework for an
Indonesian Islamic state where Islamic laws are
enforced. Indonesians must understand that there is no
Islamic state without the enforcement of Islamic laws.
Otherwise it is just talk and nothing else.

FN: What about the Muslim leadership here in Southeast
Asia? Earlier you criticised the leaders of Indonesia
and Malaysia. How have they failed in your eyes?

ABB: Indonesia is in a mess as you can see. We are a
very rich country, with plenty of resources and good
people who want to live decent lives, but look at how
corruption has destroyed our country. We should be a
rich country but successive Indonesian leaders have
left us weak and dependent on external aid. We are
busy paying off loans when we should be giving loans
instead! And our leaders during the Orde Baru (of
former president Suharto) were secular, pro-American
and entirely corrupted by global capitalist forces.

"How can Malaysia sign a free trade agreement with
America and Japan? Are these not kafir countries?"

As for Malaysia, you may be economically better off
but your leaders are weak. Badawi may come from a
family of ulama but his faith is weak and so is his
spirit. How can Malaysia sign a free trade agreement
with America and Japan? Are these not kafir countries?
And America today is an enemy of Muslim states and the
supporter of Israel. In Islam that makes America a
kafir harbi (enemy) state, and we Muslims are obliged
to cut off all ties, diplomatic and economic with such
an enemy state.

Anwar (Ibrahim) is also someone who does not
understand Islam well. How can he talk about dialogue
with America and the West? What dialogue? With
murderers of Muslims? Anwar is mistaken about his
views on Westerners and Jews. The Jews are cunning and
cannot be trusted, as it states in the Qur'an. At the
moment the United States is just being the donkey for
Israel, who is riding the USA.

How can we dialogue for peace in the Arab world as
long as Israel exists? Israel cannot dream of having
peaceful borders because Israel has no right to exist,
no right to be there. That is the land of Palestine,
for the Palestinians. How can any Muslim leader say
that Israel has the right to safe borders? It should
not be there in the first place!

FN: Is there no way to engage in dialogue then?

"When you dialogue with countries that are anti-Islam
and kill Muslims, how can you call yourself an Islamic
state?"

ABB: In Islam there is only one way, the Islamic way.
Dialogue with the kafirs is useless unless we Muslims
are already living in Islamic states and not secular
democracies. When you want dialogue with Muslims,
Muslims need to be in power in their own countries
first, on their terms. If the (Muslim) government does
not impose Shariah, it has to be replaced. As long as
the government does not go against Islam, we can still
tolerate it. But once it goes against Shariah, we must
oppose it.

When our governments engage with enemy kafir states,
is that not going against Islamic principles? When you
dialogue with countries that are anti-Islam and kill
Muslims, how can you call yourself an Islamic state?

It is the duty for Muslims to oppose their governments
when their leaders dialogue with our enemies. It says
so in the Quran (Surah 60:9), that those who oppose
Islam are our enemies and we must fight against them.
So before we dialogue with kafirs, we need to go on
jihad against our own hypocrite governments first that
are apostates and against Islamic principles.

FN: So what kind of Muslim leadership are you talking
about? What kind of Muslim leader do you want to see?

ABB: All the answers are in Islam. As the scholar Ibn
Taymiyyah has argued in his work Kitab Fatawa, Islam
is in two parts: the Quran and the Sword.

"If the Prophet carried a spear, then for us today we
can carry an M-16!"

The Quran has all the guidelines, rules, norms, laws
and punishments we need. The enforcement of the
Shariah is the sword we are talking about. Without
enforcement of the Shariah the Quran is just words in
a book. It is a text with no practical meaning. That
is why the message has to be implemented and realised
with determination.

Look at the sunnah (practice) of the Prophet. When he
gave his speeches and surmons he had a spear (tombak)
in his hand. Why? This was the symbol of power. His
followers knew he was serious, and not simply giving
empty talk. He meant what he said and he did what he
said he would do.

Sadly over the centuries Islam grew weak and we forgot
that the Prophet carried a spear when he spoke. The
spear was replaced with a staff (tongkat) instead, as
if Muslims were weak and needed a walking-stick to
stand up! We need to go back to this original, strong,
robust Islam. Like the Prophet we need to carry the
spear (tombak) again. If the Prophet carried a spear,
then for us today we can carry an M-16!

"The closest we ever got to an Islamic state was the
Taliban government in Afghanistan"

Muslim leaders today have fallen short of the
Prophet's example. They mouth empty pious phrases
about how they yearn for an Islamic state, but they
dont have the guts or will to do it.

There is not a single Islamic state in the world, not
even in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are hypocrites and
friends of the United States; their leaders are all
corrupt and worldly.
The closest we ever got to an Islamic state was the
Taliban government in Afghanistan, but the Americans
destroyed that, with their Western allies.

FN: But the Saudis claim that they are the defenders
of the holy sites of Islam and Muslims. What is more
they are the promoters of Wahabism. How do you
reconcile that?

ABB: Wahabism is just a school of thought. The Saudi
regime used the Wahabis for their own political ends,
to justify their rule and to control their people.
Occasionally they may implement one or two Wahabi
ideas, but then again only for cosmetic reasons. They
impose laws on dress and public behavior, but what
about the moral obligation to jihad against the
enemies of Islam? How can you promote Wahabism when
you remain a close ally of the United States, the
supporter of Israel?

The Wahabis in turn are just conservatives with no
agenda for social transformation. Look at what they
did to Islamist movements like the Ikwan'ul Muslimin
(Muslim Brotherhood) of Egypt: They condemned the
Ikwan as revolutionaries and radicals, just like the
Western media!

FN: This tendency of Muslim groups to condemn each
other has always been a problem since the beginning of
the Muslim community. Why is this? How come Muslims
cannot stop attacking each other?

ABB: They have left the path of true Islam, that is
why they are divided into so many sects and streams of
thought. But the hadith tells us of how a follower of
the Prophet once asked him: "What will be the future
of the ummat?". The Prophet predicted: "In the future
you will be great in numbers, but you will be small
and weak, like froth, bubbles, floating". The follower
was shocked when he heard this, but the Prophet
insisted that that would be so, because the Muslims
will be divided and leaderless.

"All our divisions come from the West, from Western
ideas like nationalism and from their ideologies like
democracy and secularism."

Muslims need to realise what it means to be an Ummat.
The Ummat is one family, and every Muslim is your
brother. It doesnt matter what the colour, race, or
country the other Muslim is from, he is still your
brother, you must support him and help him when he
needs your help.

But the opposite is also true. Those who are kafirs
are not your family. Even if your own parents are not
Muslims, they are not your family. They are kafirs,
outside Islam. You need not think of them as members
of the Ummat. When we forget our ummat, then we become
weak and divided. All our divisions come from the
West, from Western ideas like nationalism and from
their ideologies like democracy and secularism.

FN: If it is unity that you wish to see, then surely
someone has to lead this community. Who, then, has the
right to speak about Islam and on behalf of Muslims?

ABB: Those who speak for Islam and Muslims can only be
the ones whose ideas come solely from the Quran and
Hadith. Not the liberals, who try to use reason and
rationality to interpret the Quran. This has become
fashionable now, but it is against Islam and is not
allowed.

"Intellectuals and liberals want to interpet the Quran
according to circumstances, whereas it is the
circumstances that have to be adapted to the Quran"

How can the Quran be interpreted rationally? These
intellectuals and liberals want to interpet the Quran
according to circumstances, whereas it is the
circumstances that have to be adapted to the Quran.

It is clear that the Quran is not to be discussed by
those who do not follow the rules that are set. There
is no democracy in Islam, so do not try to interpret
the Quran and turn Islam into a democracy to suit your
needs. God's law comes first. It is not up to the will
of the people to decide what is right and how to live.
Rather the will of the people have to be bent to suit
the will of God. It is not democracy that we want, but
Allah-cracy!

The principles of Islam cannot be altered and and
there is no democracy in Islam or nonsense like
'democratic Islam'.

Democracy is shirik (unbelief) and haram. Here we do
not compromise. Those who claim to be Muslims and do
not support Shariah one hundred per cent are all
munafik and kafirs, they are out of Islam. No need to
discuss with these people, they are not part of the
ummat anymore. There is no need to listen to public
opinion: kafirs, apostates, liberals, atheists - they
are all non-believers.

FN: But how can this attitude lead to social and
political change? Here you and your followers in
groups like the Majlis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI),
Front Pemuda Islam Solo (FPIS), etc are calling for an
Islamic state, with a legal constitution based on the
Shariah. But how will you achieve this in the context
of Indonesia today which remains a constitutional
democracy?

ABB: Islam's victory can only come through dawah and
jihad, not elections. Thats why Islamic parties are on
the wrong path, even the better ones like the Partai
Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) here (in Indonesia) and your
PAS (in Malaysia). As long as democracy is their
chosen path, the end result is haram. Nothing good can
come from that which is haram, is that not the case?
So if democracy is haram, then what kind of Islamic
state can come from that? Certainly not a pure Islamic
state. Elections are quite useless.

"Islam is here to change the world, not to be changed
by the world"

The struggle for Islam can only come through crisis
and confrontation. Islam is here to change the world,
not to be changed by the world. So there is bound to
be resistance, that is why the West fears us.

If we accept Western norms like democracy then we can
never reach the Allah-cracy I mentioned earlier.
Democracy must be replaced by Allah-cracy and this
cannot come from elections. Those who oppose us must
be educated, that is why dawah is important, to show
them that Islam is the only way. But if they still
resist, and are wilfully stubborn, or if they create
obstacles for us, then they must be opposed. In
particular all the Muslims who oppose us are apostates
(murtad) and they in particular need to be dealt with
firmly. We need not care for them, or feel sorry for
them. They were the ones who chose to reject Shariah,
to reject Islam, and so they chose to become
apostates.

FN: And you are convinced that this jihad for Shariah
will solve all our problems? Will it solve the
economic and political problems of Muslim countries
like Indonesia for instance?

ABB: It is the first step and the right step. Economic
problems, political problems, all other problems -
these can only be solved when we have a firm and
committed leadership that is committed to upholding
and enforcing the Shariah without fear.

Look at our region now: Muslims are being killed in
Patani (Southern Thailand) and Mindanao (Southern
Philippines). But what do the weak leaders of Malaysia
and Indonesia do? Have they actually done anything,
apart from reading speeches and signing documents of
peace? Muslims are dying, not in Lebanon but right
here, right in front of us. These are our brothers,
our neighbours. But the governments (of Malaysia and
Indonesia) cannot do a single thing. This is what I
mean by the disease of corruption and wealth earlier.
They are weak, cowardly leaders.

"We must always keep to the Islamic path, jihad in the
name of Shariah, and never be apologetic"

That is why we need to go back to original, pure
Islam, and to follow our Prophet's example. The kafirs
never tried to fool around with our Prophet, they knew
he was serious and determined. Yet he was fair and
just, and even when he had defeated the kafirs in
battles and in Medinah and Mecca, he forgave them.
Forgiveness does not mean weakness, but strength. But
you need to be strong first, like our Prophet was. He
was strong but not arrogant. Muslim leaders today need
to be strong like that, and take a firm stand on
issues.

FN: And this sums up your vision of Jihad today? Is
this the sum of your own approach to Islam and the
problems affecting Muslims?

ABB: This is the Islamic view of things. We must never
compromise, relent, give up, submit to our kafir
enemies. We must always keep to the Islamic path,
jihad in the name of Shariah, and never be apologetic.

So I agree that we must never be apologetic about
being called 'radicals' today. Even during the time of
the Prophet his enemies called him a madman! So being
called a 'radical' is not as bad! We should not
apologise for this, or compromise in our jihad. Today
they call us radicals, tomorrow they will call us
something else. These obstacles will always be there,
because the kafirs fear us when we get stronger.

Remember that jihad is what brought Islam to power and
built our community. There can be no Islam without
jihad. Why, even if you want to build a Capitalist or
Communist state you need to have a jihad; a jihad for
capitalism or a jihad for communism. So why cant
Muslims engage in a jihad for Islam and Shariah?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PENDEKATAN DAKWAH SEKARANG TIDAK MENARIK BUKAN ISLAM - Dr.MAHATHIR

KUALA LUMPUR 29 April – Tun Dr. Mahthir Mohamad menyifatkan pendekatan dakwah agak keras yang digunakan oleh umat Islam sekarang tidak menarik golongan bukan Islam terhadap ajaran Islam.Sehubungan itu, bekas Perdana Menteri mencadangkan supaya pendekatan dakwah sedia ada dikaji semula.

Beliau yang juga Yang Dipertua Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islam Malaysia (Perkim) berkata, terdapat kecenderungan menggunakan pendekatan dakwah agak keras sehingga menakutkan orang bukan Islam kepada ajaran agama suci itu.

Beliau mengambil contoh bagaimana orang Islam dan golongan pendakwah lebih cenderung menceritakan perihal hukum hudud termasuk hukuman bunuh ke atas mereka yang murtad, berbanding menceritakan terlebih dahulu keindahan ajaran Islam termasuk dalam memelihara keadilan sejagat.

''Kalau kita terlalu keras, tidak boleh menarik orang kepada Islam. Misalnya, mengatakan awak masuk Islam, kalau keluar Islam akan dibunuh. Tidak ada sesiapa pun yang hendak masuk Islam,'' katanya ketika berucap merasmikan Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan Ke-13, Persatuan Cina Muslim Malaysia (MACMA) di sini, hari ini.

Turut hadir Presiden MACMA, Datuk Mustapha Ma.

Menurut Dr. Mahathir, ada ketikanya orang Islam dan golongan pendakwah lebih cenderung menceritakan perkara-perkara kecil berbanding soal lebih besar mengenai keunikan dan keindahan Islam.

Beliau mengambil contoh penukaran gaya hidup golongan mualaf selepas memeluk Islam dan penceraian membabitkan wanita mualaf sehingga mendorong mereka kembali kepada agama lama.

''Kalau kita kaji sejarah, raja-raja Melayu memeluk Islam setelah tertarik dengan ajaran sebenar Islam yang telah ditunjukkan secara amalan oleh para pedagang India muslim dan bangsa Arab dahulu,'' katanya.

Dr. Mahathir turut membangkitkan pendekatan agak keras yang digunakan oleh pegawai agama kepada seorang warga Eropah yang berhasrat memeluk Islam, tetapi hanya berbuat demikian di Singapura.

''Pegawai itu tanya dengan keras, apakah awak sanggup bangun pukul lima pagi hendak solat dan tidak boleh makan babi. Dia sebenarnya tahu perkara itu, tetapi dia tidak terima Islam di pejabat terbabit, tetapi di Singapura,'' katanya tanpa mendedahkan pejabat berkenaan.

Beliau turut membangkitkan kecenderungan membangkitkan soal syurga dan neraka yang pada pendapatnya akan difahami selepas mualaf itu mempunyai pengetahuan mendalam tentang ajaran Islam sebenar.

''Orang Melayu sendiri mengambil masa lebih 600 tahun untuk menjadi umat Islam yang baik. Mungkin ibu bapanya tidak 100 peratus Islam, yang penting ialah anak dan cucu-cicitnya dibesarkan dalam ajaran Islam sebenar,'' katanya.

ISLAM HADHARI TO CONFUSE - Dr MAHATHIR

2007-03-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

ABDULLAH HITS OUT AT THOSE WHO RIDICULE ISLAM HADHARI.

KEPALA BATAS, March 16 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today hit out at those who ridicule the concept of Islam Hadhari which has been well received by all races in the country.

The Prime Minister regarded those involved in such action as making a big mistake and should correct themselves.

"Islam Hadhari is an effort based on the Quran.

"We have had problems since the days of yore and we would rectify them, because human beings stand to be corrected," he said when launching this year's national-level Islam Hadhari Village programme at the Millennium Hall, here today.

Abdullah said Islam Hadhari was pure and would not create conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslims, but would instead bring progress to the nation and ummah (community).

"Muslims of different sects should also not have any problems with the implementation of Islam Hadhari principles," he added.

He said the people in this country would not face problems if they practised the Islam Hadhari principles which had attracted the interest of other Muslim nations.

"Islam Hadhari carries universal values like honesty and justice, and places importance on the pursuit of knowledge, economic progress and environmental preservation, and covers all spheres of life."

He said many intellectuals, academics and religious leaders from countries including Germany, England, Australia and New Zealand had viewed the concept as practised here, from a good perspective.

"Before this, Islam had often been associated with violence, which gave a negative picture of the religion among non-Muslims."

Abdullah said many Muslim countries were plagued by poverty as they could not master knowledge due to illiteracy.

"Without knowledge, they remain poor and are easily swayed by other forces to the extent of committing acts which are totally against Islam.

"Poverty and illiteracy result in backwardness which undermines the image of the Muslim community at large and the sanctity of Islam."

The Prime Minister hoped that Muslims could etch into history their creation of a glorious Islamic civilisation.

"If a community remains backward, exploited and violated against by others, surely its history becomes an embarrassment.

"But if it is outstanding in various aspects, it will have a glorious history.

"To have a glorious history and civilisation, we need to have excellent human capital that is strong in all aspects.

"In light of this, the country aspires to create as any scientists and intellectuals as the catalysts for progress in this modern world."

Abdullah said until today, there had been no Islamic superpower in this world as Muslims failed to unite and what happened in some Muslim countries should be a lesson for all.

The three-day Islam Hadhari Village programme will have various activities including an exhibition and Islamic cultural performances.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr MAHATHIR SIFATKAN ISLAM HADHARI MENGELIRUKAN.

Harakahdaily

Fri | Feb 09, 07 | 09:39:46 AM
KUALA LUMPUR, 9 Feb (Hrkh)- Konsep Islam Hadhari yang diperkenalkan pentadbiran Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tidak berapa disenangi mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dalam wawancara dengan majalah Off The Edge keluaran Februari, mantan Presiden Umno itu menyifatkan konsep Islam Hadhari yang diperkenalkan pentadbiran Abdullah sebagai 'mengelirukan rakyat'.

Ketika ditanya mengapa beliau begitu kritikal dengan Islam Hadhari sedangkan konsep itu sangat munasabah dan sederhana, Dr Mahathir menjawab bahawa Islam 'tanpa Hadhari' pun adalah agama yang sangat munasabah dan sederhana.

"Jadi apakah alasan untuk kita berkata, 'Kita mesti berubah sekarang, kita mesti melaksanakan keadilan?' Semuanya telah ada di situ sejak dahulu. Dan jika kamu membaca al-Quran, kamu akan dapati panduan di dalamnya bukan sahaja sesuai untuk 1400 tahun lalu, tetapi juga sekarang."

"Jadi kamu tidak perlu memperkenalkan 'Islam baru' yang dinamakan Islam Hadhari; ia mengelirukan rakyat," wawancara dengan majalah itu dipetik.

Ketika ditanya bagaimana beliau membezakan Islam Hadhari dengan program 'penerapan nilai-nilai Islam' yang diperkenalkan sewaktu pentadbirannya, Dr Mahathir yang menerajui pentadbiran negara selama 22 tahun berkata, program itu adalah selaras dengan ajaran fundamental Islam.

"...kamu perlu berlaku jujur, amanah; jika kamu ditugaskan untuk melakukan sesuatu, kamu perlu berpegang kepada janji... ini nilai yang telah ada (dalam Islam) sejak dahulu, ia bukan baru; kamu tidak perlu berkata ini (ajaran) Islam moden...," jelasnya.

Beliau menambah, Islam yang diajar oleh Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. (1400 tahun lalu) adalah sama seperti mana yang diamalkan sekarang walaupun dalam konteks yang berbeza.

Menyentuh tentang hasrat pentadbiran Abdullah untuk menjadi lebih telus, menganugerahkan tender kerajaan secara teratur dan mewujudkan sistem penyerahan (delivery system) yang lebih baik, Dr Mahathir yang bakal mencapai usia 82 tahun pada 10 Julai akan datang, berpendapat ia adalah janji-janji politik yang belum dibuktikan.

"Hinggakan baru-baru ini ketika penilaian dibuat terhadap tempoh pentadbirannya, orang yang tidak menentangnya (Abdullah) memberi komen bahawa janji-janjinya bagus tetapi tidak dilaksanakan. "

"Dan ia tidak dilaksanakan kerana sebenarnya tiada kesungguhan. .. Kita tahu bahawa beberapa projek telah diberikan (kepada beberapa pihak), tetapi kita tidak melihat tender diiklankan. Sebagai contoh, (projek) jambatan kedua Pulau Pinang yang sepatutnya diberikan kepada UEM, saya fikir... tidak ada tender sebenar (untuk projek itu)," katanya.

Sambil menyifatkan Abdullah sebagai tidak mengkotakan apa yang dikata, Dr Mahathir berkata berjanji adalah suatu yang baik tetapi ujian sebenar adalah melaksanakan apa yang dijanjikan.

ICON IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD

2007-03-09T05:43:00.000-08:00

Dr. Mahathir Mohamad is an international icon in the Islamic world respected as a great modern Islamic leader who turned Malaysia from a rubber exporting country into a technological and regional economic powerhouse.

Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s policies at home have won him much popular support and helped transform Malaysia into an Asian economic powerhouse. During the process he turned himself into one of Asia's longest-serving leader, and when he retired in October 2003 he had been in office for 22 years.

Dr Mahathir, is regarded as a visionary in the Islamic world. Some of his ideas whilst originally regarded as rather grand, slowly in time have and will continue to become realities. Two of Dr Mahathir's original ideas of an Islamic Gold Dinar to be used as a common currency between initially Islamic governments and then likely later as a common currency, and Oil traded using the Euro currency as opposed to just the US Dollar are now likely to happen within a decade.

Because of the high regard Dr Mahathir is held in the Islamic world he has been tipped as becoming the next General Secretary of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Throughout his rule Dr Mahathir, took a tough stand against those who threatened the stability of Malaysia. This most notably included foreign speculators such as George Saros who benefited at Malaysia's expense during the Asian Economic Crisis in 1997.

1997 proved a turbulent time for Dr Mahathir as Anwar Ibrahim, once his deputy and heir apparent, was dismissed for being a "sodomist" and homosexual, both of which are crimes under Malaysian law. Anwar Ibrahim was later sentenced by the Malaysian judicial process and was only recently released in 2004.

FRANK TALKER

The Malay Dilemma (a publication by Mahathir Mohamad) struck such a chord with younger UMNO (United Malaya National Organisation, the political party of Mahathir Mohamad) leaders that he was eventually appointed minister of education. Within four years he had become deputy leader of Umno, and in 1981 he became prime minister.

Dr Mahathir set about putting his ideas into practice, following the example set by Japan, transforming Malaysia from an exporter of rubber and tin into a manufacturer of electronic equipment, steel and cars.

Defending Asian and Malaysian values, he criticised what he called Western double standards and won a following among developing countries.

His prestige projects to boost national pride included the world's tallest building - the Petronas Towers - and the transformation of a palm oil plantation near the capital into the world's first "Multimedia Super Corridor" - a cyber powerhouse intended to rival California's Silicon Valley.

Malaysia emerged relatively unscathed from the Asian financial crisis after Dr Mahathir defied the International Monetary Fund, introducing controversial currency controls which effectively isolated his country from the global economy.

But relations with the West have continued to fluctuate. In June this year Dr Mahathir described Westerners - or more particularly "Anglo-Saxon Europeans" -- as proponents of "war, sodomy and genocide".

Days before he resigned, he angered several foreign governments and Jewish groups by claiming the a Jewish cabal "ruled the world".

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BELOW ARE LISTED SOME OF HIS MOST FAMOUS COMMENTS.

ON JEWS

"The Jews for example are not merely hook-nosed,
but understand money instinctively."

LATER ON THE DROP IN THE VALUE OF THE MALAYSIAN CURRENCY:

"We are Muslims and the Jews are not happy to see Muslims' progress. We may suspect that they have an agenda but we do not want to accuse them... If viewed from Palestine, the Jews have robbed Palestinians of everything but they cannot do this in Malaysia, so they do this."

ON GAY BRITISH MPs

"The British people accept homosexual ministers but if they ever come here bringing their boyfriend along, we will throw them out."

ON EUROPEANS

"They are very clever, brave and have an insatiable curiosity... unfortunately they are also very greedy and like to take forcibly the territories and rights of other people."

"The culture and the values which they will force us to accept will be hedonism, unlimited quest for pleasure, the satisfaction of base desires, particularly sexual desires. Our way of life must be the same as their way of life. Asian values do not exist to them."

ON AUSTRALIA

"This country stands out like a sore thumb trying to impose its European values in Asia as if it is the good old days when people can shoot aborigines without caring about human rights."

"Australia has made known to the world that it wants to be the deputy sheriff of this region. It's very difficult to get along with deputy sheriffs."

DR.MAHATHIR REVIVES WAR OVER PAK LAH'S POLICIES

2007-02-14T22:06:00.000-08:00

FEB 7 2007 / 2:02pm

Exclusive Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has revived the war against his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, after keeping a low profile following a mild heart attack last November.

In an interview with malaysiakini editors at his Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya last Friday, he expressed strong disagreement with Abdullah’s way of managing the country, especially in terms of the economic policy.

He had initially wanted the interview, the second with malaysiakini, to be solely on his campaign against war crimes and the three-day conference which draws to a close today in Kuala Lumpur.

However, during the second half of the hour-long meeting, Mahathir - who appears to have fully recovered from the minor heart attack - could not resist giving his views on current affairs when prodded to do so.

It began when he was asked to comment on the call by US Senator Tom Lantos for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks between Malaysia and the US to be halted over a Malaysian company’s deal with an Iranian company.

Known to be vocal critic of the US, Mahathir said that Malaysia would only expose itself to pressure if it inks the FTA with the US. He also suggested that the government is more interested in “kowtowing” to the superpower.

“I don’t think there is any need for this FTA... In fact there is no need for a FTA with Japan even, because we are doing quite well. Without the FTA, Malaysia is growing at 7, 8 percent (annually). Our trade has reached US$100 billion, no FTA,” he said.

“The US needs us as much as we need the US. You apply sanctions against us, the US companies will suffer (too), not only others.”

While Malaysia has signed a FTA with Japan in 2005, the government is currently in its fifth round of negotiations for a trade deal with the US.

PROTON IN 'BAD SHAPE'

Proton in ‘bad shape’

Mahathir cited the example of the protection given to national car maker Proton, of which he is advisor.

“The US protects its agriculture, why are we so ashamed of protecting Proton for example? We will have to learn to live without having to depend on other people,” he said. However, he conceded that Proton is in “very bad shape”.

His solution to resuscitating the company? Remove its chairperson Mohamed Azlan Hashim, with whom Mahathir cannot see eye to eye.

“I don’t meet him because it is no good. He comes here not to hear my advice, he comes here to advise me on what he has done, that is the reversal of an advisor’s role,” said Mahathir.

He also said Langkawi’s growth has been neglected ever since he stepped down in 2003, causing him to spend his money on developing the island.

Similarly, he expressed unhappiness over maintenance of his other pet project, Putrajaya. However, he would not reveal the cost of constructing the new federal administrative capital - shrouded in secrecy thus far - apart from describing it “very competitive”.

On public resentment over the recent toll hike, Mahathir suggested that the government should have earlier re-pegged the ringgit from 3.8 to 3.5 (exchange rate of ringgit to US dollar) as it would have helped strengthen the ringgit and pressured traders to lower the price of imported goods.

“If you do a check on the prices of the imported goods and strengthen the ringgit by 10 percent, you can go and tell them, ‘look, now the ringgit is stronger, I know you are paying less for your imports, so lower your price’.

“Then people will get money in their pocket just by doing a very simple thing; but they want to go along the lines of international practice, they want to allow the money to float.”

He said that while the ringgit has strengthened to RM3.50, prices of goods have not fallen.

ANANDA 'BOTHERED' ME

Mahathir, 81, who was dressed in his favourite bush jacket with a campaign button ‘In search of peace’, appeared relaxed throughout the interview. His responses were punctuated with jokes and his trademark sarcasm.

He was quick to dismiss a claim that his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim had informed him of corruption involving two government leaders while he was in power.

“Nonsense, he didn’t give any evidence. Anwar cakap bohong (is telling lies)... He never can tell (the) truth, he tells lies.”

Elaborating on the government's recent acquisition of an executive jet worth millions of ringgit, Mahathir reiterated that it is “very important” to purchase the jet.

“Some people may have heard the Agong say ‘please buy me another plane, I need another plane’, that’s why they bought (it),” he said.

Abdullah, earlier said to have been behind the purchase, has clarified that the government bought the jet through one of its companies for the use of top officials, including the King.

On the alleged purchase of a super yacht in Turkey that Abdullah has also denied, Mahathir said he was told billionaire Ananda Krishan was the one who wanted to build it.

“He (Ananda) keeps on bothering me, asking me about the design, I don’t care, I gave my opinion,” he said, adding that he persuaded the billionaire to bring the yacht to the Telaga Harbour in Langkawi but the former has declined to do so.

Asked about the progress of his bakery business in Langkawi called 'The Loaf' - a joint project with a Japanese company - Mahathir grinned and replied: “Bakery is okay-lah”.

When pressed as to whether he is making any profit out of it, he laughed and said: “So far, they are eating the bread.”

The interview could have gone on except for urgent signals from Mahathir’s aide that his boss was scheduled to attend Friday prayers at the mosque he built in Putrajaya.
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Q&A: More POTSHOTS FROM EX-PREMIER.

Beh Lih Yi
Feb 7, 07 2:22pm

Outspoken former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad tells malaysiakini about his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s leadership and economic management, the sidelining of national car maker Proton, development in Langkawi and the lack of maintenance in Putrajaya.
He also took offence over criticism by his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim, saying the latter “never can tell (the) truth”.

BEH LIH YI(Malaysiakini): Recently US Senator Tom Lantos said the US should not proceed with negotiating the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Malaysia, because of a business deal between a Malaysian company and an Iranian oil company.

DR.M: That is the problem with the US. If you have any deal with them, they will use that as leverage to get more power. For example, they sold us airplanes without the source code. Without the source code, we can’t use the plane.

We spent huge sum of money buying airplanes that cannot be used because when you want to use it, you have to ask the Americans. They want to control us, how we use the plane; and even when we have finish using the plane, you cannot sell (it) unless they approve (the sale first). They are always putting in extra conditions even though there was no condition before.

If you are going enter into the FTA, you are exposing yourself to a lot of pressures. Every now and again, they will say ‘if you do this, then we will apply sanction against you, we will not import your goods’. That is the US - always the big stick, very few carrots.

BEH LIH YI: How do you view Malaysia’s negotiations of the FTA with the US? There have been many protests, for instance, by trade unions.

DR.M: I have always been against it. I don’t think there is any need for this FTA with the US. In fact there is no need for a FTA with Japan even, because we are doing quite well. Without the FTA, Malaysia is growing at 7, 8 percent (annually). Our trade has reached US$100 billion, no FTA. So why do we want the FTA?

BEH LIH YI: So why do you think the government has to start negotiating with the US?

I think the government shouldn’t. I proposed the EAEC (East Asian Economic Caucus) so that they would have sufficient strength to counter the European Union and Nafta (North American Free Trade Agreement), but they are more interested in kowtowing to Australia and New Zealand. I am sorry to say (this), but I disagree with the government.

BEH LIH YI: The government is saying that, without the FTA, it will be very hard for us to continue the growth that we have.

DR.M: No, I don’t think so. The US needs us as much as we need the US. You apply sanctions against us, the US companies will suffer (too), not only others.

BEH LIH YI: Other countries are signing the FTA, Singapore has signed and Thailand is negotiating one. If Malaysia decides against signing the FTA, wouldn’t the investors prefer to go to Singapore and Thailand instead?

DR.M: There is a risk to be taken. When we make decisions in our interest, of course there are plus and minus (points). Singapore can sign a FTA, Singapore is a free port, they don’t tax people anyway, what do they give away? Nothing. We are not a free port, we apply import duty in order to protect our industry. Without the import duty, we can’t protect our industry. The US protects its agriculture, why are we so ashamed of protecting (national carmaker) Proton for example? We will have to learn to live without having to depend on other people.

Yes, there will be trouble for some time, but if you going into FTA, you expose yourself to a kind of threat that they will always be wielding against you. You cannot threaten them because you need their market. That’s why I spent a lot of time trying to develop other markets. I went to many countries, to South America, elsewhere (to) develop other markets - not to reduce the trade with the US but to reduce the percentage of trade. So when our trade grows bigger, the trade with US will be smaller.

Now that our trade concentration is with China, we should think about China as the principal market. US is bankrupt anyway. I would think the best bet is for us to develop intra-Asian trade, trade with China and trade with other countries. We will suffer for some time, but you know, in these kind of things, don’t expect to have something for nothing.

BEH LIH YI: It is said that the US has spent a few billion dollars to subsidise 10,000 farmers.

Yes and they are not ashamed of it, but we are ashamed because we supported Proton. The total tax paid to the government over a period of 10 years was RM18 billion, out of Proton. The volume is big, people who buy Proton have to pay tax, a lot of other people have to pay tax and the government collected a lot of money - RM18 billion for a RM480 million investment (in Proton), don’t you think that is good business?

BEH LIH YI: Well, not according to some who have to pay RM10,000-20,000 extra to buy a Proton car.

DR.M: All right, you pay to other countries, you buy foreign cars. You buy foreign cars, then the money goes out, (so) let’s stop all our industry because foreign imports are cheaper, okay? No industry in Malaysia, what happens? Think about that, think for the longer term, don’t think only just because you pay this much and therefore the whole thing is bad. I have been in the government, that’s the reason why I want things to grow - the government is not like a company. Companies depend upon profit, (but) we can collect taxes.

Even when I spent money to build all these mega projects, you know where the money came from? Every time somebody get a contract, he made profit and I got the money from him; when he buys something from somebody else, somebody else makes a profit, (and) I collect taxes from him; when he buys from the importer, I still collect for the government - the government never loses money. We make money from taxes.

BEH LIH YI: Do you think you are misunderstood by a lot of people?

DR.M: People don’t understand government, they think government... (laughs) You know, I have been in this government for 22 years, I know something about it. The reason why money should be spent is that when government money is expanded, (it) comes back to the government all the way. One ringgit that you spend will move from A to B, to C, to D and all the way, somebody makes a profit and government gets a cut.

BEH LIH YI: But then there is also quite a bit of wastage, there would be money being spent not for this particular purpose but corruption for instance.

DR.M: Corruption is regrettable but just saying I want to get rid of corruption doesn’t get rid of corruption. During my time, I was very careful, if you can find any evidence that I am corrupt, by all means, expose me.

BEH LIH YI: But some of your ministers were (allegedly corrupt).

DR.M: Give me the evidence, it is not easy. People keep on saying he is corrupt, he is corrupt...

BEH LIH YI: What about Rafidah Aziz (International Trade and Industry Minister)?

DR.M: Well, (she was) not during my time.

BEH LIH YI: It was during your time.

DR.M: During my time, she was very careful, didn’t give APs (approved permits) by the thousands, (but) after my time, my goodness...

BEH LIH YI: Your former deputy Anwar Ibrahim claimed he had given you evidence of corruption (involving high profile figures)...
DR.M: Nonsense, he didn’t give any evidence. Anwar cakap bohong (is telling lies). For example, he started talking about currency trading and (he said) he doesn’t know anything about it, you can go and see the Hansard, he answered all the questions (in Parliament), I never answered the questions. He never can tell (the) truth, he tells lies.

DR.M: You have buried the hatchet with (American philanthropist George) Soros, what about Anwar?

No, no, I don’t see any point in burying the hatchet with him. He has sued me because I said something that he doesn’t like. I’ve said let’s go to court and let the court decide.

BEH LIH YI: The cost of building Putrajaya is such a mystery, no one seems to know the real cost of it. If we can hear it from you, how much is the cost of building Putrajaya and are you happy with the way it is being maintained?

DR.M: Maintain? No, I am not happy (laughs), but the cost is very competitive. What happened is this - the government has no money, (state-owned oil company) Petronas has money, so we told Petronas to (undertake) a private finance initiative.

However, Petronas is a 100-percent government-owned company, so any profit made by Petronas comes back to the government. We told Petronas to build and lease to us. Petronas, of course, is quite sure of making profit but certainly Petronas doesn’t want to charge the government too much because in the end, it goes back to the government.

When you have private finance initiative, it goes to a private company, they will cost it so they make a profit. The government is actually financing that because when they go to the bank and say government is going to lease whatever they build and they are going to make so much profit, ‘can you give me some money?’ They will get at least a few billion ringgit.

Actually it is the government which is spending, it is not the private sector, and the longer that you take to pay, the more you have to pay by way of interest. Private sectors work out all these things.

MRCB (Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd, a property developer) or whatever GLCs (government-linked companies) - they like somebody behind (the company so they) can make some money. They price it in order to be able to make a certain profit, (it is) called definite profit. If they build a bridge, they will make a profit because government will lease it. If they say you build the bridge and you operate it, then it is not private finance initiative.

BEH LIH YI: Just like the private jet (leased by the government)...

DR.M: During my time, it was privatised. I admit I helped to reduce the cost of privatisation in order to lower the cost of toll roads for example. If you ask them to pay everything for the toll road, you have to pay through your...

But of course, the private jet is very important because we have only one Boeing business jet for the Agong. I think the Agong must have asked ‘please buy me another plane’, that’s why they bought the plane. But I didn’t hear the Agong (say it) because I wasn’t near (him). Some people may have heard the Agong said ‘please buy me another plane, I need another plane’, that’s why they bought.

A plane that is on the ground loses money. If you are operating an airline, you use the plane practically every day. You buy a plane for private use, you don’t use it for all the time but you still have to pay.

Tun Hussein (Onn, former prime minister) bought the (Boeing) 737 before he retired, but unfortunately for him, he retired before the plane was ready, so I got to use the plane. I used it for two years and I asked them what would happen if I don’t use the plane, how much do we have to pay? US$2 million, whether you use it or not, every year.

I said no, give it back. We sold the plane because I don’t need a big plane, I need a small plane, it is enough for me to go around. I don’t carry around too many people, only security people and my staff, that’s all, six or seven people. I don’t need a big plane.

But this 737 which we gave to the Agong is a fantastic plane, and now must be more fantastic. I hear that the people who order the plane were also involved in the interior design (contract).

BEH LIH YI: Something like the super yacht they bought in Turkey?

DR.M: I don’t know about the super yacht (smiles) because they accused me (of buying one). I will tell you that Ananda (Krishnan, Malaysian billionaire) wants to build a yacht and in fact he has built a yacht. He keeps on bothering me, asking me about the design, I don’t care, I gave my opinion.

BEH LIH YI: So it was Ananda who bought the yacht for (Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad) Badawi?

DR.M: I don’t know. But as far as I know, Ananda built this yacht, a 40m yacht, a gullet, it is very beautiful. It is completed already and I told him ‘why don’t you bring it here, you built and put it at the Mediterranean, I want my Telaga Harbour (in Langkawi) to have this yacht. He said ‘no, this thing will eat into the wood, our water is no good’. I said why don’t you build one that has a steel haul then you can bring it here. That is as far as I went.

Of course, if you want to build a big yacht, you keep it here, I am happy, you can build 10 yachts. I am quite happy if you put it in Telaga Harbour then I can have a nice marina for that. Of course, they have to pay.

BEH LIH YI: Do you think the government has abandoned all hopes on Proton?

DR.M: I am sorry (that) a company that was making money is now a company that is losing money. Why? Because of interference in Proton and lack of consideration in giving the APs.

Of course it enriches a few Malays, that is the NEP (New Economic Policy), a NEP for two Malays, but others get nothing.

Proton is in a very bad shape and mismanagement is still going on. People are leaving the company because they don’t see any hope. It can be resuscitated but it needs good management. The first thing to do of course it to remove the chairperson (Mohammed Azlan Hashim) who actually behaves like a CEO (chief executive officer), he makes all the decisions, nobody (else) can make decisions, that’s what I was told.

BEH LIH YI: Are you still meeting him?

DR.M: I don’t meet him because it is no good. He comes here not to hear my advice, he comes here to advise me on what he has done, that is the reversal of an advisor’s role.

BEH LIH YI: What about the progress in Langkawi, is it going as you had wished?

DR.M: I go to Langkawi quite often. Apart from setting up my bakery there, I have to spend my own money in order to develop some of the things that are needed in Langkawi. I spent my money building a horse track, a stable. They are leasing the horses to tourists, quite good business for them (but) I don’t make money. I have two boats there which I built, they use the boats to ferry tourists. Okay, I don’t ask for money.

BEH LIH YI: How is the bakery business going?

DR.M: Bakery is okay-lah (grins). I want to learn about business, I have been telling people to go into business, and people have been telling me ‘you don’t understand business’. Okay, I’ve started my own business (but whether I) can make it or not, I don’t know.

BEH LIH YI: How is it going so far? Is it making money?

DR.M: So far, they are eating the bread (laughs).

BEH LIH YI: Going back to Langkawi, are you saying that the government is not actually following what you wanted Langkawi to be?

DR.M: During my time of course there was a lot of concentration in Langkawi. From a place that was not known at all, it has become a worldwide name - anywhere you go, they know Langkawi. We have done quite well by Langkawi, there are lots of things that can be done, to make it a real tourist product.

They stopped the flight into Langkawi from London, in fact (national carrier Malaysian Airlines) MAS is now stopping flights to everywhere because AirAsia can do a better job, AirAsia should take over.

BEH LIH YI: On the toll hike, there are a lot of complaints that the toll agreement wasn’t very fair. How do you respond to that because a lot of agreements were signed during your time?

DR.M: Yes, a lot of agreements were signed during my time (but) we didn’t actually scrutinise these things, I didn’t anyway. This was done by civil servants which is their right. They see only in terms of return of investments and things like that, they don’t see the political side.

They agreed to things which we later found out cannot be implemented because the toll is too high. So what they did was (to decide that) the government will pay the company. When you say ‘don’t increase the toll rate’, then it is the government that has to pay because the agreement has to be honoured.

During my time, what I tried to do was to help the company to lower their capital cost by giving them whole chunk of roads that have been built, free of charge. We gave them free land and a lot of loans at low cost, all this (was done) in order to lower the toll rate. But the toll of course has to increase, the quantum of increase is what is felt by the people.

I suggested to the government if you strengthen the ringgit, you will put money into people’s pocket without having to spend one sen. From 3.8, I said go to 3.5 (exchange rate of ringgit to US dollar), that means almost 10 percent increase and that means you are putting 10 percent more money into the pockets of people if they buy foreign goods.

We talk about toll and oil prices, oil is something that you buy from others, if you have a stronger ringgit, then the oil price becomes cheaper. But if you allow the ringgit to float, you don’t get advantage.

If it has now strengthened, how much have you gained? Nothing. But if you do a check on the prices of the imported goods and strengthen the ringgit by 10 percent, you can go and tell them, ‘look, now the ringgit is stronger, I know you are paying less for your imports, so lower your price’. Then people will get money in their pocket just by doing a very simple thing but they want to go along the lines of international practice, they want to allow the money to float...

BEH LIH YI: You are arguing for a re-peg of the ringgit?

DR.M: Yes, why not? What’s wrong?

BEH LIH YI: To re-peg it to?

RM3.50 for example.

DR.M: It is already at RM3.50.

I know, but we don’t get any advantage from the RM3.50, you have a stronger ringgit but you don’t feel it. The price of things in the shop hasn’t gone down, the imported things. You go to buy computer, the price hasn’t gone down by 10 percent.

You have to understand the mechanism of this - why do you peg? It is because you have control. If you want to strengthen the ringgit by 10 percent, you can tell the shop ‘look, you are paying for this before at that price in ringgit, now in strong ringgit, you are paying less, so sell it at the lower price’.

That means (you are) literally putting money into the pocket of people. By strengthening ringgit by 10 percent, you actually put money into people’s pocket without having spent one sen.

BEH LIH YI: Given the current situation, what would be the fair...

DR.M: We are not getting any lowering of the price, you notice any lowering? No, they haven’t because they say ‘we don’t know, this thing might go up and down... it might be US$3 or $4 or something like that’. If you fix (the rate), nobody can say because this is the only price.

When Malaysia fixed the ringgit, people said we cannot do it but we have proven we can do it because we have a lot of money. We have billions of dollars, EPF (Employee Provident Fund) alone is (worth) RM300 billion and US$82 billion in the Central Bank, what for? You only need to keep five percent... You can reduce that and use the money.

BEH LIH YI: Are you suggesting the government’s economic policy is actually imbalanced or they don’t know what they are doing?

DR.M: It is up to you to decide, whether they do or not.
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REALITY CHECK ON COMPETITIVENESS

MK Gracian
Feb 5, 07 11:27am

National competitiveness is a central preoccupation of government and industries. There are several indices that measure the competitiveness of a nation, based on various factors.

The more widely quoted indices are the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index and the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook.

Others like the Economic Intelligence Unit Quality of Life Index and AT Kearney’s Globalisation Index measure specific areas of competitiveness. There are also specialised reports such as the AT Kearney study on outsourcing.

While their validity and/or accuracy can be debated, the indices are generally accepted as giving a general indicator of how a country ranks in relation to competitors against a set of variables.

This article compares the performance of Malaysia against Singapore and Taiwan, two economies that have similar development patterns with Malaysia, and against India and China -two late developers who will pose the greatest challenge to Malaysia in the near future.

The WEF-GCI looks at selected factors grouped under nine pillars which they consider critical to driving productivity and competitiveness. The pillars are institutions, infrastructure, macro- economy, health and primary education, higher education and training, market efficiency, technological readiness, business operations and innovation.

The IMD-GCR looks at selected factors grouped under four key areas namely, economic performance, government, business efficiency and infrastructure.

The AT Kearney FDI Confidence Index (ATK-FDI-CI) ranks countries and tracks the impact of likely political, economic and regulatory changes on the foreign direct investment intentions and preferences of the leaders of the world’s leading companies.

Rankings for India and China should be read carefully as these nations provide the extremes. India and China have the best universities, as well as a high illiteracy rate. They have world class companies, but also high under-employment. They are at the cutting edge of technology, yet are unable to provide basic healthcare for all citizens.

COMPETITIVENESS RANKINGS

This ranking (see Chart) gives cause for concern to Malaysians.

Singapore is ranked in the top10 bracket, while Malaysia is in the category of also-rans.

Firstly, Singapore, an island economy of 4 million people, outranks Malaysia by a considerable distance. Secondly, China and India are not very far behind Malaysia.

India and China’s ranking reflect their current status as late developers, but the ATK-FDI-CI reflects where investors see the future. Malaysia has slipped in the IMD ranking, but has improved in the WEF ranking.

The ATK report further establishes Malaysia as a country that is fast dropping off the radar screen of foreign investors. In 2003, Malaysia was ranked 23rd but improved its position to 15th in 2004 possibly on the back of euphoria aroused by the supposedly squeaky clean regime of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. However, it dropped out of the top 25 last year.

On closer observation, Malaysia’s weakness can be identified as being caused mainly by the government. Malaysia’s ranking in the WEF basic requirements are woeful compared to Singapore.

Although Malaysia’s basic requirements are close to Taiwan’s performance, the latter’s efficiency enhancers and innovation factors push it way ahead of Malaysia.

India and China too are fast catching up in these categories, even with more than a billion people each and with problems far more complex than in Malaysia. Singapore and Taiwan are not far behind either.

Should China and India move up the national competitiveness ranking, it would mean the end of Malaysia, as both countries have the potential to provide most of the manufactured goods that Malaysia produces.

INDISPUTABLE CONCLUSIONS

While the data can lead to many interpretations, the following facts cannot be disputed:
- Malaysia’s competitiveness as a nation is on a downtrend;
- Singapore, our main competitor in the region, is way ahead of Malaysia in almost all sectors except innovation factors;
- Malaysia’s basic requirements are not meeting the required standards to raise the nation’s competitiveness; and
- Malaysia’s technological readiness and higher education are not performing up to the mark.

All is not lost, though, because Malaysia is far more competitive than India and China as a nation.

However, the government must re-evaluate its policies as this is the obvious reason for Malaysia’s dismal performance.

While Malaysia ranks highly overall, it must be noted that world trade - and thereby wealth - is concentrated in the hands of a few countries. If Malaysia intends to join that number, a regime change is necessary.
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A GOOD MAN HE MAY BE, A GOOD LEADER HE'S NOT!

Charles Hector
Feb 6, 07 6:32pm

It is shocking how Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the government of the day continue to keep ‘secrets’ from the people, your ‘bosses’. Responses like ‘we know what’s best’ when confronted with these concerns, no longer appeases the oppressed rakyat of Malaysia.

Let us not forget that we are the rakyat and you are our elected representatives, elected to govern the nation on our behalf in a manner that will serve the best interest of all the rakyat. This governing must be done in an open transparent and accountable manner.

In fact all agreements, be it the highway building and toll agreements, the water agreements and all privatisation agreements must be made available to the rakyat. It should at the very least be available on the respective government websites for all to access and see.

Our government has also signed many memorandum of understanding and other treaties - and again they are not available for the concerned rakyat to peruse and be aware of our nation’s current obligations.

Once elected, our government behaves as though the rakyat has given them a ‘blank check’ to do anything and whatever it likes without the necessary obligation of transparency and accountability to the rakyat. Sadder still, is when these documents/agreements get revealed to the rakyat, the government goes after those who have revealed it.

As a nation, we are almost 50 years old and our government still treats the ‘rakyat’ like little children. We, the rakyat, are adults with intelligence and maturity, and we want to know everything the government has done (or is going to do) on our behalf - no more hiding things from the rakyat.

The time came long ago for greater transparency and accountability by our government. The time has also come now for the immediate repeal of the Official Secrets Act, and the introduction of a Freedom of Information Act. Acknowledging that there may be military and police matters that may still have to be kept secret for security purposes but surely not all these privatisation agreements, MOUs and other treaties.

The deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Suliman, in Parliament, recently revealed that since 1983 when the privatisation scheme was launched, 490 projects had been privatised. We have not seen the list of what these 490 privatised projects are and who got it, let alone have seen these relevant agreements. Does the government still have full control of the companies that got these privatised projects with regard to policy and priorities? Are these companies still wholly Malaysian, or have they been taken over by foreigners?

In December 2006, in the Dewan Rakyat, it was also revealed that the government spent more than RM11 billion in taxpayers' money to bail out failed privatisation projects. Of this RM11 billion, it was reported that RM3.256 billion was for Star LRT, RM4.486 billion for Putra LRT. Now, apparently these two projects is under a new company, one Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd.

This RM11billion was also utilised for the following purpose:

*RM2.802 billion for Malaysia Airlines System Bhd

*RM142 million for Seremban-Port Dickson Highway by Projek Lebuhraya Utara Selatan Bhd.

*RM135 million for Bandar Kuching Prison with the Public Works Department taking over from a private company.

*RM192.54 million for the National Sewerage Scheme from its previous concessionaire, Indah Water Konsortium.

*RM8.3 million for the Muslim Food and Consumer Goods Research Unit, which now comes under the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).

We, the rakyat, do not want to just be informed about how much of our money has been paid out to certain companies - those that had been awarded privatised projects before. We want to know what happened, and why is the government now paying out monies to ‘privatised’ projects and companies that were awarded these privatised projects.

The government, in the person of the prime minister and his cabinet, should be made accountable and responsible for the bad choices and the bad agreements they made which now costing the rakyat money. They should be made liable for the rakyat’s money that has now been used to bail out some of these projects and companies. We want to also know whether the directors and these companies are being penalised for their failures.

I believe that it is most likely that some of the directors and shareholders of these affected companies have long ago made their money from these projects. They have probably managed these projects badly, knowing always that at the end of the day the government will happily inject more funds, if need be. The very idea of injecting rakyat’s money into projects already privatised goes against the whole object and notion of privatisation.

It is sad that the government so easily spent RM11 billion on these already privatised projects that have failed, but when it comes to things that benefit all rakyat like petrol costs, toll charges, water and electrical rates, to name a few, the government seems not so bothered about increasing prices resulting in the increased suffering of the rakyat. This RM11 billion would have been better used to keep petrol, water and electrical charges low.

Now, when the suffering rakyat protest these hikes in prices, our government comes down hard with the police, water cannon and make arrests.

At one time, many Malaysians believed that when Abdullah became our new premier after the 22-year reign of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, things would get better. But alas our new prime minister has just been continuously increasing the burdens and sufferings of the rakyat as time goes by. A good man he may have been but obviously the task of governing the nation for the benefit of the rakyat seems to be beyond him.

Many now feel that it maybe time for our prime minister, our deputy prime minister, our works minister and all those other members of the cabinet who are responsible for those ‘failing privatised projects’ and the increase of charges/rates should just honourably step down.

The prime minister should resign, and maybe the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong should just appoint some member of parliament and/or senator, whose name has not been linked to any scandals or ‘allegation of corruption’ and someone who is not in the present cabinet as our new prime minister.

This new prime minister must then appoint a totally new cabinet, and maybe then Malaysia and the rakyat may be able to come out from this mess that Malaysia is in now.

If this not happen, maybe we should all seriously consider voting out the Barisan Nasional in our upcoming general elections. Looking at the state of the nation, after 50 years of Barisan Nasional (before that the Alliance), under the leadership of Umno, MCA and MIC, maybe it may not be too bad an idea for us to consider a change.

An alternative government cannot do any worse that the present government - and perhaps it may even be able to bring Malaysia out of this rut we are in today.

WAR CRIMES CONFERENCE BY PERDANA GLOBAL PEACE ORGANISATION

2007-02-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

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Victims want Bush, Blair and Howard tried for war crimes

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB

Thursday February 8, 2007.

KUALA LUMPUR: Sitting for the first time, the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission heard a petition seeking US president George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Australian Prime Minister John Howard to be tried for war crimes.

Presenting the case, Matthias Chang said the petitioners were victims of crimes against peace, crimes against humanity and war crimes and should be tried by the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal.

“Don’t let them down. They have nowhere to go. This is their last stop,” he pleaded before the Commission.

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Still smarting: Najwa Jehad Aref Jalamneh, 17,(PICTURE) from Jenin in Palestine was seen wiping her tears as Chang made his closing statement. She was one of the witnesses who put forward her petition at the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission yesterday.

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Chang, a lawyer and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's political secretary, was almost in tears with his voice cracking when he presented his case.

The commission – headed by Dr Mahathir – and the tribunal were set up by the Perdana Global Peace Organisation.

Besides Dr Mahathir, the commission comprises advocate and solicitor Datuk Dr Yaacob Hussain Merican who has a doctorate in international law and international relations, lawyer and former Malaysian Bar president Zainur Zakaria, lawyer and former magistrate Musa Ismail, and law lecturers Prof Dr Mohd Akram Shair Mohamad and Prof Gurdial Singh.

Chang argued that the leaders had, among other things, directed the destruction of vital facilities in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine; ordered the use of prohibited weapons of mass destruction; fraudulently manipulated the United Nations and the UN Security Council to commit war crimes; and violated human rights.

Expert witness Prof Niloufer Bhagwat, who is a judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for Afghanistan, told the Commission that the US-led war on terror had no enemy.

“Not a single Afghan was connected with the 19 hijackers in the Sept 11 attack. None of them were from Iraq. They were not from Lebanon nor Palestine,” she said.

Dirk Adrieansens, co-ordinator of S.O.S Iraq and member of executive committee Brussels War Crimes Tribunal, told the commission that the International Criminal Court acknowledged that it had received 240 formal complaints of violation from Iraq but had described them as “not grave enough to open up a case.”

Seven victims from Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon also came forward with their testimonies and statutory declarations.

Dr Mahathir said the commission would study the case and decide whether there was a basis for it to be brought to the tribunal.

--the star--
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MAHATHIR BACKS IRAQI RESISTANCE

Thursday February 8, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad threw his support behind the Iraqi resistance and told them to ensure that the Americans “paid a high price for their adventure.”

Congratulating the Iraqi resistance, he said they might have to kill many Americans for their cause.

“The body bags will help the Americans realise that no one should hegemonise and do whatever they like in the world,” he said in his closing address at the Expose War Crimes – Criminalise War conference.

The conference was organised by the Perdana Global Peace Organisation of which the former prime minister is the chairman.

Dr Mahathir said that while there were instances where Iraqis might have killed each other, they could have been instigated by those planning to divide and rule, and subjugate the people.

Iraqis, he added, only thought of themselves as Iraqis, not as Shi'ite, Sunni or Kurd. He said people might have been brought from outside to cause trouble in Iraq.

Dr Mahathir said the Spanish and Italian prime ministers who had once supported the American invasion of Iraq and supplied troops but had changed their stand while US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair were also no longer popular.

He said the Americans have not yet learnt their lesson and was still trying to acquire wealth through military occupation.

“The others have learnt their lesson and gone back,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said the US-led war on terror was a trick to invade Iraq to control its oil. The target, he added, might actually be China which was growing to be a superpower.

He said currently there were only two superpowers – the United States with its military might, and public opinion, which could bring down even the most powerful of governments.

He called on people to mobilise the second superpower and “sow the seed of a new idea” that war is illegal and a crime.

He urged them to build networks all around the world so that people would only elect pacifist leaders.

--the star--
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Ex-JUDGE MADE WAR TRIBUNAL PRO TEM HEAD

Thursday February 8, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Federal Court judge Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman is the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal pro tem committee chairman.

He is also a member of the Council of Advisors to the Regent of Terengganu.

Other members of the pro tem committee include lawyers Tunku Datuk Dr Sofiah Jewa and Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mohd Saari Yusoff, Mara University of Technology’s professor of law Prof Shad Faruqi, former Industrial court chairman Mohd Noor Yahya and international lawyer Alfred Lambremont Webre.

Others are retired Federal Court judge Datuk Abu Mansor Ali, legal advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organisation on the Creation of the State of Palestine Prof Francis A. Boyle, and former law faculty deputy dean at the International Islamic University Prof Salleh Buang, who were not present at War Crimes Commission preliminary proceedings for various reasons.

Abdul Kadir said that the number of members in the pro tem committee was not final, adding that they would be searching for eminent jurists so that the tribunal would be properly represented.

“Though strictly this is not a court of law where we can pronounce our judgement, but at the very least, we have to do something. We have to see what we can do without fear or favour, and we must not decide based on sympathy,” he said.

--the star--
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"NATURAL LAW" ALLOWS FOR SETTING UP OF KL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL.

February 05, 2007 21:24 PM.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 (Bernama) -- The principle of "Natural Law" would allow the War Crimes Conference, currently in progress here, to set up a tribunal to try and pass judgement on those who propagate war and commit heinous crimes against humanity, an international law expert said Monday.

Alfred Lambremont Webre, an international lawyer who played a critical role in exposing discrepancies in the Canadian National Defence missile and military projects, said the precedent to this argument was the setting up of the 2004 Tokyo Tribunal for War Crimes Against Afghanistan.

The three-day War Crimes Conference, organised by the Perdana Global Peace Organisation chaired by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, started at the Putra World Trade Centre here Monday.

The conference, also known as The Kuala Lumpur Initiative to Criminalise War, would also work towards the setting-up of a permanent tribunal, recognised by the victims of aggression, to hear charges levelled at the warmongers, leaders and governments of aggressor nations, to determine their innocence or guilt and to prescribe punishment.

Webre explained that natural law in jurisprudence had a number of different meanings and that it could refer to the doctrine that just laws were immanent in nature meaning that these laws could be "discovered" or "found" but not created like the Declaration of Human Rights.

"Natural law is what social law, our humanly created laws, is based upon. Justice, the force underlying all our laws, is a fundamental property of our reality. Our societies, our institutions, our courts, our parliaments, our governments do not invent justice when they create our social laws. At best they work to incorporate as much of the fundamental force of justice into our social laws and legal process as they can.

"Currently, many of the courts enforcing national and international law are controlled or compromised by the workings of the international War Crimes Racketeering Organisation. Citizen War Crimes Tribunal have stepped into this void to carry out justice against genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggressive wars of the War Crimes Racketeering Organisation," he said.

Webre regarded the War Crimes Racketeering Organisation as one made up of several countries or individuals which implement depopulation policy by increasing the death rate of targeted populations and decreasing their birth rate using nuclear weapons, engineered wars and usage of exotic weapons like bio-weapons, such as AIDS.

Citing the 2004 Tokyo Tribunal for War Crimes Against Afghanistan as an example, he said the tribunal was convened under its own Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for Afghanistan, regarded as an impressive and far reaching document, drafted under international humanitarian law.

"Its authority was Natural Law - the Principle of Justice inherent in Nature. What more can be more powerful than that? The judgement of the (proposed) Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal, if structured under proper international legal standards has force and effect under justice because of Natural Law.

"A movement for war crimes justice means that public opinion will become more aware of its right to enforcement of international humanitarian law against war crimes. National and international courts can and will enforce the findings and judgement of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal," he added.

He said as of Jan 1, 2007, some 104 nations had become parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and all these countries had passed enabling legislation allowing their national courts to prosecute war crimes as defined in the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute.

"Our movement for war crimes justice now can access up to 104 national courts to prosecute war crimes committed outside their territory. Thus we have 104 national courts that a mobilised public can petition to enforce the judgement of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal," he argued.

He said the war crimes justice movement could mobilise public opinion in an activist caucus of nations to pursue those who perpetrate crimes against humanity.

However, he said the jurisdiction of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal should also extend to the 88 other nations that had not signed the Rome Statute, including the United States of America and Israel.

"We now know why the USA and Israel have not done so (signed the Rome Statute of the International Court)," quipped Webre.

--BERNAMA--
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FROM GULFNEWS.COM
Mahathir backs militants

AP

Kuala Lumpur: Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad urged Iraqi insurgents yesterday to make the United States "pay a very high price" for its occupation of Iraq.

In his most provocative public remarks on the Iraq war yet, Mahathir said he wanted to "congratulate the Iraqi resistance" for successfully turning public opinion against US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

"Make sure that the Americans will pay a very high price for their adventure," Mahathir said at an international anti-war conference in Kuala Lumpur.

"Unfortunately, you may have to kill a lot of Americans. When the coffins go back, when the body bags are carried back to America, it will help the Americans to change their minds," Mahathir said to loud applause from 1,500 activists.

Strong critic

Mahathir, long known for his strident criticism of Western countries, said American soldiers will go to Iraq "and many of them are going to die. They are going to go back in their coffins.
"If President Bush is willing to lead his army, but from the front, then by all means let’s all go to war," he said. "But since he’s not going to do that, I think we should strive with all our might to spread the new faith, the new belief that war is not an option, war is not a way of settling any dispute."

War crimes tribunal

Mahathir spoke after launching a tribunal that plans to hold trials based on complaints by Iraqis and Palestinians against world leaders including Bush, Blair, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Israeli ex-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal, which opened with a preliminary meeting, does not have the legal authority of an international organisation and cannot impose penalties, but its main aim is to condemn leaders in history books, Mahathir said.
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Your comments

I really appreciate the ex-Super-Leader. He is the real president and great man in the history. He is the legend for the next Generation.
Aman
Mumbai,India
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Mr Mahatir is a courageous Muslim leader, wish we in Pakistan had someone like him.
Saj
Lahore,Pakistan
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He is probably the only man in the world with guts and know the meaning of speech freedom.
Deen
Singapore,Singapore
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I have never seen person like Mahatir Mohammed who always speaks the truth about the superpower conspiracy without any fear of retaliation. He is the only Muslim leader who can stand against the Americans and the Israelis.
Mohammed
Hyderabad,India

MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER BOAT

2007-01-29T23:13:00.000-08:00

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Malezya Baþbakaný teknesini görmeye geldi
17 Aralýk 2006
Yaþar ANTER,(DHA)

GÜNEY Afrika’dan ithal edilen akaju, maun, sipo ve brimanya aðaçlarý kullanýlarak yaklaþýk 16 ayda tamamlanmasý beklenen yatta yaklaþýk 60 iþçinin çalýþtýðý belirtildi. Yat, 12 ay sonra teslim edilecek. 14 kiþi kapasiteli 44 metre uzunluðundaki yatýn 8 milyon dolara mal olacaðý belirtildi.
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English Translation :
Turkey's Hurriyet Newspaper
Malaysian Prime Minister here to see his boat
17 Dec 2006

Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmed Badawi arrived in Bodrum yesterday to see his boat which he ordered four months ago. Badawi arrived in Bodrum at 1.30 am with a private jet that belongs to Malaysia Airlines.
The head official of Milas, Bahattin Atci, and Malaysian businessman Ananda Krishnan, who is the sixth richest man in Asia, welcomed Badawi. Kamil Sezgun, who is the director of Kobra Yachting and Tourism Ltd Co, was also present.
Badawi and his friend Krishan went to Gokova for fishing with a luxury motor yacht belonging to Kremala Holding, which was brought over here from Malta. The luxury yacht "Obsessions" is 40-meter long, made in the Netherlands and the captain of the yacht is Cavit Kabak. The yacht was anchored in Milta Marina.
Badawi said he loves Bodrum and south Aegean and the Mediterranean so much. It's a great pleasure for him to be here fishing and resting on the line (horizon) that connects blue and green (ocean and land).
The boat will cost 8 million dollars
The boat is made of Akaju, Maun, Sipo and Brimanya's tree which is imported from South Africa. It is expected to be completed in 16 months. Some 60 people are involved in the construction of the boat. The boat will be delivered after 12 months (since he ordered it four months ago). The capacity of the boat is for 14 people and the length is 44 meters. The boat will cost 8 million US dollars.

Malaysia Prime Minister's anti-Semitic?

2007-01-22T19:57:00.000-08:00

FLASH BACK WHAT FORMER MALAYSIAN LEADER SAID ABOUT JEWS...THINK IT

The government of Malaysia apologized for remarks made on Thursday by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the opening of the Organization of the Islamic Conference summit, which he was hosting. Mohamad told international Islamic leaders that "Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them." Jewish leaders said the speech was "an absolute invitation for more hate crimes and terrorism against Jews."

"I'm sorry that they have misunderstood the whole thing," Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid told the Associated Press on Friday. "The intention is not to create controversy. His intention is to show that if you ponder and sit down to think, you can be very powerful."

Hamid added, "The ones who are facing all the problems at present are the Muslims. There are no feelings against any Jews. Why should we have feelings based on ethnicity?"

Mahathir, 77, who is known for his outspoken, anti-Western rhetoric, is leader of a democratic nation which has a large non-Muslim population and does not enforce strict Islamic law. Mahathir told the Islamic Conference that Muslims had achieved "nothing" in more than 50 years of fighting Israel.

"The 1.3 billion Muslims cannot be defeated by a few million Jews," Mahathir said. "There must be a way. And we can only find a way if we stop to think, to assess our weaknesses and our strengths, to plan, to strategize and then to counter-attack...

"We are actually very strong - 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Europeans killed six million Jews out of 12 million. But today, the Jews rule this world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them...

"Over the past 50 years of fighting in Palestine, we have not achieved any result. We have in fact worsened our situation," Mahathir said.

"They survived 2,000 years of pogroms not by hitting back, but by thinking. They invented and successfully promoted Socialism, Communism, human rights and democracy so that persecuting them would appear to be wrong, so they may enjoy equal rights with others. With these, they have now gained control of the most powerful countries and they, this tiny community, have become a world power. We cannot fight them through brawn alone. We must use our brains also," Mahathir said.

Mahathir's speech drew a standing ovation from the assembled leaders, who included Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdullah, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Invitation to more hate crimes
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Jonathan Peled expressed disappointment in the Malaysian prime minister's remarks but said he wasn't surprised. "It is not new that in such forums there is always an attempt to reach of the lowest common denominator which is Israel bashing. But obviously we'd like to see more moderate and responsible kind of declarations coming out of such summits."

Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, said in response, "Prime Minister Mahathir has made what amounts to a call for global war against the Jewish people by 1.3 billion Muslims. This is nothing more than a call to Holy War against Jews. It is grotesque anti-Semitism on an international scale. Mahathir's speech needs to be condemned by responsible leaders of the civilized world as an unacceptable outrage and an affront to civilized society."

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, said Mahathir has used anti-Israel statements in the past to prove he's tough on the West. But, he said, Thursday's speech was still worrisome.

"What is profoundly shocking and worrying is the venue of the speech, the audience and coming in the time we're living in," Cooper said. "Mahathir's speech today is an absolute invitation for more hate crimes and terrorism against Jews. That's serious."

"It's not the first time we've seen comments like this from that official," U.S. Deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said. "Let's be clear: the remarks were offensive, they are inflammatory, and we view them with the contempt and derision they deserve."

The German Foreign Ministry denounced Mahathir's comments as "totally unacceptable" and said it called in Malaysia's charge d'affaires in Berlin to protest. "It was made clear to (him) that repeating such prejudices and combining them with the tragic chapter of European and German history, the Holocaust, is irresponsible," the ministry said in a statement.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that Mahathir "used expressions that were gravely offensive, very strongly anti-Semitic and ... strongly counter to principles of tolerance, dialogue and understanding between the Western world and the Islamic world."

October 17, 2003

MALAYSIA'S ABDULLAH IN FINAL MOMENT

2007-01-12T04:32:00.000-08:00

Bede Hong
Jan 8, 07 8:17pm
HUGE MANDATE: 'PAK LAH MAY NOT HAVE IT AGAIN'

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi may no longer be able to command the overwhelming mandate he obtained in the 2004 general elections, his erstwhile critic and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

Mahathir said that public opinion has ‘changed’ since Abdullah took up his tenure as prime minister three years ago. Abdullah had said recently that there was no need to hold a general election as the mandate he obtained in 2004 showed that the people had confidence in him.

“That may be his view, but I think things have changed a little bit,” said Mahathir when asked to comment on the prime minister’s statement. He was speaking to reporters after a press conference on the Perdana Global Peace Organisation’s Third Global Peace Forum to be held in Kuala Lumpur from Feb 5 to 7. Mahathir is chairman of the foundation.

The former premier also said the coming state by-election at Batu Talam in Pahang would be a political barometer to gauge the popularity of the BN government.

“If they (the electorate) feel very happy, then the margin (of BN’s win) might be more. If they feel unhappy about it, then the margin might be less. If they feel really unhappy about it, then they might lose. The government might lose,” said Mahathir.

Saying that Malaysians ‘by and large still support the government’, he added they will have the opportunity to show their support at the Batu Talam by-election.

Report money politics

The Election Commission has set Jan 16 as nomination day and Jan 28 for polling for the constituency following the death of Umno's Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan on Dec 27 from rectal cancer.

Mahathir said the by-election would reflect public mood on the ruling administration and warned that BN may try to use money politics to win the by-election.

“It will be quite interesting to watch this by-election. I had this bad experience of people using money against me. So if they use money, I hope the people would reject it. And I hope people would report it,” he said.

Mahathir was referring to the Umno Kubang Pasu divisional delegates contest on Sept 9 which saw him fail in his bid to be elected as one of the seven delegates to represent the division during November’s Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur.

The former premier alleged that money politics was at play and that this had caused him to lose. The Umno disciplinary board has yet to make a decision on the allegations.

Mahathir also said that Abdullah has failed to fulfill the promises he made in the run-up to the 2004 general election.

“It looks like a delivery system problem. Proper tenders must be carried out. But some people are getting projects without tender,” he said.

Contractors’ bonanza wrong

Mahathir also rapped the decision to disburse RM600 million the Class F contractors.

On Nov 13, the eve of the recently concluded Umno general assembly, party president Abdullah announced that the sum was to top up the RM1.5 billion allocated for rural development under the 9MP.

Deputy Finance Minister Awang Adek Hussin later told reporters that each of the parliamentary constituencies would get RM3 million from the RM600 million bonanza. He reportedly said the funds would rejuvenate the Class-F contractors, adding that the allocations should be spent within six months upon disbursement.

“If it has been given, it would have been very wrong because the government cannot make provision for parties, especially for government parties. It has to be given to everybody. If it is based on constituency, yes, you may not like opposition to have RM3 million. You can still give to the constituency, not to the opposition party.

“If it is done not through the official sources, but confined only to one political party, then it is against the law,” he said.

The former premier, who last year came out publicly with strong criticisms of Abdullah’s style of governance, touched on a variety of issues during the 45-minute press conference. Below are excerpts.

‘I wasn’t quiet’

On Abdullah’s recent interview with a Bangkok daily, where he said Mahathir had ‘smashed my son-in-law’s pot of rice’.

It wasn’t a very big rice bowl, it’s very difficult to smash (laughs). It’s turning into a hundreds of millions of dollars rice bowl. How much rice can you eat?

On the RM31.4 billion merger of Sime Darby Bhd, Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd and Golden Hope Plantations Bhd:

We think that through this merger, I think the commission that some people would get from this merger is around RM200 million. Somebody would benefit right from the word ‘go’ from the commission.

Secondly, I don’t think it is very necessary. They are big enough as they are.

On the recently announced Iskandar Development Region in Johor:

With regard to this special zone, literally you are making it part of a foreign land. Singapore would be very happy. People can go to this place without using their passport. But if they want to go back (to their own countries) they have to use their passport. That is very interesting.

But Singapore has relations with some countries which we do not have relations with, such as Israel. We might have some interesting people building things there. Effectively, they are becoming a foreign land.

But that is following in the tradition of Malaysia, where we gave Singapore to other people, where we gave Penang to the British. We are generous, we are always giving. Where we can’t give land, we can always dig up sand and sell it.

On his attempt to strike out a RM100 million suit filed against him by his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim following his (Mahathir’s) comments that Anwar was a homosexual:

He is suing me now. My lawyers have asked that it should struck off as far as I am concerned. But the court is not on my side. That’s why I had problems with Umno being struck out back then (1987).

On why he has been ‘quiet’ of late:

I wasn’t quiet. I had my press conference after my first meeting (with Abdullah) and people blamed me for being so nasty. So after that, I had a small heart problem, and now my heart is repaired. But I have no forum to say anything. The press will not publish what I say. So I appear to be very quiet but in my brain there is a lot of sounds.

On whether he will continue to criticise the government:

I will criticise anything that is wrong whether done by my government or other governments. That has been my principle whether I was prime minister or not. I never hesitate to criticise. Even the most powerful country in the world, if they do something wrong, I will say. And they are welcome to say when I am wrong. They have said I was wrong all this while. Twenty-two years of bad government.

On whether he has slowed down his momentum:

People are too afraid to give out invitations for me to speak. When they do, they are told to withdraw their invitations. I say that this is not lawful [...] the police are allowed to call up people and threaten them. This is a police state.

During my time, I have never done so. I proceeded according to the ISA. There is the law. But this, to call up the police to threaten people, was never done.

On whether he considers ISA ‘uncivilised’:

It is still a law. There are good laws and there are bad laws. There are good laws in the eyes of some people and there are bad laws in the eyes of others. But the fact is that there is a law. And now, of course, the British are returning to the same law and America is also very happy that there are going to imprison people without trial. Worse still, they imprison foreigners without trial. If it is such a bad law, then all these people should not be doing it.

On whether ISA should be abolished:

There is a need for ISA, there is also a need not to abuse ISA.

On rumours Umno supreme council members wanted him under house arrest:

The law is there. I said don’t abuse. They can arrest me and say the law said so, but that would be an abuse.

On the delay by the Umno supreme council and disciplinary board in reaching a decision on the Umno Kubang Pasu money politics case:

I think that the supreme council and the disciplinary board are busy. Maybe they are celebrating Raya, New Year, Hari Raya Haji and all that.

On reports that he purchased a luxury yacht in Turkey:

Actually, I am quite interested, if I could buy. But I don’t have the money. I have been sailing in this Turkish gullet they call it. Very beautifully designed yacht. Turkish wooden yacht. I thought if you owned a yacht and bring it here, it would look nice in Langkawi.

I asked some people with some money ‘Why don’t you build a yacht like that?’ They said wooden boats don’t last very long in Langkawi. And then they said, if a wooden boat doesn’t last long why not have steel hull. So that’s where it stopped.

On whether southern Thailand should seek autonomy:

They have some grievances, but I have told them quite clearly they should not make any effort to become an independent state, or even autonomy because the Thai government doesn’t like that.

On whether the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu has hurt Malaysia’s image:

I am sorry it happened, especially when in involves the police. But generally there is an upsurge in crime in this country. I do not know why. But I feel very sad that this should happen. And I am an honorary doctor for a Mongolian university.

And they have written to me to intercede, but there is nothing I can do except hope that the investigation and the trial can be carried out as soon as possible.

On the expected reduction of global crude oil prices and its effect on domestic retail oil prices:

I have to admit when the prices went up, our retail price did not go up for quite some time. The government must have lost some money [...] the government is spending a bit more time thinking about it. If it (global oil prices) stays low, the government might reduce domestic retail oil prices, but I’m not the government though I talk as though I am ...

On writing his memoirs:

It’s taking a lot of time. It’s very difficult. I don’t know how to write on all these things about myself. I’ve forgotten most of the things already. I don’t think it is a very interesting story anyway.

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proton must 'ditch entire management'

Jan 8, 07 7:02am

Loss-making auto manufacturer Proton needs to dump its entire management or risk deteriorating even further, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

The government is currently negotiating a partnership deal aimed at providing Proton with the expertise it needs to arrest a sharp decline in market share in a newly competitive market.

"They need to have a change of management. It is quite obvious that this management has destroyed Proton completely," said Mahathir, an adviser to the automaker which he helped found in the 1980s.

"If it stays under the present management, it is going to go downhill," he told a press conference, adding that he had no objections to a foreign partner coming on board.

"Foreign, local, whatever. Whatever the government thinks is best," he said.

Mahathir said Proton's manufacturing facilities were running well below capacity.

"It bothers me because today, Proton sales are very poor, the vendors are suffering, some have folded up, the dealers are suffering because they cannot sell," he said.

Gov't owns 59% of Proton

The government owns 59 percent of Proton, including a 43 percent stake held by its investment arm, Khazanah Nasional.

Three Malaysian automotive companies - DRB-Hicom, the Naza group and the Mofaz group - have expressed interest in acquiring all or part of the government's stake.

However, The Edge financial weekly reported on Sunday that the government will instead choose either Germany's Volkswagen AG or PSA Peugeot Citroen of France to take a stake in Proton.

The Edge said Volkswagen intended to acquire a controlling stake in Proton's manufacturing division, which could see Proton turn into a manufacturing hub for the German firm.

Peugeot was more inclined towards a relationship which would preserve Proton's identity while collaborating on cheaper models for export regionally and with a controlling stake less of a priority, it said.

MALAYSIA'S ABDULLAH MAKE A BIG MISTAKE

2007-01-08T02:55:00.000-08:00

Selepas dimusnahkan fungsinya sebagai sebuah akhbar, apabila kekerapannya dipancung, pada Mac 2000, Harakah terus diasak dan dihalang, dan terbaru, operasi rampasan dilancarkan semula, secara menyeluruh, dan difahamkan merangkumi hampir semua wilayah termasuk Sarawak.

Selepas diberitahu berita malang itu, saya terus menghubungi beberapa rakan pengedar untuk mendapat maklumat lanjut. Kebanyakan mereka syak ia berpunca daripada gambar muka depan Harakah terbaru, yang memaparkan "gelagat nakal" Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi semasa majlis makan malam sempena Monsoon Cup tidak lama dulu.

Sekurang-kurangnya operasi rampasan dikatakan tertumpu di Subang Jaya, Bangi, Ampang, sekitar Chow Kit dan Masjid India. Bagaimanapun saya masih menunggu laporan lanjut dari pengedar-pengedar lain di seluruh negara.

Pastinya fokus pembaca tertumpu kepada aksi Abdullah memegang bahu artis antarabangsa, Dato' Michelle Yeoh, sambil tangan pelakon terkenal itu membalas mesra sentuhan Abdullah. Dari gambar itu jelas baju Michelle tidak berlengan dan bahunya terdedah.

Dan sudah selayaknya Michelle berbuat demikian sebagai tanda menghormati Perdana Menteri apabila Abdullah dari belakang "menyapanya" mesra. Turut memerhatikan mereka ialah teman lelaki Michelle, yang juga pemilik FI Ferrari, Dato' Seri Jean Todd. Menantu Abdullah, Khairy dan isterinya Nori turut kelihatan, samar-samar di meja belakang.

DATIN ROSMAH MANSUR BERLAGA PIPI DENGAN SALMAN KHAN

Satu lagi perkembangan,baru-baru ini Abdullah juga hadir di majlis gilang-gemilang anugerah filem Bollywood di Kuala Lumpur. Aksi-aksi menjolok mata penari dan artis-artis terkenal di pesta berkenaan terpampang di dada-dada akhbar, manakala gelagat "wanita pertama", isteri Timbalan Perdana Menteri juga tersebar luas melalui internet.

BARBARIC AND SADISTIC

2007-01-03T03:14:00.000-08:00

SADDAM HUSSEIN'S EXECUTION A PUBLIC MURDER,SAYS DR.MAHATHIR

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 (Bernama)--Barbaric, sadistic and a public murder -- this was how former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad described Saturday's execution of deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

In a strongly-worded statement here Monday, Dr Mahathir said the execution was sanctioned by U.S. president George W. Bush and British prime minister Tony Blair, whom he labelled as war criminals.

He said the sadistic act of broadcasting the execution to the whole world was a travesty of justice and meant to demonstrate the imperial power of the United States and served as a warning to peace loving people that they must either bow to the dictates of the Bush administration or face the consequences of a public lynching.

Dr Mahathir, who is a member of International Committee for the Defence of Saddam, said the former president's lynching was also an insult to all Muslims as it occurred on the Holy Day of Eid when Muslims devote themselves to prayer and forgiveness.

" It is all too clear that the war criminal Bush has no sensitivities whatsoever for Muslims on their pilgrimage to Mecca. This barbaric act is a sacrilege," he said.

He said Saddam's entire trial process was a mockery of justice in no less a Kangaroo Court.

" Defence counsels were brutally murdered, witnesses threatened and judges removed for being impartial and replaced by puppet judges. Yet, we are told that Iraq was invaded to promote democracy, freedom and justice.

Dr Mahathir, a vocal opponent of the U.S-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 when he was prime minister, said what happened now was that a peaceful country had been turned into a war zone.

Over 500,000 children died as a result of economic sanctions, and the latest findings by the medical journal, Lancet revealed that over 650,000 Iraqis had died since the illegal invasion.

He also accused Bush of killing more Iraqis than President Saddam ever did.

" If President Saddam Hussein is guilty of war crimes, then the world must find Bush, Blair and John Howard (Australian prime minister) equally guilty and the International Criminal Court cannot but prosecute these war criminals," he said. He said the inaction thus far by the International Criminal Court against Bush, Blair and Howard exposed its double standard when it did not hesitate to prosecute war crimes committed in Darfur, Rwanda and Kosovo.

" If we support human rights and justice, we must condemn this barbaric lynching of Saddam Hussein.

" There can be no excuse whatsoever for this injustice under any circumstances. Bush and the puppet regime in Iraq have made a mockery of the rule of law," he said.

TUN MAHATHIR'S PRESS CONFERENCE

2006-12-11T05:45:00.000-08:00

What former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said at the press conference held at his house in the Mines Resort City, just outside of Kuala Lumpur on Monday – a day after his meeting with the present Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Dr Mahathir: First, I’d like to give the background to all these things because I think many people are unaware or confused about the reason why I met Pak Lah.

Actually, Mubarak (the organisation of ex-members of parliament and state assemblymen) approached Mokhzani, my son, to try and help resolve this problem – the problem being my criticism of the Government.

They suggested three things: that I should meet the Umno supreme council; if that cannot be done, I should meet the Malay members of the Cabinet; and if that too is not possible, for me to see Pak Lah.

Zani, I don’t know what he did, but he said Pak Lah agreed to see me. So that was that and I was informed that I should meet Pak Lah.

Since this was initiated by Mubarak, I said I would like to see Mubarak first to find out what it is that they are asking me to do.

Mubarak came, five of them including their president, and Tan Sri Zaleha (former National Unity and Social Development Minister Zaleha Ismail) and they said they would like me to see Pak Lah because Pak Lah has agreed to see me.

I said if I wanted to see Pak Lah, I would like to tell him very bluntly: What have I to gain by criticising him? I told Mubarak what I felt about things and after Mubarak listened to me, they felt that I should tell these things directly to Pak Lah.

I said if I am free to speak frankly then I would see him.

After that, I believe Mubarak went to see Pak Lah and Pak Lah agreed to see me, and a date, time and place was to be fixed by him.

I had requested that there should be one person as witness for each of us but the agreement was that there would be nobody at all and I said that was fine.

Yesterday, the time was fixed at 3pm. Pak Lah met me at the door with his son Kamal. I went to the office, it used to be an office when I was living there anyway. I told him that I will record our dialogue.

I set up the recorder on the table and told him I would like to start and of course told him about all the things that I was critical about the Government. Of course, there were too many things I had to mention but in one and a half hours I covered a whole lot of things.

After that he explained, because he interrupted me several times when I was talking. For example, when I said it’s not true that the Government has no money for projects because before I stepped down in 2002, I made sure of a few things.

That the country is stable, Umno regains its popularity and the economy is doing well.

That the finances of the Government is in good shape. Only after that did I decide to step down.

But I said there’s no question that when I stepped down the Government had no money. He said that the Government now has more money, implying that when I stepped down there was no money.

During my time the profit made by Petronas was RM26bil.

I know that subsequently Petronas made RM58bil and the last financial year Petronas made RM86bil, which is bigger than the total collection from income and corporate taxes, which will be around RM60bil this year.

So the Government has money, which he agrees now. But he didn’t say that at the time I stepped down there was no money.

But I insisted that there was. He also said that when I said his son and son-in-law telephone people to give contracts to so and so, he said that while he did not know he will ask them but he didn’t think they did it.

On Scomi, he said that it is the only company in the region with the technology and mud engineering. Besides, it is 100% bumiputra so that is why Petronas gave the contract to Scomi.

There were a few other things he mentioned but he stopped, thinking it was already two hours. I figured the meeting was over and I collected my recorder and said good bye to him at the door and I came out.
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APA YANG BUDAK TU BUAT KAT SITU?DIA BUKAN KAKITANGAN KERAJAAN!!!(TUN MAHATHIR MERUJUK KEPADA MENANTU PAK LAH-KHAIRY JAMALUDDIN YANG MEMPUNYAI PEJABAT SENDIRI DI TINGKAT 4 DI PUTRAJAYA.
TINGKAT 4 ADALAH UNTUK KAKITANGAN KERAJAAN SAHAJA.KHUSUS UNTUK AHLI-AHLI FIKIR NEGARA)

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Did you ask him to step down for the good of the country?

Dr M: I didn’t.

Do you want that to happen?
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Dr M: I was there to tell him what I was not happy with. I was not there to suggest what he should do and it is up to him to decide what he should do.

He did say that as a result of what I did I have become unpopular and he has become unpopular too and that the only people who benefited were (former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz (Kelantan Mentri Besar and PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat).

It is wrong what TV3 reported, saying that I agreed with him that what I had done made me and him unpopular and only Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz benefited. This is what he said, not what I said.

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What is your feeling on the comment that you have become unpopular?

Dr M: He said that they had done a survey before I met him. And they had given him a briefing of the survey, that shows this result. If he wants to believe, that it is his right.

I said I don’t care about being popular or not but if anybody does things that don’t benefit the country and Malays in particular, I reserve my right to criticise whenever I think necessary.

And I pointed out to him that firstly, this has become a police state. Because every time anybody invites me to give a talk, they would be called up by the police and warned, called up by the police and told to withdraw the invitation.

Someone was not allowed to hold any meeting at all which involves me. This happened to many people. They were very shy to tell me about it but they were called up by the police and of course they were also called up by the mentri besar as well.

I did not tell him about this so I don’t think it is right for me to tell you what was said.

But I consider this a police state. And I consider also that my civic right has been taken away from me because I have every right to talk to Umno people, university people, civil servants and that’s my right.

But every time I want to do this and if people invite me they were told to withdraw. I told him more than 10 invitations had been withdrawn.

And of course in some cases police would meet these people. Umno people were told not to invite me. I know many Umno divisions want to invite me but are not allowed to.

So I am not allowed to speak to many groups of people. I consider it my right to speak to Umno people as a member and as ex-president. I have a right to speak to Umno people.

Did you talk about your agreement with him that was made before you step down?

Dr M: No, we did not.

What was Pak Lah’s reply to what you said on this being a police state?

Dr M: He said it was not true. He doesn’t agree with me that this is a police state.

Do you think the Prime Minister is going to do anything differently?

Dr M: We will have to wait and see. But my criticisms had some effect. For example, the activities of ECM Libra. At first you read reports in newspapers that ECM was doing these things but now it seems there is a complete blackout of ECM Libra activities.

There is no more report on Scomi activities.

Do you still plan to attend the Umno general meeting and to speak?

Dr M: I have not decided. But I have not been given any slot to speak so I don’t know how I am going to speak.

You’ve expressed unhappiness with Abdullah’s leadership. Do you think your unhappiness is being respected in Umno?

Dr M: I am not allowed to talk to Umno people at all. I have no means to assess this thing because I am not allowed to talk to Umno people. So I won’t be able to assess.

If I talk to them and explain to them what it is I am criticising then they will have to give their opinion. But I’m not allowed to explain anything, and I believe lots of people do not understand.

Did you talk about the incident at the Kubang Pasu division meeting?

Dr M: Yes, I said it was due to corruption. Whatever may be the finding of the committee I know for a fact that money was given.

Five people have reported. But there were others who said they received money but were not willing to come forward.

You are the founder of modern Malaysia. Are you concerned that your legacy is being chipped away by the controversy?

Dr M: It is not being chipped away by the controversy. It is being chipped away by the actions of the Government. For the past three years there has been no move.

The economy has not been doing well. People have not been able to have jobs and unemployment is still high.

Nothing has been done really to improve the economy. Although of course we read of very good figures but we see retail business is not good, contracts are not easy to come by, Class F people have no jobs and many contractors have folded.

Did you give him an ultimatum, because the last time you said he should undo what he has done wrong?

Dr M: I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that. I went there just to tell him. I didn’t give him any ultimatum. Because Murabak wants me to tell, that’s all.

Did he say anything about the incident in Kubang Pasu?

Dr M: He didn’t.

Why did you raise Ku Li’s name as a possible successor in the Bloomberg interview?

Dr M: No, I didn’t raise Tengku Razaleigh’s (former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah) name. They were asking whether there are other candidates who might want to, well, I thought Tengku Razaleigh was interested the last time and he might still be interested.

I mean, any Umno member can contest.

I did mention that the postponement of the Umno election is wrong. The excuse that I too did that when I was Umno president is not quite correct.

I did it because the general election was coming the following year and therefore I had to postpone the party elections the year before the general election.

But here, the general election can be held in 2009, and it is 2006 now.

Is there any reason why the party election cannot be held? Are you giving yourself a time frame to see changes after your meeting with Pak Lah?

Dr M: Well, I don’t talk about time frames. But if I am scheduled to meet people, if I am allowed to meet people, I will talk. I will mention why certain things are wrong.

Just like what I am telling you.

What do you want to achieve? You didn’t ask the Prime Minister to step down and you didn’t set a time frame.

Dr M: The Government has been criticised before and a government which is sensitive would take into consideration the criticism.

It may take the form of resignation, it may take other forms like stopping all these wrong things, the things that got people criticising.

From your point of view, what is the state of the economy?

Dr M: The economy is bad. I know because a lot of Chinese business people are very unhappy. Some of them, and I told this to Pak Lah, some of them have said they will not vote for Barisan Nasional at the next elections. And some of them said today they prefer to go to China to do business because there are more opportunities in China than there is in Malaysia because they don’t fine it easy to do business in Malaysia.

Are you convinced or satisfied at all by any of Pak Lah’s responses?

Dr M: At the moment no.

Why?

Dr M: Because he said he didn’t think his children were involved. He said that Khairy (Jamaluddin) was his son-in-law and he has been working with him before he became his son-in-law.

And he says he will ask them, that’s all.

Does that mean that from Pak Lah’s responses and reactions to what you had to tell him, your assessment is that you have not actually achieved much in this meeting?

Dr M: I have achieved the objective of telling him in quite substantial detail. I am quite sure that the reports that are in the controlled press, the spin from people like (News Straits Time group editor) Brendan Pereira and (NSTP deputy chairman Datuk) Kalimullah (Hassan) and all that would have given him a completely wrong impression of what I have done.

Now I have the opportunity to tell him as it is, no Brendan in between, no Kalimullah in between.

So to that extent I am satisfied, no “spinning” that things were not going like that. (Makes spinning motion with finger.)

Do you wish that you had never stepped down?

Dr M: I wish I had stepped down in 1998, if it had been possible. I could have stepped down in 2002 but I was asked to ... he did tell me that he willingly asked me to stay on for another year, which is something I appreciate. But this is not a question of what you do or a character thing.

This is not about his or my character. This is about what is happening. I must admit that what is happening is something I never suspected at all or expected. I didn’t expect any family involvement.

I pointed out to him that it is wrong to have family involvement.

I also spoke about this oil-for-food thing, which is wrong. It was during the time when he was deputy prime minister and there was his name in this list published by the UN that he was involved in oil-for-food.

Although they say that him being a beneficiary, he did not gain anything. But that is the oil-for-food report from the US.

But as you know the US excluded all the American companies involved in oil-for-food so the US publication contains elements of cover-up.

But I don’t know whether the US is covering up or not in this particular case.

But he admitted that he wrote a recommendation for this chap Taufik or whatever it is, who happens to be a distant relative of his, married to his sister-in-law.

And when he did that of course he was the deputy prime minister.

When the company was formed, Trade or something or rather, he was deputy prime minister.

As deputy prime minister or as a minister, you should never get involved in the formation of any company or running of any company.

So when you met Pak Lah, to back up your statements did you show him any documents that you have?

Dr M: No documents.

So by raising this issue about his son-in-law and his involvement in oil-for-food, are you accusing the Prime Minister of corruption?

Dr M: Well, it is up to the public to assess. It is up to the legal people to decide on this but as far as I am concerned, it is wrong that a serving deputy prime minister should get his name listed among the companies in the oil-for-food trade with Iraq.

But Pak Lah never denied he recommended two or three companies that is related to him.

Dr M: As far as I am concerned, if you are in the Government you should not form any company in which you are listed as beneficiary. You should not write letters of recommendation for your own relative.

You can write letters of recommendation in a very general way or for some other company.

So will you support Najib as Umno president?

Dr M: That is hypothetical.

Do you think he will make it as Prime Minister?

Dr M: That is up to them to decide, not for me to decide, not for me to say I support or don’t. It’s entirely dependent upon Umno.

But I must admit that I had appointed Najib deputy prime minister and in the course of time, according to tradition, the deputy prime minister should succeed the prime minister.

When do you think the PM should call for the general election?

Dr M: The general election can be held anytime up to 2009, when the life span of the present Parliament terminates, so it is up to him to decide.

When do you like to see it?

Dr M: I don’t care what I like (sic).

What’s next for you after this?

Dr M: I told him I will continue to make criticisms and I will continue in my usual way.

But I do hope the habit of asking the police to frighten people should stop and my civic rights should be restored.

That I have rights to speak to Umno, the right to speak to any audience that I like.

You said the Chinese would vote for the Opposition, aren’t you afraid that the Opposition will have a bigger majority?

Dr M: Yes, I think it is possible. My assessment is that it is not possible for the Opposition to win but they may be able to reduce the majority of the Government.

Don’t you think what you are doing now is bad for the party?

Dr M: I see that what he is doing now is bad for the party and unless you criticise and stop what he is doing now, it will have bad results for the country.
It is not an internal problem of Umno alone. It’s not a question of unity within Umno.Umno cannot win the elections without public support and today the public is very critical of the present conditions, the present economy, the present system of administration, the involvement of family members, the telephone calls, the contracts won by the children’s company.

This concerns the public and if the public doesn’t support, even if 100% of Umno were to support our candidates, they will still lose.

What is your assessment of the Prime Minister’s personal integrity. Is he an honest man?

Dr M: Well, I don’t know. But how does he get involved in the oil-for-food business?
He says no, he is not involved but his name is there as the beneficiary.

But didn’t you know that when you were the Prime Minister?

Dr M: I didn’t know about it when I was PM.

The first time I heard about it was when it was published by the (New) Straits Times that his name appeared there. Subsequently Najib said: “Don’t talk anymore about it.”

And of course there were no more reports about this affair in the Straits Times or any other newspaper.

Recently in the course of writing my memoir, I tried to get hold of the copy of the Straits Times which reported this thing but it seems to have disappeared.

The Berita Harian was there but the copy of the Straits Times has disappeared. Maybe somebody has a copy, can lend it to me.

You said you touched on approved permits (APs) and Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz?

Dr M: Yes, I said the AP thing, I told the story already from the beginning, why it was issued.

I said it was wrong to give to two friends of Rafidah and this constitutes abuse of authority by the minister. And I am surprised the minister is still retained in the Cabinet.

On Proton, I said: “You have destroyed Proton.” When Mahaleel (former Proton CEO Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff) was there, the share price was about RM8.60.

Today the share price is about RM4.60 or something like that, you know RM5.

And Proton is losing money. Only a few years back Proton made RM1.5bil profit, now it is losing money and this is due entirely to the change, the removal of Mahaleel and the appointment of a man acting as its non-executive chairman but who is actually doing the work of the executive chairman.

Of the RM2bil reserve that Mahaleel left, how much is left?

Dr M: I would like to know. I want to know. I wonder ...

The market says the reserve is down to zero and now they are talking about borrowing. Is this true?

Dr M: The market may know something. I cannot say something which I have no knowledge of.

Are you unhappy with Najib for not saying much?

Dr M: Whether I am happy or not, whatever happens to him is something that will happen to him, not to me.

What do you mean?

Dr M: Whatever he does of course will affect his future.

But he is somebody whom you had lobbied for.

Dr M: Yes I did, but beyond that I am not prepared to do anything more.

By what you said about retaining Rafidah, Proton, the AP and all that, you are practically telling the PM how to run the country?

Dr M: Why not? If you are doing it the wrong way, you are destroying the economy of the country. There is no FDI coming in now.

There is no local investment also and people who want to invest in this country find great difficulty getting through.

And investors from outside, one of them at least has been given back his deposit and told that he is technically wrong or whatever.

So, the country is not doing well. If you want to believe that the country is doing well and pooh-pooh what people are saying on the ground, that is up to you.

Do you believe the economic figures given by the Government?

Dr M: Sounds a bit strange to me when I see companies going down the drain. Companies like Proton which was very profitable before is now losing money.

And I wonder, of the companies in the Khazanah stable, how many are doing well because these are companies which do not seem to inform people of their situation.

Najib recently announced RM40bil in investments by companies.

Dr M: Announce is OK. It’s like announcing the Ninth Malaysia Plan, it has been announced two years ago but up to now as far as I know none of the projects have taken off.
I did also comment (to Pak lah) on this private financing initiative. Now what is private financing initiative? It sounds as if it is the private sector which is going to do everything and the Government does not have to spend one sen.
It sounds like privatisation but it is not. It is the same as build, lease and transfer.

It means the private sector build this bridge at whatever cost and then lease it to the Government.

Of course, when you lease it to the Government it must give the company profit and sufficient money to pay off debts.
And in the end of course the Government will pay.

Your view on bumiputra equity ownership at 18% or 45%?

Dr M: I think the Government has to explain how it reached the figure of 18% and the other side has to explain how it reached the figure of 45%.

I don’t think the figure of 45% is correct.

As far as 18% is concerned, it may be nearer the actual figure than the 45% figure. So let’s clear this up. Don’t say: “Don’t question this thing.”

To every criticism directed at the Government, the answer is: “Don’t question this thing, don’t raise this issue, stop talking about this."

Have you anything good to say about the Government? Has the Government done anything good?

Dr M: (Scoff) The Government has still maintained that we are still an independent country although foreign policy-wise we are less highly regarded than before especially by developing countries and Muslim countries.
Abroad they are asking what’s happened to Malaysia. But this wanting to be friendly with Mr Bush is something other people are commenting and I can’t understand.

Are your criticisms a reflection of the rakyat’s unhappiness over Pak Lah’s administration rather than overall corruption, for example the councilors issue?

Dr M: I think the councillors are having a field day. MPs, they are ... ministers are off on their own. So I don’t know what is happening.

But crime rate has gone up, there is no sufficient attention paid to drug problem, to the increased cases of rape, and all kinds of things.

The police I don’t know what they are doing, maybe they have lots of other things. Crime rate today is very high. Everyday we read not only about snatch theft but people just up and kill people.

During your time it was also evident.

Dr M: Yes it was evident but not to this extent.

You said Malaysia has become a police state. Isn’t it ironic because your critics said the same thing about your administration.

Dr M: I never stopped people from making speeches. In 1987 when Tengku Razaleigh, (a former deputy prime minister Tun) Musa Hitam and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi challenged me, Abdullah remained as Minister.

They were travelling all over the country, campaigning with Umno branches and divisions and I never stopped them.

But of course, Pak Lah now says he was stopped.

Umno branches said they heard him when he came to talk.

And I know because when I went to his area to speak, he came up on the stage and he spoke also. I never stopped him from speaking.

I never stopped Tengku Razaleigh from speaking, which is why, although I was nominated by 86 divisions and Tengku Razaleigh was nominated by 37 divisions, I barely managed to win because of the intensive campaigning carried out by Tengku Razaleigh, Musa Hitam and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

But now, I am not allowed to speak to anybody. I know I'm speaking to the Press now.

I know the New Straits Times will have to make some kind of spin about this, TV3 too will have to spin somehow, but fortunately for us that in my time, we have the Internet, so I would advise people to read the Internet and not these newspapers because they are all getting phone calls.

Now, Kalimullah is not here but there is another man on the fourth floor who does the reading.

Will you meet Pak Lah again?

Dr M: If there is a chance to meet him and if there is any use, then yes, I would meet him. If there is a problem and I only speak to him and others don’t know about it, the effect would not be there.

On Pak Lah’s relationship with US President George W. Bush, when he met Bush earlier, he did not touch on the two Malaysians detained in Guantanamo, he did not touch on the FTA, he did not touch on the American nuclear ships visiting Port Klang. What did he talk to Bush about?

Dr M: He said he agreed with Bush that the Pope did not mean what was reported.

How was Pak Lah’s body language during the meeting?

Dr M: It was good.

What is your next step?

Dr M: I know what I am going to do. After this, if I see something I should speak up about, I will do so.

If someone asks me, I have to explain, if not, I’ll be unpopular, according to his statistic.

Do you think he has changed compared to before?

Dr M: Yes, there is change. When he was deputy prime minister, his children and son-in-law were not involved. And he agreed ... everything decided by the Cabinet.
He was a very good deputy. But people change when they have power.
At that time, Khairy was not yet Umno Youth deputy head, it was after I had resigned.

What I am uncomfortable with was that the wives of ministers already had Bakti (the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers) to do charity work.

But he agreed that his wife, as the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife, set up another body.

I think there was no need for two or three charitable bodies because one is enough to do charity work.

Because, if we have a welfare body, we have to ask money from people.

It is not nice if we ask money from people.

I didn’t say anything because he had already formed the body.

But about Khairy’s appointment, I was disappointed, because there was supposed to be someone who wanted to contest the position but he was called by Hishammuddin (Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein) and ordered not to contest.

I know that the practice of appointment without contest is something which happens in Umno but it happens when someone has long served Umno and proven their worth.

But this is someone who had just joined Umno and who has not shown any bakti (service) to Umno but won without contest.

There were messages through the telephone that everyone had to vote. And I know that even though people voted, they were not satisfied and they booed him.

But the following year, there was no more booing.

Probably some things had happened until there was no more booing Khairy.

Do you think the PM grasped all that you brought up?

Dr M: I am not in a position to say whether he grasped it or not. But what I know is that he listened to me.

I don’t know what he wrote in his notes, you see he may write something else.

But as far as I can see he wrote something in his notes.

How long more are you going to be patient?

Dr M: I will continue. Until there are some changes, until I achieve some result.Of course I am 82 years old, people believe that if they delay long enough this interfering Nosy Parker will disappear or would not be able to speak.

Would you like to see the PM leading for a second term?

Dr M: Depends on how he performs.

Are you saying that Pak Lah is losing control?

Dr M: It’s some people opinion that he has lost control.

You said the police called up people who invited you, he said it’s not true. Why don’t you test it with an invitation for you to talk?

Dr M: I want to wait and see whether any Umno division would invite me. Before they can call me, people will come. Not the police but party people.

The mentri besar will come and give warning.

All this I know, so there is no need to deny. I also know about a telephone call from Perth, when I wanted to go to Kelantan, that was received by (Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri) Annuar Musa.

When I went to Kelantan, Mubarak’s function was cancelled. I don’t know who called from Perth.

Tengku Razaleigh told me because he was with Annuar Musa at the time, who was in the hospital.

Tengku Razaleigh said Annuar Musa said: “I will make sure he does not speak.” I don’t know what “making sure” means but what actually happened is that when I went there, I wasn’t allowed to speak.

During your time, you did not see eye-to-eye all the time with former premiers Tun Hussein Onn or Tunku Abdul Rahman. Don’t you think it seems like one big cycle going round and round?

Dr M: But when Rahman and Tun Hussein sided with Semangat 46, I never stopped them. They went around, they spoke, they criticised me but I never stopped.

But why are they stopping me from speaking, censoring me in the mainstream media? Why are they spinning stories about me, digging up something that happened during my time to prove that I was a bad PM?

I didn’t do those things. Did I dig up stories on Tunku Abdul Rahman? Can you show evidence I dug up stories about Tun Hussein committing whatever?

I’m not talking about details. I am talking about former prime ministers not seeing eye-to-eye on the running of the country (with the present prime minister).

Dr M: Yes, that was not seeing eye-to-eye but could speak. This is not seeing eye-to-eye and not allowed to speak and everybody is forbidden from hearing the former prime minister speak.

Seems like you made a terrible mistake choosing the PM?

Dr M: I make a lot of mistakes. I choose people and they all turn against me. I am very bad.

You know when people come and are nice to me, they cry and something like that to me I said ya, I think he is sincere.

Although they were stabbing me before, they come back to me, I accept them.

In the 22 years, you had no rival.

Dr M: Despite all people trying to pull me down. You know Musa tried to pull me down, he thought he was more popular and he would win but he lost.

And Tengku Razaleigh tried to pull me down and of course Anwar Ibrahim also did.

Despite all this I survived. Because this is democracy you have to allow for people to criticise you and if you have a good answer you win, if you don’t have a good answer, you lose.Had I lost to Tengku Razaleigh, I wouldn’t have been PM for 22 years.

In democracy you need an opposition party to talk about the Government but you ...

Dr M: In most countries, the main party, like the LDP or the Labour Party that you see in England, and even the American party, within the party, they are allowed to criticise the leadership.But here, everybody must say yes, I support.

Even if yesterday they say this bridge must be built, this is our side.

Tomorrow the PM says we won’t build this bridge because Singapore might be upset, immediately the comments from people with pictures, their faces in the Straits Times with comments “We must not build this bridge, It is wrong.” You see the change is fantastic.

Would you like to form an Opposition party with like-minded people?

Dr M: No, I don’t want. I am a loyal Umno member. What I am trying to do, people might not believe it is to save Umno from bad leadership.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABDULLAH BADAWI INTERVIEW WITH BANGKOK POST

Dalam satu temuramah eksklusif bersama Bangkok Post, Perdana Menteri Dollah
Badawi telah menyalahkan bekas PM Tun Dr M (yang beliau panggil the old man)
kerana telah meranapkan periuk nasi menantunya Khairy Jamaluddin. Kata
Dollah dalam temuramah tersebut:

-the old man practically smashed Khairys pot of rice

Beliau menlahirkan kekecewaannya mungkin sebagai seorang bapa mertua kerana
dakwanya akibat teguran dan kritikkan Tun akhirnya Khairy terpaksa menjual
semua pegangangannya dalam ECM Libra yang ketika itu sedang memacu Khairy ke
puncak kejayaan yang luar biasa. Kata Dollah:

-Thats something about which I am very sad. He has sold his interest in
(merchant bank) ECM Libra (Avenue). Sold it at a loss. Now he has some debts
to settle.

Sebenarnya ketika sampai kepengetahuan umum tentang keupayaan Khairy membeli
10.2 juta saham (yang dijual kepadanya pada harga RM0.72 seunit) yang
mewakili1.23 peratus pegangan dalam ECM Libra, ramai yang mula
memeprtikaikannya. Tun mungkin salah seorang yang terlibat dalam mendedahkan
perkara ini tetapi ramai lagi yang turut berbuat demikian dan ramai juga
yang mempertikaikannya termasuklah dari kalangan pimpinan Umno sendiri (cuma
marah dalam diam).

Yang dipertikaikan adalah keupayaan Khairy. Anak muda ini bukannya seorang
jutawan tetapi sekadar menantu PM. Soalnya bagaimana beliau memperolehi wang
sedemikian banyak. Kita kemudiannya diberitahu bahawa Khairy telah
meminjamnya dari kawannya, lalu rakyat kebanyakkan pun mempertikaikan, mana
ada kawan yang akan meminjam wang jutaan ringgit begitu sahaja jika tidak
ada cagaran besar, dan satu dunia tahu bahawa cagaran terbesar Khairy adalah
bahawa beliau adalah menantu PM.

Dan lebih serius lagi sejurus Khairy memiliki pegangan dalam ECM Libra,
syarikat tersebut menerima kelulusan dari kerajaan melalui Kementerian
Kewangan (dimana bapa mertuanya adalah menterinya) berkenaan cadangan
penggabungannya dengan Avenue Capital Resources Berhad (sebuah syarikat
kewangan) lalu menjadikan gabungan itu yakni ECM Libra Avenue sebagai sebuah
bank saudagar yang terbaru dipasaran!

Salahkah Tun memecahkan periuk nasi yang ditanak atas dasar kronisma dan
nepotisma ini? Jika yang dipecahnya itu adalah periuk nasi yang dipenuhi
dengan beras dan air yang diragui, yang boleh mengakibatkan pemakannya kelak
sakit dan seumpamanya, maka kita seharusnya mengucapkan syabas kepada Tun
dan bukan memarahinya!

Syabas Tun kerana berani mendedahkan kebenaran, dan kita rakyat Malaysia
sepatutnya berbangga jika ada mana-mana pihak yang sanggup dan berani
mendedahkan kebenaran seumpama ini demi menyelamatkan maruah bangsa dan
negara. Rakyat Malaysia sewajarnya dididik agar membenci sebarang bentuk
pilih kasih dan salah â€"guna kuasa lebih-lebih lagi yang melibatkan
jerung-jerung besar yang memikul amanah yang diberikan oleh rakyat.

Mudah-mudahan banyak lagi periuk nasi mungkar seumpama ini akan dapat
dipecahkan selepas ini.

MAHATHIR(1925-2006)

2006-11-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

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Name : Mahathir bin Mohamad
Place of Birth : Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia
Father's Name : Mohamad Bin Iskandar
Date of birth : 20 December 1925
Spouse : Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Bt Mohd Ali
Kids : Marina, Mirzan, Melinda. Mokhzani,Mukhriz, Maizura and Mazhar
Higher Education : King Edward VII College of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Singapura, Graduated in MBBS 1953
Major profession : Open first Malay clinic at Alor Setar, known as Clinic Maha
Minister Of Education : 1974
Deputy UMNO President : 1981
Appointed as Prime Minister : 16th Julai 1981
Resigned as Prime Minister : 31th Oktober 2003.
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POETRY(IN MALAY LANGUAGE)
DI SAAT TUAN AKU PERGI.

Di saat tuan akan pergi
dari medan perjuangan itu
kami begitu amat terasa
akan kehilanganmu
tiada lagi akan terdengar
suara tegasmu di puncak dunia
tiada lagi akan kau hunus
ideamu yang tajam
melampau zaman

Di saat tuan akan pergi
kami seperti kehilangan sinar
yang telah menyuluh
kebangkitan bangsa
sudah ketentuan Ilahi
yang berawal akan berakhir
tapi jasa dan bakti tuan
akan diletakkan di rak-rak hari
untuk tatapan generasi
di persada sejarah.

-ISMAIL MOHAMMAD-
Kuala Lumpur.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mahathir bin Mohamad became the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia in July 1981, and he served in this position until 2003.

He entered the Malaysian parliament as a member of the dominant United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party. During the 1970s, he held several ministerial posts, including Minister of Education and then Minister of Trade and Industry.

In 1973, Mr. Mohamad was appointed as a Senator and in 1975, he was elected as one of the three Vice Presidents of UMNO.

In 1976, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and won the Deputy President seat in 1978. Then, in 1981, he was appointed President of the party.

Under the leadership of Mr. Mohamad, the ruling party Barisan Nasional (National Front) won landslide victories in the 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995 and 1999 General Elections.

Mr. Mohamad is a medical doctor by profession and he is married to a doctor with whom he has seven children and ten grandchildren.
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Every one who read this latest controversy surely confused.
Who want THE MALAYSIAN ECONOMIES HERO DIE?
But,read this latest info for make everyone know how Malaysian politics's to moving.
Below,we bring opportunity for anybody to require to think over out hots issue.
First,we bring "TIME Interview With Mahathir"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm being told you mustn't criticize the Prime Minister"
TIME talks to former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad.

Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is 81 years old, but he was as combative as ever when he met recently with TIME's Hannah Beech and Baradan Kuppusamy in his plush office in Malaysia's administrative capital, Putrajaya. They spoke of his feud with his handpicked successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, his legacy, and why the developing world needs a champion:

TIME: How will historians regard your 22 years as Prime Minister?
Mahathir: They would have noticed an acceleration in industrialization. The previous Prime Ministers had the same ideas. But they were unable to push it. When I became Prime Minister, I found ways and means to accelerate the process. So I suppose that period of very rapid [economic] growth from the 1980s to 2000 will be identified with me.

How do you compare that era with what's happening now?
[Abdullah] has discarded the policies and strategies we used during my time, claiming that they were not good for the country, particularly what were termed "mega projects." We used the mega projects to stimulate the economy. They put a stop to them, and when you put a stop to spending money, you don't generate wealth anymore ... I expect every Prime Minister to have his own imprint. [Abdullah] wants to be recognized as himself and not as a copy of somebody else. But when you try to do that, you may do better things or you may do worse things.

Downstairs you have a poster listing some of your accomplishments. Most are structures like Putrajaya and Petronas Towers. Do you feel your legacy as the builder of amazing things for Malaysia is being undermined?
Everything in the last 20 years has been my pet project, so if you touch anything, it's going to be touching my pet project. [But] all these things that I caused to be built are actually essential to this country. We need the infrastructure, we need Putrajaya. Imagine what Kuala Lumpur would be like if the government administration were still there. Planning means looking ahead. When I do things, I think very far ahead, not 10 years, 20 years, [but] 100 years ahead.

Looking back on your anointed successors, it seems they all disappointed you. Are you bad at choosing good leaders?
I'm not very good at it. I assume that people react to things as I would react. For example, if you are nice to people, they should be nice to you. If somebody is going against you, yet you are willing to forget and forgive and give them a place again in the government, they will be very grateful. But I find that the people I helped to reach certain heights actually turned against me.

Do you think Prime Minister Abdullah is ungrateful to you?
At least he should have noticed that I went out of my way to give him an opportunity.

Is he more afraid of dissent than you were?
He has made UMNO his personal party. They cannot say anything that he doesn't approve of. I'm being told, look, you mustn't criticize the Prime Minister because he is an institution, he is an UMNO president and therefore an institution. Yes, the UMNO president is an institution, but the incumbent is not. When I was there, he challenged me. Now he's not allowing anybody to say a word against him ... What I don't like is creating what would be called a police state. Nobody is allowed to organize any meeting and invite me to speak. If you do, the police call you up.

As Malaysia's Prime Minister, you saw yourself as the unofficial spokesman for the developing world. Is anyone taking up that role now?
Third World countries have got nobody to stand up for them. They either owe money to banks or they are receiving aid. We are much more free [in Malaysia]: we don't owe money, we don't ask for aid, and therefore we are in the position to speak up. If Malaysia gives up that role, it will be a very sad day because the strong countries will then steamroll over us. Thaksin [Shinawatra] said he wanted to be like me, but he did not [speak out], and Suharto is not around. So we have to wait for somebody ... Today, the tendency is to be associated with the big people. The [developing world wants] to be nice to President Bush, to praise Prime Minister Blair.

How do you view the Bush administration's efforts to build democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Democracy must be internally generated. You cannot force it from the top—it's not going to work.

Posted Monday, October 30, 2006; 20:00 HKT<
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TODAY,MAHATHIR STILL ALIVE.STILL YOUNG(81=18 YEAR OLD).
TUN DR.MAHATHIR BIN MUHAMAD MASIH SIHAT.IDEA-IDEANYA TANPAK MENYENGAT.
BUKAN UNTUK KEHANCURAN TETAPI BIMBANG AKAN PADA KEHANCURAN KELAK!!

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International Herald Tribune Interview with TUN DR.MAHATHIR

For 22 years Mahathir bin Mohamad dominated Malaysia's ruling party, the United Malays National Organization, and set a course for the country that helped upgrade its infrastructure and diversify its economy.

Mahathir was praised for the modernization of Malaysia but criticized for eroding the independence of many institutions, the courts and the media among them. When Mahathir retired in 2003 he vowed not to interfere with the government of his hand-picked successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who had replaced Anwar Ibrahim, the former finance minister dismissed by Mahathir. Now Mahathir, 81, is battling back into the political spotlight, calling for Abdullah to either change course or step down.

His critique resonates among Malaysians who are frustrated by the slow pace of promised reforms and worried that Abdullah's program of "Islam Hadari," or civilizational Islam, is blurring the lines between government and religion. Mahathir says he is being shut out of the press and stymied by police from holding meetings with supporters.

He spoke with Thomas Fuller of the International Herald Tribune about the reasons for his return to politics at his 86th floor office in the Petronas Towers. Excerpts:

QUESTION: Eight years ago we met in your old office. It was two days after Anwar had been arrested and a month after he'd been fired. I asked you what you would look for in a successor to Anwar. This is what you said: "An honest man who is capable. Not a genius. I am not expecting a fair copy of myself." In the end we know the outcome: You chose Abdullah. What went wrong?

ANSWER: Before I proceed with this there is of course this label against me that I [ran] a very authoritarian government -- I censored the papers, I undermined the independence of the judiciary. No matter how I explain that this was not so, the press, especially the foreign press, keeps on repeating this... What I did was under the laws of the country.

The laws may be draconian like the ISA [Internal Security Act, which calls for detention without trial] but the same laws were used by my predecessors, from the first prime minister to the third prime minister...What is happening now is different. There is no law which provides for the police to call up people and basically threaten them to call off the meetings that they proposed to hold and to invite me.

QUESTION: You feel muzzled?

ANSWER: Muzzled. I can't talk to anybody. If I talk to the mainstream press it is either not published or it is spun in a way that makes me look bad. In the meantime anybody's statement against me gets full publicity. But I cannot reply to them. And if I meet the press, what they report is usually not what I said.

QUESTION: In the Anwar days if I read the newspapers - during 1998 in the days after he was fired - Anwar's statements were not carried. His actions were also spun.

ANSWER: That may be true but papers tend to self-censor. They censor themselves. They think that this might not please the leadership. So they don't publish. But here we have people actually ringing up the papers telling them you print this, you don't print this. That has never been done during my time.

QUESTION: You never did that?

ANSWER: I never did that. At the same time of course Anwar was free to go around the country. He had gatherings of 10,000 and 15,000 people. He was never stopped.

QUESTION: Let's get to the substance of your return to politics. What do you think Abdullah's biggest blunders have been?

ANSWER: I promised not to interfere with the government. For two years I did not interfere with his government. But what I noticed is that from the very beginning his family members became involved in government process. They actually attended government meetings although they had no status whatsoever.

There is clear evidence that the son in law [Khairy Jamaluddin] has very big say even in the appointment of ministers, even in the choice of candidates for the election. I have been told by the very people who have experienced this that he rings up chief ministers to give certain projects to certain people, including to his mother. This is something that I believe is absolutely true because the person who lost the project was very unhappy and he told me...

QUESTION: What state was this in and what project was it?

ANSWER: Prawn culture in the state of Perlis and a contract I believe in the state of Negri Sembilan.

QUESTION: But in the larger scheme of things -- you were in power for 2 decades and you set a course for the country -- these types of projects allocated to friends they happen in every country and they might not put Malaysia off of the tracks. Is there a bigger picture?

ANSWER: No. During my time, my children were not given any role at all. You don't hear of my children directing people or influencing people or selling influence or getting paid. They were not supposed to have business with the government unless of course they tender out in the usual way.

If their tender is good, I suppose they win but very very little. I kept my children even from becoming candidates. They could become candidates for the elections they could not become candidates for the party also.

QUESTION: One of your children was in UMNO Youth and another one had a large shipping business...

ANSWER: Yeah, but the shipping business was his own. He bought the shipping business in Hong Kong. He bought shares in the local shipping business. He was doing quite well excepting that during the financial crisis he couldn't meet the demands for him to pay. So he had to sell off... Within the country the only people who could buy was Petronas and Petronas bought it cheap. It relieved him somewhat I suppose but he was still having financial trouble.

QUESTION: What's your view on Islam Hadari?

ANSWER: In the first place there is no call to introduce any other kind of Islam, whether it is modern Islam or Islam Hadari. I have always maintained that Islam is a religion for all ages... I believe that the teachings of the religion as found in the Koran [are] very mild, very reasonable and should make for a good Muslim community. There is no need to go to any other branch, just stick to the fundamental teachings of Islam.

QUESTION: What about Abdullah's economic management?

ANSWER: Basically he does not understand how to move the economy. In order to prove that I was wrong in spending government money on what he calls mega projects he cuts back on that. If government does not spend money it doesn't generate wealth in the community...

QUESTION: Some have criticized Abdullah for being, for lack of a better word, sleepy... Do you feel that he lacks the energy that you had?

ANSWER: His attention span is very short and everybody tells me... that he goes to sleep, even while cases are being presented to him... He tends to let his advisors tell him what to do.

QUESTION: When you were prime minister your comments, whether people liked them or not, raised the profile of Malaysia within Asean [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and the different organizations of developing countries, within the OIC [Organization of the Islamic Conference]. Do you think that Abdullah has lowered Malaysia's profile?

ANSWER: He seems to have caused Malaysia to abdicate its role as a spokesman especially for the Third World, OIC, NAM [Non-Aligned Movement]. He seems to be much more inclined to go along with those powerful countries like America, Britain, Australia. And of course he's extra friendly toward Singapore to the point where three years after his being in the seat there has been no substantial agreements reached on numerous issues. The bridge is one of them. The water problem has not been resolved...

QUESTION: Let's talk political strategy. You have made your move, re- entered the political area. What's the end game?

ANSWER: To get the government to correct itself. Not to do things which are not acceptable, like getting your family involved, like getting your family's companies involved.

QUESTION: Does this mean that Abdullah has to go?

ANSWER: He need not go if he is willing to do what is right, not by me but what is right for the country. Of course if he is not willing then I think he should not stand in the way of the country's continued development. Suddenly the development of the country came to a halt. All these new buildings that you see were actually approved during my time. If you travel by MAS [Malaysia Airlines] they will show you Malaysia with tall towers and all that. At the end of it, it shows his picture as if he was responsible but he was not. All those things were built before his time.

QUESTION: You mentioned as a possible successor to him [former finance minister] Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah?

ANSWER: Whether it is Tengku Razaleigh or Najib [Tun Razak, the current deputy prime minister] or whoever, they are all entitled... When I was asked this question, Tengku Razaleigh's name cropped up. I said, 'Well of course, he is just as eligible as anybody else.' I could not say, 'he cannot be.' It is up to the party to make a choice.

QUESTION: What about Najib?

ANSWER: Najib is just as good... Either one. There are others who are also in the running.

QUESTION: Such as...

ANSWER: Muhyiddin Yasin [industry minister] has been mentioned and he has ambition...

QUESTION: Will you attend the UMNO general assembly [beginning Nov. 13]?

ANSWER: I have not yet decided because I have to see because certain actions are going to be taken. I may even be expelled from the party.

QUESTION: You are hearing this or you are fearing this?

ANSWER: There is talk about it.

QUESTION: If you were to go you would be there in the capacity as a former president but you wouldn't have the right to speak. What good would it do?

ANSWER: Past presidents have always attended so I have just as much right to attend.

QUESTION: In the larger political sense you are up against Abdullah who got a significant mandate the year after he took over.... People like his personality, his style. What do you think it will take for people to come around to your side? Have you not enunciated the argument yet?

ANSWER: His strategy is to stop me from communicating with anybody, that way his popularity will be sustained or retained.

QUESTION: He is unlikely according to the current rules to be removed from UMNO office in large part because during your rule it was made more difficult to remove the top UMNO officers. Is this karma?

ANSWER: No, not quite. During that time we may have made it difficult to remove the leader but we did not stop people from criticizing the leader. I was very strongly criticized by the previous prime ministers and even by the candidates who went against me, Razaleigh, Musa Hitam, Abdullah himself.

QUESTION: Some would say your dispute with Abdullah is personal. They say you have friends who benefited, contractors or other businessmen. They are no longer getting the contracts.

ANSWER: That is the old accusation against me, that I favored my friends. But I did not favor friends - these are people who are capable of doing things so they had opportunities. I can't possibly give the development of a port to a rickshaw puller. It must be somebody who has the capacity.... I am not interested in personal things... It's not because of pet projects either. What projects I carried out was for the national good.

QUESTION: Mahathir versus Abdullah is something that has caught the attention of the region. Do you ever wonder if it is worth it?

ANSWER: I tried my best to say that it is not a personal thing between the two of us. It's a question of how things are done in this country. I pointed out that things are wrong not because of the person but because they are done wrongly.

QUESTION: But is there the risk that the rift damages Malaysia more than Abdullah could damage Malaysia?

ANSWER: No, I think Abdullah could damage Malaysia more...

QUESTION: Do you still rule out [former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim] as a possible prime minister in the future?

ANSWER: I have my opinion about him, about his suitability, but of course others may have other opinions. As far as I am concerned he has lost his opportunity...

QUESTION: And Malaysia would be worse off if he were prime minister?

ANSWER: Probably.

QUESTION: Let's talk about the longer term... What is your biggest fear for Malaysia?

ANSWER: I think Malaysia has good opportunities if it is properly managed, if you understand that opportunities come even with problems. Yes, we have China. We have to compete with China but China can become a big market for Malaysia, China can become a very big investor in Malaysia.

QUESTION: The Sutlan of Johor asked why you don't settle down like a pensioner. Are you tempted by that? Reading John Grisham novels on the beach, playing with your grandchildren? The medical community talks about three blockages in your heart. You are getting along. Isn't this a time to slow down?

ANSWER: No I think I have an obligation to the country and to the people. I don't care much about what happens to me. I have worked hard all this while, even after I had my heart attack, I did not slow down. I think life would not be worthwhile if you are thinking about having a good time after you retire.

QUESTION: Do regret having stepped down?

ANSWER: No, I would have stepped down. There is no way I can know what is going to happen.

QUESTION: You have the tape of the meeting of the so-called peace talks with Abdullah. Are you going to release that?

ANSWER: Maybe one day.

QUESTION: You have a copy of it in your closet?

ANSWER: Somewhere.
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SO,WHATS YOUR OPINION????
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Apabila Tun Bercakap Tentang Islam Hadhari.
Secara peribadi saya menyokong pendapat Tun tentang pendekatan islam hadhari yang dibawa oleh perdana menteri hari ini(ABDULLAH AHMAD BADAWI).
TUN berkata,tidak perlu ada apa-apa BRANCH.Hanya perlu berpandukan kepada AL-QURAN DAN SUNNAH RASULULLAH S.A.W.
Itu sudah cukup untuk memacu umat islam Malaysia kearah keimanan disamping ibadah lain yang merangkumi Sunnah Rasulullah s.a.w.

APA PULA PENDAPAT ANDA?
WHATS YOUR OPINION?