Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dismissed the possibility of reconciling with Anwar Ibrahim arguing that it would lend credence to accusations that the charges against his estranged ex-deputy were trumped up.
Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 and subsequently charged and convicted for sodomy and corruption. Anwar has claimed that the charges were part of a political conspiracy against him, an allegation that Mahathir denied.
"If I have reconciliation, it may be interpreted as my belief that actually nothing happened, that it was wrong, my mistake, (that) my decision was wrong, that this thing did not happen.
" But to me, I was convinced, I made the decision, no matter what the people say," Mahathir said in an exclusive interview with malaysiakini.com editors.
Mahathir maintained that it was his responsibility to ensure that Anwar did not succeed him because his alleged homosexuality had rendered him "unsuitable to run the country".
KUDA RANGGI - You can take a horse to (the) water but you can't make it drink.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Mahathir talks about famous sons and business
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he did not ask his sons to divest their business as alleged by certain quarters.
" It's just that I have always stopped them from doing any business with the government. They can do business. I've never stopped them from doing business. But no business with the government, no candidature. People came to ask me to nominate my son as a candidate for parliamentary seat. I said, "No. Not while I'm prime minister."
Mahathir told malaysiakini.com that he did not want to give the impression that he is creating a dynasty.
But as far as business is concerned, they can do business, (but) not with the government.
"As a matter of principle, when I was prime minister, I did not allow my children, my wife, to be involved in business with the government. My wife, certainly not - no business at all. This is a matter of principle for me," Mahathir said in an exclusive interview with the internet media.
" It's just that I have always stopped them from doing any business with the government. They can do business. I've never stopped them from doing business. But no business with the government, no candidature. People came to ask me to nominate my son as a candidate for parliamentary seat. I said, "No. Not while I'm prime minister."
Mahathir told malaysiakini.com that he did not want to give the impression that he is creating a dynasty.
But as far as business is concerned, they can do business, (but) not with the government.
"As a matter of principle, when I was prime minister, I did not allow my children, my wife, to be involved in business with the government. My wife, certainly not - no business at all. This is a matter of principle for me," Mahathir said in an exclusive interview with the internet media.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
PM Abdullah made some wrong moves, says Mahathir
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is disappointed with certain decisions made b y his handpicked successor, Abdullah Badawi, who took over the reins three years ago, according to Malaysiakini.com.
The former prime minister, however, refused to rate the performance of Abdullah, citing possible negative effects.
" I don't like to pass opinions on the present government's performance because that may have negative effects, so I just will miss out on that. That is my answer," he told malaysiakini editors during a 45-minute interview in his Petronas Twin Towers office in Kuala Lumpur last week.
As for his disappointment with the current administration, Proton and the half-bridge project topped the list.
" I am disappointed in what happened to Proton and also to the half-bridge," he said. He also revealed that it was the Malaysian government, and not Singapore, that had offered to sell sand as well as the use of Johor's airspace to the island state.
Mahathir argued that the offers were made at a meeting in 2004 between the two nations to get Singapore's agreement to the building of a straight bridge.
The sale of sand, in particular, was to the tune of one billion square metres, or 50 million square metres a year for 20 years, he said.
" That will make Singapore one-and-a-half times its present size. It will be suitable for a population of, maybe, 10 million," he added.
Just as Malaya was "cheated" into selling Singapore to the British for RM60,000 and Penang for RM10,000 then, the present government was selling sand - "a part of Malaysia" - to Singapore, claimed Mahathir.
President Bush is anti-Islam - here is the proof
President George Bush is alienating Muslims around the world by using Christian rhetoric to discuss his foreign policy issues.
This statement is not from Osama Bin Ladin, or Hamas, or Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Sadam Hussein or from some Islamic fundamentalist mullahs in Iran or Afghanistan or Islamist militants in the Middle East or Sudan.
The statement was made by non other than Madeline Albright, former Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter and President Bill Clinton. She is a Jew.
" I worked for two presidents who were men of faith, and they did not make their religious views part of American policy," Albright said, referring to Carter and Clinton, both Christians.
" President Bush's certitude about what he believes in, and the division between good and evil, is, I think, different," said Albright who recently published a book on religion and world affairs.
Bush claims that his Christian faith inspires his decisions as president. He says, for example, that GOD told him to invade Iraq and Afghanistan.
Albright says Bush's religious absolutism has made the American foreign policy " more rigid and more difficult for other countries to accept."
Let us pray that Bush the Devil, will not push the button to fire nuclear weapons on Muslim countries by claiming that GOD told him to do so.
This statement is not from Osama Bin Ladin, or Hamas, or Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Sadam Hussein or from some Islamic fundamentalist mullahs in Iran or Afghanistan or Islamist militants in the Middle East or Sudan.
The statement was made by non other than Madeline Albright, former Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter and President Bill Clinton. She is a Jew.
" I worked for two presidents who were men of faith, and they did not make their religious views part of American policy," Albright said, referring to Carter and Clinton, both Christians.
" President Bush's certitude about what he believes in, and the division between good and evil, is, I think, different," said Albright who recently published a book on religion and world affairs.
Bush claims that his Christian faith inspires his decisions as president. He says, for example, that GOD told him to invade Iraq and Afghanistan.
Albright says Bush's religious absolutism has made the American foreign policy " more rigid and more difficult for other countries to accept."
Let us pray that Bush the Devil, will not push the button to fire nuclear weapons on Muslim countries by claiming that GOD told him to do so.
Human Rights in Malaysia
The Malaysian chapter of Amnesty International (AI) calls for the government to end detention without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Emergency Ordinance (EO), and to close down the Kamunting and Simpang Renggam detention centres.
It claims that last year, 17 alleged Islamic activists were detained under the ISA and nearly 700 people under the EO and Dangerous Drugs Act.
However, AI admitted that the battle for human rights in Malaysia is showing signs of hope. But added that there is still a need to transform rhetoric into reality.
"There are still concerns," AI Malaysia executive director Josef Roy Benedict said late Tuesday at the Malaysian launch of the global Amnesty International Annual Report for last year.
It claims that last year, 17 alleged Islamic activists were detained under the ISA and nearly 700 people under the EO and Dangerous Drugs Act.
However, AI admitted that the battle for human rights in Malaysia is showing signs of hope. But added that there is still a need to transform rhetoric into reality.
"There are still concerns," AI Malaysia executive director Josef Roy Benedict said late Tuesday at the Malaysian launch of the global Amnesty International Annual Report for last year.
NEWS THROUGH AMERICAN EYES
Thank you Brother Abdullah Aljunid for sharing the item below (forwarded to him by Tan Sri Ani Arope). I would like to share it with my readers. Thank you.
Perceptions are very real, but they may not be always true.
A man is taking a walk in Central Park, New York. Suddenly he sees a little girl being attacked by a pit bull dog.
He runs over and starts fighting with the dog. He succeeds in killing the dog and saving the girl's life.
A policeman who was watching the scene walks over and says:
"You are a hero, tomorrow you can read it in all the newspapers: "Brave New Yorker saves the life of little girl".
The man says: "But I am not a New Yorker!"
"Oh then it will say in newspapers in the morning: "Brave American saves life of little girl" the policeman answers.
"But I am not an American!" says the man.
"Oh, what are you then?"
The man says: " I am a Pakistani!"
Next day, the headlines in all the newspapers:
"Islamic extremist kills innocent American dog."
Perceptions are very real, but they may not be always true.
A man is taking a walk in Central Park, New York. Suddenly he sees a little girl being attacked by a pit bull dog.
He runs over and starts fighting with the dog. He succeeds in killing the dog and saving the girl's life.
A policeman who was watching the scene walks over and says:
"You are a hero, tomorrow you can read it in all the newspapers: "Brave New Yorker saves the life of little girl".
The man says: "But I am not a New Yorker!"
"Oh then it will say in newspapers in the morning: "Brave American saves life of little girl" the policeman answers.
"But I am not an American!" says the man.
"Oh, what are you then?"
The man says: " I am a Pakistani!"
Next day, the headlines in all the newspapers:
"Islamic extremist kills innocent American dog."
Monday, May 22, 2006
Sarawak politics - it is time for Taib Mahmud to go
It is interesthing to note that Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, Abdullah Badawi said that he knew something was amiss in Sarawak but he could not make it public, instead he will let chief minister Taib Mahmud know about it.
Logically, this means that Abdullah has been given the feedback by the normal sources namely the Special Branch, the Military Intelligence and various government agencies, that the people of Sarawak by and large want Taib to retire.
For example, the Chinese of Sibu rejected the SUPP, the Chinese-based political party led by deputy chief minister George Chan, because they hate the fact that Taib had Chan by the *@##&.
The fact is that nobody, especially politicians, is indispensable. By clinging to power for the seventh term, Taib is telling Sarawakians and all of us, Abdullah and Najib included, that he is indispensable. But, the results of the Sarawak election show the votes obtained by the BN had drastically dropped.
In Malaysia, the Chinese voters always have no second thought or no qualms about speaking their mind through the ballot box. The just did that in Sarawak.
Unlike the Chinese, the Malays and Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak, don't have the guts to do so. We, the Malays and Bumiputeras, talk about unhappiness and dissatisfaction and we talk about our disgust for this politician or that politician but only at teh tarik stalls or coffee shops.
This ie because we are "trapped" in having to depend on the government for almost everything in our daily lives, even for primary school text-books, let alone scholarships and subsidies.
While the Chinese are very independent and can be on their own, in fact they are mostly on their own and don't want to be disturbed. They prefer to be left alone to fend for themselves and, believe me, they are the most professional people in Malaysia in whatever they do. Even if they want to commit robbery, they will do it in a big way, not just to scoop ten, twenty or a hundred thousand ringgits. They go for million of ringgits, hide the money somewhere, go to jail and after a few years, enjoy the freedom with plenty of cash.
For the Chinese, there is no half-past six or half-way. If they want to be a mechanic, they will give your car the best treatment, unlike most of other mechanics including Malays. Yes, it is a bitter pill to swallow but it is a reality.
The Sarawak election is a clear signal to national leaders, UMNO in particular, that the Chinese voters will tip the balance in the next general election. As for the state legislative assemblies, there might be changes in Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak and Penang.
Logically, this means that Abdullah has been given the feedback by the normal sources namely the Special Branch, the Military Intelligence and various government agencies, that the people of Sarawak by and large want Taib to retire.
For example, the Chinese of Sibu rejected the SUPP, the Chinese-based political party led by deputy chief minister George Chan, because they hate the fact that Taib had Chan by the *@##&.
The fact is that nobody, especially politicians, is indispensable. By clinging to power for the seventh term, Taib is telling Sarawakians and all of us, Abdullah and Najib included, that he is indispensable. But, the results of the Sarawak election show the votes obtained by the BN had drastically dropped.
In Malaysia, the Chinese voters always have no second thought or no qualms about speaking their mind through the ballot box. The just did that in Sarawak.
Unlike the Chinese, the Malays and Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak, don't have the guts to do so. We, the Malays and Bumiputeras, talk about unhappiness and dissatisfaction and we talk about our disgust for this politician or that politician but only at teh tarik stalls or coffee shops.
This ie because we are "trapped" in having to depend on the government for almost everything in our daily lives, even for primary school text-books, let alone scholarships and subsidies.
While the Chinese are very independent and can be on their own, in fact they are mostly on their own and don't want to be disturbed. They prefer to be left alone to fend for themselves and, believe me, they are the most professional people in Malaysia in whatever they do. Even if they want to commit robbery, they will do it in a big way, not just to scoop ten, twenty or a hundred thousand ringgits. They go for million of ringgits, hide the money somewhere, go to jail and after a few years, enjoy the freedom with plenty of cash.
For the Chinese, there is no half-past six or half-way. If they want to be a mechanic, they will give your car the best treatment, unlike most of other mechanics including Malays. Yes, it is a bitter pill to swallow but it is a reality.
The Sarawak election is a clear signal to national leaders, UMNO in particular, that the Chinese voters will tip the balance in the next general election. As for the state legislative assemblies, there might be changes in Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak and Penang.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)