Mahathir Mohamad a polarising figure ?

An Unbalanced and Unreliable Memoir

Barry Wain - Straits Times Indonesia | April 05, 2011

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has always been a polarising figure. He expressed strong views and adopted contentious policies during his 22 years in office - dividing Malaysians into blind believers or instinctive opponents - and he has continued to do so in retirement since 2003.

The publication of his memoirs will only deepen those divisions. Nearly nine years in gestation, A Doctor In The House arrived with a thud: 843 pages - inside hard covers, with a jacket bearing a recent colour photograph of a beaming and youthful-looking author - weighing in at 1.7kg.

In keeping with his theme song, My Way, Tun Dr Mahathir, who will be 86 years old in July, uses the occasion to discuss his life and career entirely on his own terms.

He sees no reason to reassess most of the major political controversies associated with him: among them, the dismissal and prosecution of his deputy, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim; the sacking of Lord President Salleh Abas; and the campaign to oust his hand-picked successor, Tun Abdullah Badawi.

He makes an exception of Operation Lalang, which saw the detention without trial of 119 people amid rising ethnic tensions in 1987.

Yet even while conceding that his government's response was 'excessive', he tries to shift the blame to the police for recommending the crackdown.

Dr Mahathir simply brushes aside or ignores much of the specific criticism directed at him and his ambitious projects over the years, not even bothering to mention some crucial events in which he figured.

A bold leader with big ideas and no time for critics who carp about details, he occasionally peeks in the mirror and recognises reality. Marina, the first born of his seven children, 'turned out to be a lot like me: argumentative, stubborn, opinionated and always believing she is right', he says.

It should also be acknowledged that the book goes some way towards answering one question that has long puzzled political scientists: Why Dr Mahathir, a self-proclaimed 'young Anglophile' at 20, later developed a lifelong, virulent hostility towards British colonialism.

He explains that his political awakening made him realise, 'looking back', that he had been 'brainwashed' to the point where 'I forgot that I was one of the natives', triggering a feeling of humiliation. 'It was then that the decolonisation of my own mind and soul began,' he says.

Dr Mahathir might have been expected to take this opportunity to clear up certain personal issues that have long been the subject of intense gossip and speculation, such as his ethnic origins. Rather, he repeats without comment several stories that circulate about his father's ethnicity and religion.

He then adds: 'I admit that some Indian, or more accurately South Asian, blood flows in my veins, but from which part of the Indian subcontinent my ancestors came I do not know.' Also missing is any admission that Dr Mahathir concealed various important policy initiatives and developments while he led the country.

For example, he verges on the misleading when he writes that 'nothing of significance resulted from' his first visit to the United States in 1984, when he met President Ronald Reagan.

As I revealed in my political biography of Dr Mahathir last year, he approved the innocuous sounding Bilateral Training and Consultation (Bitac) agreement, which was, in fact, a secret security pact. Without informing Malaysians, he threw in his lot with the Americans, agreeing to naval ship visits, ship and aircraft repairs, joint military exercises in Malaysia and close cooperation between the two militaries.

It would also have been fascinating to get an authoritative insider's account of the long-ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno), whose history has been described by one former minister as 'a mixture of political subtlety and crudeness, ethical practices and greed, fair play and foul... occasionally expressed with sheer ruthlessness'.......more.

(The writer, who is writer-in-residence at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, is the author of Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times, published by Palgrave Macmillan.)

(From The Jakarta Globe)

Immersion is a difficult lesson

It was an ambitious plan pushed through by Malaysia's leader, Mahathir Mohamad, despite fierce opposition. Five years on the decision that all Malaysian children should be taught maths and science in English still causes heated debate.

With an election looming, nationalist politicians are again seizing on the charged issue of language in an ethnically diverse country of indigenous Malays, Chinese and Indian Tamils. In such a vital area everyone wants to be heard: newspaper letters pages are bursting with all shades of opinion for and against the policy.

Few doubt the wisdom that led Mahathir to his U-turn, reintroducing the language of the old colonial masters nearly 30 years after he, as the nationalist education minister, scrapped English-medium teaching in schools. He recognised his nation was falling behind in the globalised world and made an abrupt switch to try to redress the balance.

Yet the suddenness of the change, which led to the introduction of English maths and science teaching from primary level within just six months of the decision, seems to have played into the hands of the policy's opponents.

Even its advocates concede that teacher training to instruct in English and the availability of suitable course material have been patchy. Rural areas - where nationalist politicians trade on parents' disquiet - fared worst as English remains more of a foreign language there; in more sophisticated urban areas it is a second language to the mother tongue.

But after five years the government and most educationists accept it is still early in such a radical experiment. Despite strong opposition, even in the government's own ranks, the education minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has declared it will remain in place for now. Education professionals argue it needs a full 11-year cycle of primary and secondary teaching to gauge success or failure.

Improving English standards, which had declined, was the obvious goal. But by using the concept of Content and Language Integrated Teaching (Clil) the aim was to give access to knowledge in maths and science. It is argued that Bahasa Malay failed to convey meaning precisely in translations from papers in English, if they were translated at all.

Educationists point to the success of immersion teaching techniques in Canada, where children whose mother tongue is English are taught subjects in French, Canada's other language.

"Cognitively there is no problem with children learning in a bilingual environment," said Professor Andy Kirkpatrick, an expert in English language training at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. "Most evidence shows that it is good for children. Malay and English are not that separate."

By enhancing the English capabilities of students and graduates, Mahathir sought to give Malaysia an advantage in a competitive world. He glanced enviously at former colonies such as Singapore and India, which have made huge strides in the knowledge economy because of their familiarity with English.

Professor Saran Kaur Gill, deputy vice-chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, who is studying the teaching policy in relation to higher education, interviewed Mahathir and his view was clear. "You have to be masters of knowledge, otherwise you will be slaves to those who have knowledge," she said, reflecting his opinion.

Little work has been done so far to monitor the policy's progress. But there are questions about its implementation. Most experts concede that many rural schools instruct in local languages because either the teachers or pupils cannot cope in English.

"Five years down the road is not very long considering the size of this endeavour," said David Marsh, a leading expert in Clil at Finland's University of Jyvaskyla.

"Still I think there is already grave concern that they will have a lost generation of Malaysians who will not learn content in maths and science because of this policy."

Professor Yoong Suan, an opponent of the policy and a director of United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia, says pupils "react" badly or even drop out if they fail to comprehend coursework taught in an unfamiliar language, although he stresses he is not against English.

"All of us realise the importance of English," he said. "We want English to be taught. But it's the one-size-fits-all policy that's the problem. We have a highly centralised education system that decrees all schools should teach maths and science in English. We should consider a more flexible policy that allows each school to make its own decision. There's also the problem of identity with parents fearing children will lose their social identity because of English."

The Malaysian English Language Teaching Association president, Dr Malachi Edwin Vethamani, shows sensitivity when he is quick to stress that Bahasa is not under threat or undermined because of maths and science instruction in English. He also believes the policy is beginning to show results as test scores demonstrate that more pupils are passing in English or choosing to answer exams in English, rather Malay, Chinese or Tamil as they are permitted to do.

"Results from secondary school form three exams show more are passing English, although there was also a decrease in those getting A grades," he said. "So the quantity is up, but the quality is down. That's something that will have to be looked at."

But Kirkpatrick believes that despite the teething troubles and the continuing opposition, the tide is with those who favour pressing on with the policy.

"No doubt the disparity between the urban middle classes and the rural students who do not receive the same resources plays into the hands of the politicians who would like to go back," he said. "Certainly they tend to be loud and they tend to be heard, but I don't think they're winning the argument."

- Ian MacKinnon, education guardian

Dr M Discharged From IJN

According to Malaysiakini, former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was today discharged from the National Heart Institute (IJN), seven weeks after undergoing his second coronary bypass operation.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was discharged from the National Heart Institute (IJN) this morning, 47 days after undergoing a second coronary bypass operation on Sept 4.

A cheerful-looking Dr Mahathir waved to the public at the IJN as he walked out of the VIP ward at 10.20am in the company of his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali, his children and doctors to a waiting car.

Dr Mahathir will continue with his physiotherapy exercises at home and come for periodic check-ups at the institute as part of his post-surgical rehabilitation process, it said.

His daughter, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, told reporters at the IJN lobby that doctors have advised her father to rest at home and continue with the rehabilitation programmes and follow-up treatment.

"My father is happy to be able to go home. He wants to be in a different environment and wishes to rest," she said, adding that the family would hold thanksgiving prayers soon.

Marina said Dr Mahathir expressed his gratitude to IJN staff who took care of him during his stay at the country's premier heart centre.

"We have agreed to discharge Tun Mahathir now that he has fully recovered," said Tan Sri Dr Yahya Awang who headed the panel of heart surgeons who operated on the former prime minister.

Mahathir back on respirator

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad underwent surgery and was back on a respirator on Sunday after a recent heart bypass led to a chest infection, a hospital statement said.

Institut Jantung Negara, 23 September....YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad has successfully undergone surgical wound debridement yesterday (Saturday, Sept 22) because of wound infection.


The surgery commenced at 11.30pm and ended at 2.30am. The procedure was undertaken by the same surgical team that performed the second coronary bypass surgery on Dr Mahathir at the IJN on September 4.

He is currently stable and has been put under routine post-cardiac surgery support.


He is expected to remain on support for at least 36-hours for post-operative care and will be put under close monitoring and observation by IJN doctors and nurses at the Intensive Care Unit.


The next 72-hours will be the crucial period in his post-operative care.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is recovering from a coronary bypass operation, Saturday night underwent surgical wound debridement owing to a wound infection.

The surgery commenced at 11.30pm and ended at 2.30am today, said a statement issued by the National Heart Institute (IJN) here.

The procedure was undertaken by the same surgical team, led by Tan Sri Dr Yahya Awang, which had performed the coronary bypass surgery on Dr Mahathir at the IJN on Sept 4.

The statement said Dr Mahathir was in stable condition and had been put on routine post-cardiac surgery support.

He is expected to remain on the support for at least 36 hours for post-operative care and would be closely monitored and observed by the IJN doctors and nurses in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), it added.

The statement said the next 72 hours would be a crucial period in the post-operative care.

Debridement is the surgical excision of dead, devitalised or contaminated tissue and removal of foreign matter from a wound. It is said to increase the rate of wound healing.

Dr Mahahir, 81, who underwent his second coronary bypass surgery on Sept 4 at the premier heart centre, was transferred back to ICU 10 days later. He had been placed in the normal Bunga Raya Ward on Sept 12.

The former prime minister underwent his first coronary bypass surgery, at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, on Jan 24 1989 following a heart attack.
(Bernama)


A word from Marina Mahathir :

" So....please don't worry. He got through the operation OK. His heart is fine. Now it's a matter once again of recovery. For that I need to humbly once again ask for your prayers so that he will get through this well and as speedily as possible. Thank you so much."

"Tolong jangan bimbang. Ayah saya telah berjaya melalui pembedahan kedua untuk membersihkan infeksi di bahagian pembedahan yang dijalankan pada 4hb Sept lalu. Sekarang hanya menunggu untuk dia pulih semula. Oleh itu, saya dengan rendah diri terpaksa meminta sekali lagi supaya anda semua berdoa supaya dia cepat sembuh.Terima kasih tak terhingga."

Illness slows Mahathir’s attacks on his successor

Former Malaysian Prime Minister’s quest to oust Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stumbles as he’s hospitalized

It’s unclear today just how sick former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is after having been hospitalized Monday with what were described as breathing difficulties. But as much as anything, the 81-year-old former premier’s hospitalization has put on hold an increasingly frenetic schedule of bombarding his successor’s government with accusations of avarice, incompetence and treachery

(note::According to CNA : Malaysia's Mahathir recovering well, after being admitted to hospital suffering breathing difficulties, his son and aides said Tuesday. )

Mahathir was first hospitalized on the island of Langkawi, where he spends much of his time to rest and relax. After the ailing former strongman was transferred to the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur, his daughter, Marina Mahathir, told Asia Sentinel he was “much better” and an aide described his mood as “cheerful. Hospital officials said he could be discharged in a few days.

Mahathir had been on a whirlwind tour trying to influence United Malays National Organisation divisions and constituencies in a probably vain but certainly entertaining attempt to regain some of the clout he lost when he gave up the premiership in 2003, after 22 years in power. Over the weekend, just before his hospitalization, he attended an old boys’ gathering of the Class of ‘47, King Edward College of Medicine, Singapore in Bukit Merah, in the state of Perak. He also delivered a keynote address for an UMNO Youth event in Perak, with the packed hall cheering as he attempted to speak. Spectators egged him on as so-called “soft” campaigning intensifies for impending general elections expected in the near future. However, other than Perak, he has largely been frozen out of UMNO politics and has been reduced to jousting from the outside since August 2006, when he complained that party leaders had issued a gag order to keep him from talking to party branches and individual units.

Recent by-elections in the Ijok and Machap districts were hard fought by the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition against the opposition Keadilan party, headed by Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir’s former deputy premier, whom Mahathir jailed on charges of sexual abuse and corruption that many observers thought were trumped up. The Barisan prevailed in both by-elections, although in the face of widespread allegations of vote-buying and other irregularities.

However, there were gains by the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) among Chinese voters in what political analysts describe as discontent over the pro-Bumiputera, or native Malay, affirmative action policy and the state of the economy.

Mahathir had urged voters to deliver a message to what he called the “rotten government” in the by-election, surprising many observers who perceived his words to be a call for voters to back the opposition. It wasn’t. Despite his beating up on the Barisan, he has said he would not support the opposition, because he does not want to be regarded as a traitor to UMNO.

On Sunday, the local tabloid The Star, controlled by the Malaysian Chinese Association, the ethnic Chinese party in the ruling coalition, carried a piece depicting Mahathir as possibly aiding the opposition. Mahathir denied the allegation and defended his right to speak out. Supporters say that this is just an attempt to label Mahathir as the enemy and isolate him from grassroots UMNO members.

Mahathir’s punishing schedule has been a cause of concern for his family, but the former premier didn’t let up until he was carted off to the hospital. This is perhaps his last hurrah, a final chance, as he sees it, to set things right and deliver a blow to the ruling coalition’s confidence in Abdullah Badawi.

It may be a Quixotic effort, as his influence seems inevitably to be waning along with his health. He was bitterly disappointed during the UMNO general assembly in October 2006, when he lost a divisional election and was denied the chance to address delegates in his quest to oust his successor.

Mahathir suffered a mild stroke in November last year, caused by a clot that restricted blood flow in one of his arteries, but subsequently recovered fully. He also suffered a heart attack in 1989 and underwent bypass surgery. Supporters flocked to the hospital hoping to get news on his condition and to see him, however doctors have advised that he rest and only close relatives are permitted to enter his ward.

Mahathir’s hospitalization was an added shock as it happened just a day after Internet rumors reported that Abdullah Badawi himself had collapsed. The Prime Minster denied the report and attributed his unsteadiness at a ceremony in Perak to heat exhaustion and lack of sleep the night before. His physicians say Abdullah Badawi is in good health.

- Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob, Asia Sentinel

Mahathir transferred to heart institute

Malaysia's ailing former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was transferred on Tuesday to a heart hospital in the capital Kuala Lumpur after doctors expressed satisfaction with his progress, an aide said.

"The decision to transfer Mahathir to IJN (National Heart Institute) was made after doctors were satisfied at his positive rate of progress to treatment," Sufi Yusoff said in a statement to reporters.

Mahathir, 81, was admitted to hospital on the resort island of Langkawi on Monday after experiencing difficulty breathing.

Sufi said the former prime minister would receive further treatment by a team of doctors at the Kuala Lumpur facility.

Earlier Tuesday, an aide who asked not to be identified told AFP the ex-leader was "calm, relaxed and cheerful", conscious and remained in stable condition.

Mukhriz Mahathir, Mahathir's son, told reporters late Monday outside the Langkawi hospital that his father was in intensive care but was conscious and stable.

Mukhriz said it was not clear how long Mahathir would be in hospital but "we are optimistic he will be able to recover from this episode."

Mahathir suffered a mild stroke in November last year, caused by a clot that restricted blood flow in one of his arteries. He subsequently recovered.

Mahathir also suffered a heart attack in 1989 and had bypass surgery.

He retired from office in 2003 after 22 years in power, handing over to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, whom he has since accused of nepotism and corruption.

Abdullah and his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, arrived in Langkawi on Monday for two days of informal talks aimed at enhancing ties.


Dr M flown to KL, treatment at IJN - Malaysiakini

Dr Mahathir In ICU At Langkawi Hospital !

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was admitted to Langkawi Hospital this afternoon after complaining of breathing difficulties.
- Malaysiakini

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Langkawi Hospital at 3.50pm today after complaining of breathing difficulty while resting in his room at the Langkasuka Hotel.

His press officer, Sufi Yusni Yusof, told Bernama that the former prime minister was in stable condition and was being monitored by doctors.

Dr Mahathir, who was accompanied by his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali, arrived at the resort island at 11am today for a two-day private visit. They were scheduled to return to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow afternoon.

They were in Bukit Merah, Perak, since Thursday to attend a get-together of the "Class of 47" of the King Edward College of Medicine, Singapore.

Sufi said Dr Mahathir was conscious when he complained of exhaustion. He was taken to the hospital by car by his personal physician, Dr Nasir Muda.
(Bernama)


Meanwhile, The blogsite operator who reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi fainted at a function in Lumut, Perak, Sunday could face action including being charged under the Sedition Act if the article contained elements of slander.

Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said the ministry was studying the report before deciding on the type of action to be taken against the blogger.

"I have not read the report in the blogsite but if there are elements of slander, action can be taken under the Penal Code. This comes under the Internal Security Ministry," he told reporters at the parliament lobby here today.

He was commenting on a report in a blogsite that Abdullah fainted at the function in Lumut. The Prime Minister has since denied the report and regretted its inaccuracy.

Shaziman said his ministry would cooperate with the Internal Security Ministry in identifying the blogger.

In addition, the blogger could also be charged under the Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1998, and if found guilty could be fined RM50,000 or one years' jail or both.

Asked whether the government would control blogsites to prevent a recurrence, Shaziman said the government was holding on to the "bill of guarantee" under the Act which did not allow censorship of the Internet.

However, action could be taken against bloggers under other Acts.

Meanwhile, Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Mohd Taib described the report in the blogsite as inaccurate and "naughty" and made by certain people out to destabilise Umno and the government.

"Bloggers always want to confuse the people by reporting untruths, and their postings are usually inclined towards the Opposition. They hope to create panic and adverse effects on certain sectors," he added.

Muhammad hoped the government would take stern action against bloggers who pose a threat to peace and national security.

Read also update from Rocky here.

Mahathir says he wanted to censor the Internet

Malaysia's former prime minister wanted to censor the Internet to prevent Malaysians from accessing pornography, but was foiled because of the need to appease foreign investors, according to a report today (Friday).

"They put on the Internet all those pornographic, dirty pictures and things like that," Mahathir said, according to a transcript of the interview published Friday.

"If a young boy, a teenager, sees all those things, he goes crazy and he rapes little children and rapes even his grandmother," Mahathir, 81, added.

Mahathir said he was under pressure by foreign investors to keep the Internet uncensored because of efforts to develop Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor, a high-tech zone shaped after California's Silicon Valley that Mahathir launched in the late 1990s to house technology firms.

"I was forced to say 'I will not censor the Internet'," Mahathir said. "But I was never convinced. Even now I'm not convinced. I don't mean censor contrary views. Contrary views (are) OK, but censor those filthy and dirty things," he said.

Web sites critical of the government sprung up during the final years of Mahathir's time in power, offering an alternative to coverage by local news media. Critics say Malaysia's system of annually reviewed publication licenses forces many outlets into self-censorship.


Mahathir Mohamad has also called for Malaysia's long-serving trade minister to be sacked, claiming she was abusing her power and undermining affirmative action policies for the ethnic Malay Muslim majority.

Mahathir, who appointed Rafidah Aziz as trade minister in 1986, reiterated that Rafidah's ministry has allowed a select few well-connected Malay businesses to import cars at cheap prices, according to an interview published Thursday by Malaysiakini.com, an independent news Web site.

Asked how such abuses could be curbed, Mahathir said, "Very simple. Remove the minister."

Rafidah has repeatedly denied allegations by Mahathir and opposition leaders that the ministry has allowed corruption to fester in its policy of issuing car import licenses, known as "approved permits," or APs.

The APs are given only to Malay companies as part of the country's affirmative action policy.

"When the ministry gives thousands of APs to one person, knowing full well that person is selling the APs (to unauthorized agents), that is aiding and abetting abuse" of affirmative action policies, Mahathir told Malaysiakini.com.

The decades-old import license program is meant to help poor ethnic Malays break into the auto industry to catch up with the economically dominant Chinese minority.

Mahathir, who retired as prime minister in 2003 after 22 years in power, has over the past year made repeated attacks on his hand-picked successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and other Cabinet ministers. But Rafidah has been his choice target.

In his interview with Malaysiakini.com, Mahathir expressed bitter disappointment about how government ministers have treated him following his retirement.

"When I stepped down, I thought I was going to have a good time being at social meetings with these people. Maybe they might even ask me my opinion," Mahathir said.

"But the moment I stepped down, I was cut off dead. They don't see me at all. From the first day, I was shocked. I thought these were my friends."

Mahathir also said it is time to dismantle parts of the affirmative action policy, known as the New Economic Policy, or NEP, for shortcomings.

"I think we should restudy it because there are certain weaknesses that have to be corrected. There are still certain areas where you have to preserve this affirmative action and certain areas where we should discard (it)," he said, without elaborating.

"Wholesale withdrawal of the NEP, I think, is not a good idea at all," he said, pointing out that the policy was responsible for uplifting many Malays, who came from villages with little opportunities and ended up being successful professionals and businesspeople.

Meanwhile, opposition leader has criticized the government for canceling an international Muslim-Christian conference, calling it a blow to the multiethnic country's reputation for religious tolerance.

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should "walk the talk" on his commitment to interfaith dialogue, and should encourage such interactions instead of canceling them.

The Building Bridges seminar, held annually for international Christian and Muslim scholars since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was supposed to take place in Malaysia this week but was canceled three weeks ago in a little-publicized decision.

The decision became known only after The Times newspaper of London reported it Thursday, quoting the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, which organizes the conference.

"The last-minute cancellation ... is a big blow to our international image and reputation as a successful and model multi-religious nation," said a statement from Lim, leader of the Democratic Action Party.

Abdullah "goes to international forums to preach the virtues of inter-religious dialogue but at home, the government is not prepared to allow an international inter-religious conference to be held," he said.

The Rev. Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, also expressed dismay and appealed to the government to review its decision.

"The Council of Churches is at a loss as to the reasons why the authorities have withdrawn support at such a late state," Shastri said in a statement.

It said the seminar had been planned for a year.

A government official, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to make public statements, said a misunderstanding had caused the late cancellation.

While Malaysia had thought it had called off the conference earlier due to issues that could not be resolved, the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury had not understood this until shortly before the seminar was to have taken place, the official said.

He could not specify what the unresolved issues were, but said they were related to conference speakers and participants. He said the government still hoped to hold the dialogue later.

Nearly 60 percent of Malaysia's 26 million people are Muslims, but there are large Buddhist, Christian and Hindu minorities whose right of worship is generally respected by the government.

But interfaith relations have recently come under strain due to several religious disputes seen as the result of growing Islamization and erosion of minority rights.

Malaysia is a progressive muslum nation and like another great Islamic dominated country Turkey, arguably one of the best examples of what can be achieved through education.

The cancelling of this summit has achieved about as much as what the summit could have achieved. It has gotten people talking about religious divide. These ebbs and flows of openness will continue until people achieve the freedom to make their own decisions.

My sense is that it is this very erosion of religion that some holy men are worried about. Controlling the population as they become educated gets more difficult. The West went from 90% church going at the turn of last century to 10% 3-4 generations later.

This is a serious threat to any religion which has historically had such a strong grasp on their people. Building bridges might just lead to personal choice, which is not consistent with some people's view of the world.

Craig, Sydney, Australia

Simon has a point. What he may be trying to say is that the Shariah in Malaysia just cannot run parallel with its secular constitution and that true adherents on the bench and in parliament just cannot be depended on to defend the constitution.

Tommy Peters, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

"O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people." (Sura 5:51)

"Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah..." (Sura 3:28)

"And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers." (Sura 3:85)

Don't be so hard on these poor schmoes; they're jsut being pious.

Neil Stephenson, York,

Successor doesn't deserve to lead based on qualifications

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad ended an unspoken truce and launched a new attack on his successor, saying he is not the most qualified person to lead the country.

Mahathir, whose enmity with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi surfaced last year, said in an interview published Wednesday that Abdullah's deputy, Najib Razak, was "the better candidate."

Mahathir told independent news Web site Malaysiakini.com that before he retired in 2003 after 22 years in power, he had considered handing the office to Najib instead of Abdullah.

"If it is a comparison between (Abdullah) and Najib, I would say that (Abdullah) was less qualified," he said. "But I also thought that he (Najib) was, maybe, a little bit young, so he should give an older person a chance. That was why I decided on Abdullah."

Asked whether he believed Najib, 53, is still the best person to lead Malaysia, Mahathir said, "I think if Najib is not so afraid of losing his (current) position if he displeases the prime minister, he would make a good prime minister."

Mahathir's comments appeared to be aimed at driving a wedge between the 67-year-old Abdullah and Najib, both of whom have repeatedly voiced confidence in each other and denied speculation of any friction. Malaysia's Cabinet and ruling party leaders have also said they support Abdullah completely.

Mahathir's main aide did not immediately answer calls on his mobile phone. Abdullah's aides could not be reached for comment.

Mahathir began attacking Abdullah for alleged nepotism and weak governance in mid-2006, but the 71-year-old elder statesman has largely steered clear of open criticism following a mild heart attack in November.

Mahathir has not presented proof to back up his allegations, and Abdullah has refrained from retaliating against Mahathir while vehemently denying the accusations.

In his interview with Malaysiakini, Mahathir said he believed Najib, who has also served in recent years as defense minister, would not have aborted Mahathir's vision of building a new bridge to neighboring Singapore.

"I think our world views will be slightly different, but by and large, they are more or less the same," Mahathir said. "I wouldn't say, for example, that Najib would drop the bridge. He was talking about building the bridge to the very last moment."

Najib was on a visit to the United States, and his aides could not be reached for comment.

Abdullah announced the scrapping of the bridge project last year, saying Malaysians were unhappy with Singapore's preconditions for the plan. Mahathir has accused Abdullah of compromising national interests and being too afraid to negotiate properly with Singapore.

(IHT-Asia Pacific)


A human rights group has urged the Malaysian government to disband a feared volunteer security force, saying its members are responsible for violence and numerous cases of illegal detentions, mainly against migrant workers.

The Ikatan Relawan Rakyat, known by its Malay acronym RELA, has almost half a million uniformed and armed volunteers working for it. It was set up in 1972 to maintain public order, but in recent years has primarily been used to round up illegal migrant workers in the country.

"Fully uniformed, armed, and unaccompanied by police or immigration officers, they break into migrant lodgings in the middle of the night without warrants," New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement Wednesday.

By law, RELA volunteers are allowed to make arrests, use firearms, and enter and search any premises without a warrant. They also have effective legal immunity from prosecution.

Human Rights Watch said RELA members "brutalize inhabitants, extort money, and confiscate cell phones, clothing, jewelry, and household goods, before handcuffing migrants and transporting them to detention camps for 'illegal immigrants.'"

"The government has set up what's little more than a vigilante force to target foreigners," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Given RELA's repeated abuses, it should be disbanded right away."

The government did not immediately respond to the accusations, and RELA officials were not available for comment before office hours Wednesday.

Following a public outcry over reported abuses by RELA, authorities demanded last month that a RELA team leader search members to make sure they do not steal or plant evidence. They are also not allowed to carry cell phones anymore.

(CNN via Yahoo!)

Mahathir says ex-deputy Anwar can't hope for big political comeback

Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad heaped scorn Wednesday on plans by his ex-deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, to re-enter politics, saying Anwar cannot make a major impact.

Mahathir, who fired Anwar in 1998 over accusations of homosexuality and corruption, said Anwar might still have enough public support to help his opposition People's Justice Party "win a few seats" in Malaysia's next general election.

"But making a comeback and taking over the government, that's a pipe dream," Mahathir, who retired as prime minister in 2003 after 22 years in power, told reporters

Anwar, 59, declared earlier this month that he would run in May 26 elections for his party, even though his corruption sentence bars him from holding any political office and from running in general elections until April 2008.

Anwar's wife currently is the party's president and is expected to step aside for him to contest the post. If he succeeds, the party would have to apply to the Registrar of Societies to request that the ban on political office be waived.

General elections are not due until mid-2009, but speculation has risen that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi might call polls by early next year.

Anwar has spent most of the past few years lecturing at universities abroad, but he recently began spending more time in Malaysia to help the opposition push for wider democratic rights.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said if the government wished to sell its stake in national carmaker Proton, then it should be sold to locals instead of foreigners.

"If you sell to a foreign company it is no longer a national car," said Mahathir, who is being increasingly sidelined by his successor's administration. "If you want to sell, you have to sell to a local company."

"What is important is to remove the management and put back the old management who have been able to do well," he said in response to questions on how Proton should look for a partner.

The government, which controls Proton through state asset investment agency Khazanah Nasional, has been locked in talks with foreign carmakers like Volkswagen and General Motors (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) as well as local car companies Naza and DRB-Hicom Bhd (DRBM.KL: Quote, Profile, Research) over an alliance and the sale of a stake in Proton.

Tun Dr Mahathir also apologised to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for having alleged that the latter owned a mansion in Australia.

Neither Abdullah nor his son, Kamaluddin, owned the mansion, estimated to cost RM60 million, located near the Swan River in Perth, as alleged by Dr Mahathir. It belongs to a Malaysian businessman, Datuk Patrick Lim.

"Well, I shouldn't make that statement because I was stating something based on rumours I heard and the rumours repeatedly said that the house belongs to him (Abdullah),

"And then of course you know, when you are carried away after giving a speech like that, you don't censor yourself and you are not too careful about what you say, so I said it and I'm sorry that I said something that was wrong," Dr Mahathir said.

Dr Mahathir told reporters this after delivering a keynote address at the 6th Perdana Discourse Series on "Media and National Development" at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.

The former prime minister made the allegation at a ceramah in Kulai recently.

"I should be corrected and I'm very grateful that people have actually paid attention to my allegation and they found that the person who owned the house is not the PM, it's not his son but somebody else," he said.

Mahathir returns to political arena with scathing attack on government

Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad returned to the political arena Thursday after a five-month gap forced by illness, renewing his attacks on the government by accusing it of corruption, nepotism and weakness.

"We have corrupt leaders who favor their relatives," Mahathir, 81, said in a speech, apparently referring to his successor-turned-foe, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

It was Mahathir's first public speech at an event organized by a ruling party branch since November when he suffered a heart attack and was forced to suspend a yearlong campaign against Abdullah.

Mahathir has alleged that Abdullah's son and son-in-law have benefited in their business because of his office but has offered no proof. Abdullah has denied the allegations.

The vitriolic attacks by Mahathir, who was in power for 22 years, had shocked the nation given that Abdullah was his hand-picked successor.

Mahathir chose to resume his campaign in Kulai, a small town of palm oil traders and other business people in the southern state of Johor, a stronghold of the ruling United Malays National Organization party. His audience was about 300 UMNO members and other town residents.

While it was clear that he still has the capacity to draw crowds, the small number also was proof that people may be getting tired of his repetitious allegations that Abdullah is corrupt and that his government has compromised national sovereignty by bowing to demands by neighboring Singapore.

Mahathir explained the small crowd by saying his supporters were afraid of being harassed by the government. "Before there were thousands who would assemble and kiss my hands," he said.

Mahathir's anger against Abdullah stems from his decision last year to abandon a project to build a bridge from Johor to Singapore across the narrow strip of sea separating the two countries.

Abdullah's government says it decided to scrap the project — a Mahathir brainchild — because of unacceptable demands by Singapore. Mahathir says the administration had no guts to negotiate properly with Singapore.

"We see that our country has no courage to build something in our own territory because we are scared of other people," Mahathir said Thursday.

He also picked a new topic to criticize the government — a special economic zone being planned in Johor where investors would be given a range of incentives and concessions to set up industries. The aim is largely to attract investors from Singapore.

"If we surrender our territory to foreigners we will lose our rights to foreigners," Mahathir said, adding that the country's ethnic Malay majority will not be able to compete with the foreigners who will come equipped with better business skills, money and government incentives.

Mahathir asked if Malays were willing to become "slaves" in their own land by becoming drivers and servants to foreigners in the special economic zone.

Mahathir's previous allegations about corruption and inefficiency in the government have been made without any proof, but to some extent have fed on people's disenchantment with the government over rising prices and a seemingly lackluster economy.

Still, Abdullah has refrained from retaliating against Mahathir while vehemently denying the accusations.

In an interview earlier this year, Abdullah said he remains "energized to fulfill Malaysians' ambitions" and would silence his critics by ensuring that plans for economic and social development succeed.

Mahathir Mohamad embraces human rights?

"We, the victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and such other crimes as contained in the relevant international laws and conventions do hereby petition (the commission) to act on our petition pertaining to the various injustices committed against us."

These were the words of a memorandum submitted to the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal on February 7. The petitioners (some accounts put the number at 17) were mainly from the Palestinian territories, Iraq and Lebanon. Among them, former Baghdad university lecturer Ali Shalah Qaissi, a victim of electric torture at Abu Ghraib and Walid Salah, a Palestinian doctor from the occupied territories. The accused: President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Prime Minister John Howard.

The present Malaysian government has been wrong-footed by the efforts of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to set up this tribunal, but not overly so. They are only too familiar with Mahathir’s extra-curricular activities. Cunningly, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar claimed the tribunal was an expression of democracy in action. In a statement which must have grated with some in the West, Mr Hamid called it "(An) independent tribunal. Let them take the initiative which is within their rights as citizens of Malaysia… it is nice to see freedom being exercised."

No one can doubt that such tribunals have their place, even as haphazard legal instruments. Convened in public settings by non-government officials, these tribunals have the potential to sway public opinion and spur debate. They can do little else, having no legal authority or power to enforce penalties.

There are echoes of the Bertrand Russell Tribunal in this new War Crimes Tribunal, though Russell's Tribunal was unusual for its intellectual calibre, and criticised for its seemingly contradictory assembly of intellectuals. Convened in 1967 in Copenhagen and Stockholm by Russell and Jean-Paul Sartre, it was in equal parts praised and pilloried. Some saw it as an exposé of alleged American war crimes in Vietnam; others, such as then Secretary of State Dean Rusk saw it as a game played by "a 94-year-old English Professor."

Despite Rusk’s nonchalance, the administration of then president Lyndon Johnson was privately worried by it. Swedish Prime Minister Erlander was told in Bonn by Walt Rostow, Special Assistant for National Security Affairs, on April 25, 1967, "The burden of newspaper stories on you at this time would be heavy and that, in fact, this kind of story helps prolong the [Vietnam] war."

The problem with this trial is that it is doing nothing that is not already taking place. The World Tribunal on Iraq, through a series of 20 hearings held in cities from Barcelona to Tunis, delivered its 'Declaration of Conscience' in Istanbul in June 2005. Mahathir, it seems, hopes to reinvent the wheel, and a rickety one at that. From Malaysia, he will be preaching to the converted, both within the country and through the Islamic world.

The unconverted, notably the non-Malays, will continue to remain unconvinced, perhaps even experiencing a sort-of schadenfreude over the invasion of an Islamic nation. Malaysia’s racial fault-lines remain clear to anyone who cares to observe the different responses to the Coalition invasion of Iraq in 2003: Al-Jazeera and official government programming dominated Malay restaurants and shops; CNN and Fox stole the show in Chinese eating houses and Indian sari outlets.

Then there is the issue of legal propriety. During his long stint as Prime Minister, Mahathir was never troubled by such tedious concepts as the rule of law. Showing his inventiveness, he happily led the charge against Deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim in 1997 on trumped up charges of sodomy and treason. Now Mahathir chairs the commission responsible for feeding the nine-member tribunal the cases.

His rhetoric is admirable: "We of the commission look upon these (cases) as a human tragedy, not confined to any particular race, religion, creed or faith," he told an audience of a thousand on February 7th this year. He sees the tribunal as cathartic, one that will go some way towards "assuaging the pain that has been suffered by so many people in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and elsewhere".

Whatever the merits of this body, it is hardly likely to come close to the work of those who staffed the Russell tribunal. There are no equivalent Isaac Deutschers, nor Russells, nor Sartres. The tribubal is composed of largely unknown Malay legal experts, although the presence of Abdul Kadir Sulaiman, a former judge of Malaysia’s High Court does give a veneer of respectability. Foreign appointees, it is promised, will enrich the tribunal, but it remains to be seen who will front up. The judgements, needless to say, will be predictable.

(Binoy Kampmark - EurekaStreet, Australia )

Mahathir to UMNO: 'Reject dynasty'

He doesn't want Malaysia to duplicate the way of Singapore
-Bernama

Dr Mahathir Mohamad wants Umno members to reject any attempt to establish a Singapore-style dynasty in the party, just as he had avoided doing so during his 22 years as the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The former Prime Minister said that while he was in power he had not wanted any of his children to be involved in politics though there had been suggestions by other leaders then to field his children in the elections.

"Any attempt to establish a dynasty should be opposed. Umno does not have to duplicate the way of Singapore, which has the Lee Kuan Yew Dynasty," he said in his keynote address at a leadership seminar organised by website blog MYKMU.NET here.

"Don't try to make your son or son-in-law as the PM," Mahathir told the 400-strong crowd at a function.

"I hope all Malaysians would oppose any attempts to start a dynasty. In our country anybody can become the PM even the fisherman."

Dr Mahathir said every member of Umno, since the party was set up by Datuk Onn Jaafar 60 years ago, has the right to express his opinion and criticism if decisions adopted by the leadership are not right.

The act of criticising leaders, he said, was not alien to Umno members because it has been happening since the time that the party was helmed by its previous leaders - Onn, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak, Tun Hussein Onn and he himself.

"We have to be bold enough to criticise leaders if their decisions are not good and undermine the self-esteem of the people," he said.

The 82-year-old Dr Mahathir said his criticisms of his successor (Prime Minister) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi only touched on the way the country was administered and were never personal in nature.

"They had nothing to do with the personal aspect," he said.

Dr Mahathir also spoke of what he described as Umno members' loss of freedom and boldness to express opinions contrary to those of the party and its leadership.

"I feel very sad because Umno has now changed. Today it is not ready to hear what it doesn't want to hear," he said. "There's climate of fear."

He claimed that now only views in support of the leadership were allowed while opinions on the contrary would be prohibited.

"Umno members have to listen to opinions and views of both sides to enable them make an evaluation before making the right decision. If we listen to the views of only one side, we will be incapable of making the right decision," he said.

According to him, the situation was similar to that of a judge who required explanations from the prosecution and the defence before he could arrive at a just decision in a case.

Dr Mahathir, who had recovered from a mild heart attack three months ago, said party members who expressed opinions and views contrary to the decisions of the leaders faced the possibility of losing opportunities, contracts and such.

According to him, the Umno of today is different from the Umno during his time and before that, whereby members were now not permitted to listen to differing views.

Dr Mahathir said that by only allowing the views of one side to be heard by members, all the decisions adopted would be supported, even if they were not right.

He said it was not necessary for Malaysia to sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States because by signing it Malaysia would lose its right to several things such as government procurement.

The talks between both sides are now being held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. He said Washington wanted to control government procurement contracts, not only in Malaysia but also throughout the world.

Related News :

Asia One : Malaysia ex-PM takes fresh swipe at successor


Malaysia Mahathir

Tun Dr M takes fresh swipe at successor

Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad on Saturday renewed his attack on his successor, calling him intolerant and asking the people to reject nepotism.

The outspoken 81-year-old, in his first political speech after a lull following a heart attack in November, said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had created a climate of fear within his ruling UMNO party.

Speaking at a forum in the southern city of Johor Baru, he also warned Abdullah, whose son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin is an ambitious politician, against forming a political dynasty.

"Don't try to make your son or son-in-law as the PM," Mahathir, who in September asked Abdullah to resign, told the 400-strong crowd at a function.

"I hope all Malaysians would oppose any attempts to start a dynasty. In our country anybody can become the PM even the fisherman."

The rally could mark the start of a second round of an Abdullah-Mahathir fight which has unsettled Malaysians as well as foreign investors.

Mahathir, who led the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the country for 22 years until he handed power to Abdullah in late 2003, remains a party member.

"I feel very sad because UMNO has now changed. Today it is not ready to hear what it doesn't want to hear," he said. "There's climate of fear."

Abdullah's aides could not be immediately reached for comments.

Meamwhile, Tun Dr M also suggested that the Government should revive water talks with the Singapore Government as the country was getting a raw deal for the water supplied to the island republic.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that the negotiations should be continued although Malaysia had suspended all negotiations pertaining to the bridge project with Singapore last year.

He also touched on the bridge project to replace the causeway saying that it should have been continued as it would have benefited the country since it would have taken ships only three hours instead of 24 hours to sail from Port of Tanjung Pelepas in western Johor to Pasir Gudang in the eastern side. Ships now had to travel around Singapore.


Latest

Accordding to Bernama, Dr M has been admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for a medical check-up following a bout of flu.

The former prime minister was admitted this morning for a routine observation and blood tests, his aide Sufi Yusoff said in a statement Sunday.

Dr Mahathir, 82, is expected to be kept under observation for a few days pending doctors' advice, he said.

On Nov 9 last year, Dr Mahathir was warded at IJN for a mild heart attack. He was discharged five days later.


On YouTube : Cabaran Umno menghadapi Wawasan 2020


Malaysia Tun Dr M seminar

"Warm to Malaysia, cold to Singapore"

Thailand says relations with Malaysia on the mend, but 'breach of understanding' with S'pore needs repairing

Bilateral ties between Thailand and Malaysia are on the mend after three years of strain caused by the Southern Thai separatist violence along their shared border, Thailand's military government has insisted.

Since Mr Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup in September over allegations of corruption, the new government has been working hard to heal the rift, and things have been upbeat so far.

To mark this warming of ties, Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi will visit Bangkok on Feb 11 and 12, Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram told reporters yesterday.

"Prior to this government, relations between our two countries were not as satisfactory as we would have liked to see," said Mr Nitya.

While he was Prime Minister, Mr Thak-sin often accused Malaysia of harbouring insurgents and of failing to cooperate in the battle against the militants in the Muslim majority south, and often traded barbs with Malaysia's Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar over the issue.

Yesterday Mr Nitya said that both sides are working to warm relations. "I believe we are on our way to making amends," he said.

In contrast, Singapore's relations with Thailand have been less tranquil since Mr Thaksin visited the Republic last month and held an unofficial meeting with Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar.

Following the incident, Thailand immediately cancelled a planned series of diplomatic meetings and launched an investigation into alleged eavesdropping by Temasek-controlled telco Shin Corp — a charge that Singapore has denied. Mr Nitya said the actions were justified.

"That was perfectly called for," he said.

He defended Thailand's harsh reaction to Mr Thaksin's visit, describing the situation as a "breach of understanding among friends".

Said Mr Nitya: "If I were to invite a person that is essentially in total opposition to what they're trying to do ... I don't think they would understand. I don't think they would look at it any differently."

But the Thai diplomat stressed that relations with Singapore were not irreparable.

"It isn't our intention to start a rift that cannot be healed between our countries."

Meanwhile, Malaysia's former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad weighed in with his view on Thailand's diplomatic spat with Singapore.

In an interview with Thai broadcaster Channel 5, Dr Mahathir accused Singapore of interfering with Thailand's internal affairs and violating diplomatic norms by allowing Prof Jayakumar's meeting with Mr Thaksin.

"Singapore doesn't really care about the opinion of its neighbours," said Dr Mahathir, adding that the decision was "unfeeling and not sympathetic".

"Singapore believes the most important thing is what profits Singapore," he said.

When asked to comment about his 22 years of dealing with Singapore, Dr Mahathir said: "You'll get nowhere with them either being nice or being tough — they only think of themselves."

Dr Mahathir, however, said that both sides should patch things in "a way that is honourable".


Meanwhile, Dr M also urged the Thai government to resume dialogue with exiled leaders from the Malay-speaking region in the country's deep South, saying any breakthrough could pave the way for the new generation of militants to follow them.

Mahathir: Talk with exiled South leaders

They could provide a breakthrough with militants, he says

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad urged the Thai government to resume dialogue with exiled leaders from the Malay-speaking region in the country's deep South, saying any breakthrough could pave the way for the new generation of militants to follow them.

Speaking to Nation Channel's Thep-chai Yong over the weekend, Mahathir said it would be a mistake to sideline the long-standing groups, including the Patani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo), Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), and the Barisan Islam Pembebasan Patani (BIPP).

"They told me they understand that they cannot expect independence - they cannot expect autonomy. But they want to see their part of Thailand given the same treatment as other parts of Thailand," Mahathir said.

"In other words, they want to see development, they want to see their people educated, they want to see their people employed, business being done in the South, like in other parts of Thailand, which seems to be progressing faster," he said.

Mahathir said the exiled leaders could help convince the new generation of militants on the ground as to "how far they can go, what they can get, and to accept that there are things they can change and things they cannot change".

However, "there will always young leaders and extreme leaders on the fringes" who refuse to sign up to these ideas, he warned.

Thai security officials believe the new generation of militants are organised into small cells throughout the South, but the nature of their relations with the long standing groups is still not clear to them.

Mahathir had helped facilitate a series of meetings between the old guard and senior Thai officials on the island of Langkawi from October 2005 to February 2006.

"I never thought this was going to be easy. But it is not entirely impossible to resolve this provided there is willingness on both sides to see the other side's viewpoint," Mahathir said, adding he would be willing to assist in future dialogue if asked, but stated he has no initiative in the pipeline at the moment.

Thai officials and exiled leaders said the Langkawi meetings were not formal negotiations but a confidence-building measure to identify common ground for the two sides. A set of recommendations for future talks was given to the Bangkok government in February 2006 - but Thaksin had shelved it.

But with a new government in place, officials in Bangkok said a new round of talks is being proposed, but this time around, Kuala Lumpur is expected to have a direct role in facilitating the discussion, officials said.

Mahathir said the Langkawi talks were conducted when Thaksin Shinawatra was in power and that the policy of the former Thai premier, who was ousted in a coup last September, may not have been the best for the South.

"Thaksin was a businessman. Business is about winning. You can't win that way in that kind of situation," Mahathir said.

Mahathir said Malaysia was not a staging ground for attacks in southern Thailand and said that ethnic Malays from southern Thailand are permitted to live in Malaysia.

"So long as they are not actively responsible for acts of terror in Thailand they are welcome to stay here."

He said the instability in southern Thailand was a concern for Malaysia because many people living along the common border are relatives.

He called Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's apology for heavy-handed tactics by the previous Thai governments on the south, and specifically the death of nearly 80 unarmed demonstrators in Tak Bai district in late 2004, "a very good move".

"If only Thaksin [Shinawatra] had done this in the beginning, we could have avoided such bloodshed. It is such a simple thing to say… and it doesn't make you smaller in any way by saying sorry," Mahathir said.

Mahathir takes more potshots at Abdullah

TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad has resumed his attack on the Abdullah administration.

Giving answers dripping with sarcasm, the former premier gave his take yesterday on several hot issues faced by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's government.

Tun Dr Mahathir had called the press conference, his second meeting with the media this year, to speak about his upcoming international peace meeting.

But reporters steered him into answering questions that included the government's new executive jet, the failed merger plan of two newspaper groups and the sharp rise of the ringgit against the US dollar that could hurt Malaysian exporters.

His answers showed that although he has not spoken at public engagements against Datuk Seri Abdullah since November last year, his unhappiness with the current administration remains deep.

Asked to comment on the government's lease of a jet that allegedly cost US$50 million (RM200 million), Tun Dr Mahathir said the government should have bought a bigger plane.

Bloggers and news portals had claimed that the Prime Minister is buying an Airbus A319 jet for his own use at a time when he is curbing public spending.

However, the Premier said on Monday that the jet is for the use of top officials, including the King.

He denied that the government is buying the plane, and said it would be leased from Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd (PMB), the parent company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines.

Datuk Seri Abdullah's explanation has been challenged by the opposition and bloggers who point out that PMB is a company owned by government investment fund Khazanah Nasional.

Tun Dr Mahathir's take on leasing a jet: 'It's necessary. I thought it should be a 747 or A380 but the government is being very careful because the government has no money. This plane costs only RM200 million.

'It is not bought by the government, it's bought by somebody else, and that somebody else is owned 100 per cent by the government.'

Another controversial issue was the planned merger of two of the country's oldest media groups that own Malay-language Utusan Malaysia and the New Straits Times.

Despite supporting the merger earlier, Datuk Seri Abdullah backed down after failing to get support from top Umno chiefs, who feared the merger would weaken Utusan's ability to project the voice of Malays.

Asked if abandoning the plan was a setback for Datuk Seri Abdullah, Tun Dr Mahathir said: 'No, it is not true. It is just that they are democratic. They listen to people. If people don't like it, they don't like it.'

The sarcasm was not lost on reporters, because Tun Dr Mahathir had bitterly attacked the government when it scrapped a plan to build a bridge across the Johor Strait, after saying that was a decision made by the people.

Asked whether he was happy with the government's policy of letting the ringgit strengthen, he said: 'I am happy with whatever the government does.'

The ringgit yesterday traded at around 3.5 per US dollar, its highest level in about nine years.

Tun Dr Mahathir was also asked to comment on last weekend's by-election in Batu Talam, Pahang, which the ruling Barisan Nasional won by a big margin against an independent.

Referring to comments by Deputy Premier Najib Razak, he replied: 'Datuk Najib said it is evidence of the confidence of the whole country in the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Badawi. I second that.'

- By Reme Ahmad The Straits Times

---

Related news :

Interview with Malaysia's Dr M - The Nation Thailand
Report: Malaysia's Mahathir chides Singapore for dispute with Thailand - International Herald Tribune


Malaysia Mahathir Thailand Singapore: