Suddenly Uncle Sam very nice to us

US Has No Objection To M'sia Pursuing Nuclear Energy Programme

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- The United States said today that it would not oppose if Malaysia were to pursue a nuclear energy programme for peaceful purposes.
Its ambassador to Malaysia Christopher J. LaFleur said there were very clear international guidelines for such a programme.
"Many other countries do it...Malaysia wants to do it...fine, we have no objection," he said when asked by Bernama on an earlier comment he made during a question-and-answer session at an intellectual discourse, on Iran's nuclear programme and whether Malaysia would face any objection if it did the same.
Earlier, LaFleur had delivered a speech at the "The US and Malaysia in 2007" discourse organised by Universiti Putra Malaysia's Faculty of Human Ecology in Serdang today.
LaFleur said that nuclear energy was quite important for countries which had no energy resources of their own.
"If Malaysia wants to develop that field, we don't have a problem," he added.
Asked whether the US would assist Malaysia if the country were to pursue such a programme, the ambassador said that his country had specific procedures for assistance or cooperation in the matter.
"I think if Malaysian research institutes want to cooperate on nuclear energy research, I am sure there will be American institutions that will be happy to work with them."
To another question whether there was any plan for US President George W. Bush to visit Malaysia, he said there was none at the moment.

tunku: why suddenly this uncle sam so nice to us, it was never before???? may be our policies has changed now, our government is open to all, so anyone want to make money please come to malaysia, the government welcomes you.we will sign fta, no problem, you sell cars, we sell vege n fruits, you sell your products, we sell our souls.As long as you dont put your nose up in my SoNs business, we are open widely and please dont put sand in my SIL's rice bowl.is there possibility the satan president will visit to malaysia????
very sad this thing happening to us,NEVER TRUST THE US OF A.

Serangan Ke Atas Iran Bakal Ulangi Peristiwa Bencana Nuklear Chernobyl - Mukhriz

Kuala Lumpur -- Pemuda UMNO hari ini membantah sekeras-kerasnya sebarang bentuk kekerasan atau tindakan ketenteraan oleh Amerika Syarikat dan sekutunya, Israel terhadap Iran kononnya bagi menghentikan program pengayaan uranium negara terbabit
Pengerusi Biro Hubungan Antarabangsa & Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan, Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia, Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir berkata peperangan bukanlah satu jalan penyelesaian kepada konflik tersebut sebaliknya akan mengorbankan lebih banyak jiwa yang tidak berdosa.
Menurut beliau sebarang tindakan ketenteraan terhadap mana-mana kemudahan Nuklear Iran akan mengakibatkan pencemaran radioaktif secara global yang akan mengundang bencana kepada masyarakat sekeliling.
"Apabila ini berlaku habuk dan partikel halus uranium dibawa arus angin mengelilingi dunia. Masyarakat dunia akan menyaksikan bencana nuklear yang lebih dahsyat daripada yang berlaku di Chernobyl.
"Malah tubuh dan gen manusia juga akan turut terjejas apabila habuk dan partikel halus uranium menyusup ke dalam badan melalui hujan dan bekalan air", katanya dalam satu kenyataan kepada laman webPemuda di sini, hari ini.
Beliau berkata demikian sebagai mengulas tindakan ketenteraan yang mungkin akan diambil oleh Amerika Syarikat dan sekutunya termasuk Israel terhadap Iran bagi menghentikan program nuklear Iran.
Tambah Mukhriz lagi jika berlakunya serangan tersebut ianya akan mengimbau kembali serangan udara dan pengeboman tentera Israel terhadap kemudahan nuklear Iraq pada tahun 1981 yang dikenali sebagai “Osirak Option”.
"Dalam serangan tersebut pesawat pejuang Israel telah menggunakan ruang udara negara-negara jiran Iraq bagi melancarkan serangan tersebut dan ini tidak seharusnya dibenarkan berulang", ujarnya.
Kata beliau lagi semua pihak perlu membantah keras tindakan ketenteran yang mungkin digunakan oleh tentera Amerika Syarikat dan sekutunya dalam krisis nuklear tersebut.
"Berdasarkan akhbar The Sunday Times, terdapat lebih kurang lima orang Jeneral dan Laksamana Tentera Amerika Syarikat yang lebih rela meletakkan jawatan daripada mempersetujui apa yang mereka anggap sebagai suatu serangan yang tidak bertanggungjawab, sekiranya Amerika menyerang Iran.
"Ini sepatutnya menyedarkan kuasa besar tersebut dalam usaha memelihara keamanan dunia sejagat", katanya.

S'pore To Benefit More If KL-S'pore Route Is Open Up Before 2008

PETALING JAYA, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Singapore will benefit more if the lucrative KL-Singapore flight route is opened up ahead of the Asean road map on "open sky" policy timeline of 2008, said Malaysia Airlines managing director Idris Jala.
This is because of the disparity in the flight frequencies of Singapore's Changi Airport as opposed to KLIA in Sepang.
"If you open it earlier, indications are that we feel that Singapore will win because Changi has 4,000 flights on a weekly basis as opposed to KLIA's 2,000," he told reporters after announcing the national carrier's 2006 financial results here Monday.
Idris said there was a magnetic pull in terms of connectivity in Singapore.
"Connectivity is a very important point in a role of hub. If you have a very high magnetic pull in Singapore, that is a kind of difficult (for us). Hence, it was very important (for us) to develop the hub-and-spoke model this year quickly," Idris said.
Malaysia Airlines, he said, was working hand in hand with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd.
"You can see airlines coming into KLIA which will give greater connectivity and enhance its magnetic pull. So, it is our interest to stick to the timeline," he said these when asked on the impact of opening the KL-Singapore route earlier.
-- BERNAMA

tunku : well said idris, nation interest comes first, not like airasia who wants this open sky thing to be done asap. as for me there should not be any open sky with singapore. i'm not anti singaporeans but anti the lee kuan yew regime.hope those who are close to tony such as kayjay(acting pm) understand this.

First Time In History For Malaysia

Both the PM and DPM out of country at the same time. What are they thinking? What if both of them died abroad, it will be chaotic back home, who will be the next leader, who will take over the leadership? What if there's a coupe? Why the advisors allowed them to leave country at the same time? What a shortsighted and hp6 leaders we have nowadays.Normally when the PM leaves the country there's is acting pm and that has always been the deputy, now that both are not here, who is the acting pm......kayjay?

One big tree is the equivalent to 10 air conditioners

Nation
Monday February 26, 2007
Highland warming
PETALING JAYA: Temperatures in Malaysia’s highland areas including the three major hill resorts – Cameron Highlands, Genting Highlands and Fraser’s Hill – are rising and over-development has been blamed for this.
Global Environment Centre (GEC) director Faizal Parish said the maximum temperature in the highlands had climbed between 2°C and 3°C in the last 25 years due to the clearing of forests and over-development.
A check with the Meteorological Services Department confirmed this.
(GEC is a non-profit organisation which was established in 1998 to work on environmental issues of global importance, undertaking strategic projects particularly in developing countries.)
In 1984, the annual maximum temperature in Cameron Highlands was 24.6°C and over the years, it has gradually increased, hitting 27.9°C in 1998.
In 2005, it registered 26.7°C and last year 25.9°C.
Even the annual minimum temperature has gone up – in 1984, it was 12°C, 1989 (10°C), 1995 (13.2°C) and last year 12.9°C.
Faizal said: “If you clear trees, it results in what we call a microclimate change, which means a change of the climate within that area.
“While 1°C or 2°C does not sound like much, these small changes can cause major changes in the rainfall and weather patterns, which in turn, can affect crops.
“So far, the ones which have been more badly affected are Genting and Cameron Highlands.”
In Cameron Highlands, residents and visitors are saying that it is no longer as cold as before.
Now, lowland birds are being seen there while highlands species are “moving out” – an indication of a warmer climate.
Genting Highlands is not faring any better. Residents there remember having to start up a coal stove in their rooms before leaving for work in the morning to keep the room warm when they get home. There is no need to do that now.
In Fraser's Hill, back in the 1970s, one only needed to immerse a bottle of soft drink in the water at the waterfall to chill it.
Faizal explained that trees cooled the air around them, adding: “One big tree is the equivalent to 10 air conditioners”.
He said the climbing temperature in the highlands could also cause chaos to the ecosystem.
“As the lowland species of insects, plants and birds start to move to the highlands, it can lead to the extinction of certain highland species as they have nowhere to go,” he said.

tunku : this is the price we have to pay for development, but hopes that the government with really look into environmental issues, this is very important for us and the generations.So please try to plant as many trees as you can in order to counter this global warming issue. Anywhere you think is appropriate to plant big tree please do so.

Please belief in us, begged Kayjay

Yesterday kayjay's article were published in UM telling the country that this year during his CNY visits people told him that they are much happier and business is good compare to last CNY. I would like to ask Kayjay which house he went to, cronies , friends or the "rakyat" open house ? Which house you went to, Robert Kuok house, Vincent Tan's house and the MCA/Gerakan open house?
Figures doesnt helps the "rakyat". I think that you must be living in separate world, and im sure that you're living very comfortably and to you the economy is at its best but not for us the common people.I understand why you wrote the article but we aint stupid mr kayjay.

No Such Thing As A Moderate Muslim - Dr M

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today asked Muslims to do away with false assumptions when declaring themselves as moderate followers of Islam because the religion is indeed moderate.
The former prime minister said Muslims did not need to defend themselves as moderate or liberal Muslims as this gave a picture that were only partial followers of Islamic teachings while others (teachings) were deemed extreme.
"Islam is already a moderate religion...there is no need for us to show that were are more liberal Muslims than others. We are Muslims...period," he said when opening the 45th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Muslim Welfare Organisation of Malaysia (Perkim) here.
Dr Mahathir, who is also Perkim president, said that even if some Muslims were labelled extremists, it was not because of the teachings of Islam but a lack of understanding of them or the religion being manipulated by irresponsible followers.
"There is nothing extreme about Islam if we follow its teachings as contained in the Quran," he said.
Dr Mahathir said the ummah (faithful) and Islamic nations must intensify efforts to dispel the notion held by many of Islam as being extreme, its followers ignorant, poor, do not know how to administer a country and are fond of asking for help from others.
He said that if the negative perception of Islam continued, it would adversely affect efforts to spread the religion as "no one would be interested to join a religion whose followers are seen as losers".
"People will only be attracted when there is a successful track record...as such only when Muslims become successful in all spheres or better than others in them can we successfully carry out effective missionary activities," he said.
According to Dr Mahathir, efforts must also be intensified to give a clear an correct picture that the religion was not an obstacle to progress.
"We must encourage followers who want to be successful and competitive. We should show that Islam does not stand in the way of followers who want to attain great achievements," he said.
Dr Mahathir said that there were also certain quarters in the country who claimed that Malays had converted to Islam during the time of Prophet Mohamad, some 1400 years ago when in fact they only did so about 600 to 700 years back.
"There are also many who recently converted (to Islam) but their faith is no less strong than longtime Muslims. In fact, new converts oftentimes show better faith than born Muslims," he said.
Touching on Palestine, Dr Mahathir said the conflict between the Jews and Muslims there was not because of religion but lands confiscated by the former.
"That is the main reason, not because Muslims and Jews cannot live together. History has proven that...this conflict is because Muslims lost their homes and lands," added Dr Mahathir.

tunku: again and again Tun is telling us but most of us seems to ignore it.

Masyarakat Cina sejahtera di bawah kerajaan PAS

KOTA BHARU, 23 Feb (Hrkh) - Masyarakat Cina di negeri ini dapat hidup dengan aman sejahtera di bawah pemerintahan PAS sejak lebih 16 tahun lalu, kata Menteri Besar, Tuan Guru Dato’ Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
Beliau berkata, masyarakat terbabit biar pun merupakan golongan minoriti di negeri ini, namun mereka tetap diberi kebebasan mengamalkan kebudayaan datuk nenek sejak berzaman.
Dato' Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah, Dato' Anuar Tan Abdullah dan Takiyuddin Hassan hadir pada majlis makan malam penyayang sempena Tahun Baru Cina di Kota Bharu baru-baru ini.“Budaya dan kesenian masyarakat Cina tetap kekal dan berkembang di negeri ini. Dasar kerajaan negeri adalah jelas dan tidak menghalang adat tradisi tersebut,” katanya di sini.
Malah menurutnya, kerajaan negeri setiap tahun turut menganjurkan Pesta Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Cina yang diadakan sejak 1998 dan mendapat sambutan baik daripada masyarakat Cina.
Sedangkan kata beliau, perkara seumpama itu jarang kelihatan di negeri lain.
“Ini menampakkan hak asasi dan kebebasan masyarakat Cina tidak pernah dihalang dan mereka dapat hidup aman sejahtera di bawah kerajaan PAS,” ujarnya.
Keadaan itu kata beliau menggambarkan kemuafakatan masyarakat pelbagai kaum di Kelantan tetap dipertahankan.
Malah Menteri Besar turut melahirkan rasa kagum terhadap kegigihan masyarakat terbabit menjaga maruah dan jati diri bangsa mereka terutamanya dalam bidang perniagaan.
Katanya juga, terdapat beberapa persamaan di antara amalan masyarakat Cina dan Islam dalam kehidupan seharian antaranya, perayaan kuih bulan oleh masyarakt Cina sejak zaman Dinasti Ming hingga sekarang.
Objek buatan manusia yang dapat dilihat dari bulan iaitu Tembok Besar China, orang Cina menyambut Chap Goh Meng pada 15 hari bulan ketika bulan mengambang.
“Mengikut catatan sejarah nama negeri Kelantan berasal daripada perkataan Cina iaitu Kilantan (bererti negeri bercahaya) dan Holantan (kolam tanah). Selain itu pakaian jubah menjadi tradisi masyarakat Cina.
“Pembinaan masjid zaman dahulu di Melaka banyak dipengaruhi seni bina Islam dari China . Sejarah Cina sejak 5,000 tahun lampau tidak pernah berlaku peperangan dengan orang Islam,” tambahnya.
Oleh itu beliau berharap masyarakat Cina mengkaji mengenai Islam secara serius dan kemungkinan pada suatu masa nanti orang Cina Muslim layak menjadi pemimpin kepada masyarakat Melayu.
Menteri Besar turut merakam ucapan Gong Xi Fa Cai kepada masyarakat Cina di negara ini. Sementara itu, sambutan Tahun Baru Cina di Kelantan tetap meriah lebih-lebih lagi dengan kepulangan ramai anak perantau sempena cuti perayaan itu.
Biar pun sebahagian besar kedai perniagaan milik peniaga Cina ditutup pada 18 dan 19 Febuari, namun orang ramai tetap berkunjung ke pusat bandar membeli belah di Pasar Besar Siti Khatijah, Bazar Buluh Kubu dan Arked MPKB BRI.
Malah bagi meraikan sambutan Tahun Baru, Majlis Tindakan Dun Kota Lama dan PAS Kawasan Kota Bharu mengadakan majlis makan malam penyayang bertempat di Dewan Perniagaan dan Perindustrian Cina baru-baru ini.
Turut meraikan masyarakat Cina pada majlis itu, Speaker Dun Kelantan, Dato’ Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah, anggota-anggota Exco, Dato’ Anuar Tan Abdullah, Takiyuddin Hassan dan Adun Tanjong Mas, Rohani Ibrahim.
Warga emas di kalangan masyarakat Cina yang hadir turut diberi ang pau.
Selain itu kerajaan negeri juga menganjurkan pelbagai program bagi merapatkan hubungan dengan masyarakat Cina yang bermula sejak 14 Febuari lalu diadakan di Dewan Pasir Parit, Chetok.
Sambutan Tahun Baru juga diadakan di Kampung Sakar, Pasir Mas pada 16 Febuari.
Manakala pada 23 Febuari pula diadakan sambutan Tahun Baru dan dialog bersama kerajaan negeri di Kampung Tukul, Kadok.
Pada 25 Febuari pula diadakan di Padang Kemahkotaan, Kelaboran Tumpat.

tunku : pas, keep spinning but too much of spinning makes people feel like vomitting when think about pas.do you people really think that the chinese support you, NEVER. It's just because you are the government in kelantan the give you face. I have never came across chinese saying pas is a good party and the government in kelantan is superb.you are so desperate for non malays vote till you say that kelantan is a chinese word.why there are very few chinese in kelantan if you are really a good government? So there's nothing much in other states except for kelantan organising CNY???? keep spinning....

Pelajar kolej melecur telefon bimbit meletup

ALOR STAR 21 Feb. – Seorang pelajar Kolej Poly-Tech Mara melecur teruk di tapak dan jari tangan kanan apabila telefon bimbit yang sedang dicas tiba-tiba meletup dan terbakar di rumahnya di Jabi dekat sini awal pagi ini.
Mangsa, Nur Hazwani Johari, 21, memberitahu, kejadian berlaku pada pukul 5.30 pagi ketika dia sedang nyenyak tidur apabila telefon bimbit milik anak saudaranya yang diletakkan di bawah bantal tiba-tiba meletup.
Menurut mangsa, ketika letupan berlaku tangan mangsa berada di bawah bantal sambil memegang telefon bimbit jenama Nokia 6010.
“Memang menjadi kelaziman saya ketika tidur meletakkan tangan di bawah bantal.
‘‘Tiba-tiba saya tersentak daripada tidur apabila terdengar letupan kuat seolah-olah bunyi mercun, kemudian saya berasa tapak tangan saya di bawah bantal amat sakit.
“Selepas itu barulah saya sedar telefon bimbit yang diletakkan di bawah bantal itu meletup,” katanya ketika ditemui Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.
Menurut Nur Hazwani, telefon bimbit itu kemudiannya mengeluarkan api dan menyambar tilamnya menyebabkan dia terpaksa bertindak memadamnya.
Berikutan itu, gadis itu panik dan segera bergegas keluar meminta bantuan abangnya, Mohd. Fahrul Azri Johari, 22, yang kemudiannya membawa mangsa ke Hospital Alor Star (HAS) di sini.
Bagaimanapun keadaannya dilaporkan stabil dan dibenarkan keluar hospital tengah hari ini.
Menurut mangsa, telefon bimbit tersebut dibeli oleh anak saudaranya, Nur Sarah Musadira Mustakin, 15, kira-kira enam bulan lalu di sebuah kedai di bandar raya ini.
Katanya, telefon tersebut dicas semula sejak pukul 11 malam tadi selepas ia dipadamkan.
“Oleh kerana saya pulang bercuti selama seminggu sempena Tahun Baru Cina, Nur Sarah tidur sebilik dengan saya dan meletakkan telefonnya yang sedang dicas semula di bawah bantal saya.
“Saya amat terkejut dan tidak menyangka ia boleh meletup dan mencederakan tangan saya,” katanya yang kini sedang menuntut di semester dua di Kolej Poly-Tech Mara, Kuala Lumpur.
Tambahnya, telefon bimbit tersebut mungkin meletup akibat dicas terlalu lama.
Utusan Malaysia

tunku : My sincere advice to all, please do not use cheap battery as the are very hazardous. Same goes with electrical item, buy a bit expensive but safe to use.The girl above used cheap battery (imitation), it cant be charged for too long because it becomes very hot and exploded.Life is more important and valuable than money.

KLCI soars to a 13-year high

KUALA LUMPUR: It's a bullish start to the Year of the Boar on Bursa Malaysia.
The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) soared to a 13-year high Wednesday as investors returned in force after the festive holiday to lift the benchmark 16.13 points to 1,278.22.
The broad-based rally also pushed the combined value of all stocks on the bourse to above RM1 trillion.
Two months ago, the combined value of all stocks was around RM870bil.
The buoyant stock market has been a key ingredient in the build-up of the “feel good” economic data in recent weeks, such as record manufacturing approvals of RM46bil last year and total trade exceeding RM1 trillion last year.
The bullish market has lifted shares of brokerage firms as investors believe that these companies will benefit the most from the sharp increase in trading activity.
“The buoyant mood in the market is driving up prices,” a dealer at a local brokerage said, adding that retail participation in the market was growing, as reflected by the sharp increase in trading volume in recent weeks.
Total turnover hit 4.7 billion shares Wednesday, a new high.
The previous record volume was 3.54 billion shares last Thursday.
Penny stocks and low-priced warrants saw brisk trading – an indication of retail participation – with the top 10 most active counters clocking a combined volume of more than one billion shares.
The buying frenzy saw rising stocks overwhelming decliners by 975 to 131 with 101 counters unchanged.
Bursa Malaysia Bhd shares gained 50 sen to a new high of RM12.10. The exchange operator derives the bulk of its income from clearing fees on share trading activities.
Analysts expect that the rising corporate earnings and improved outlook on the economy will help support stocks valuations on the local bourse.
They said the KLCI was now within striking distance of its all-time closing high of 1,314 points set on Jan 5, 1994.
The KLCI's best historical level was 1,332 points hit on the same day.
Also Wednesday, Malayan Banking Bhd – the nation's biggest bank – posted a 24% increase in net profit in the second quarter ending Dec 31.
Top companies like Malaysia Airlines System Bhd and Telekom Malaysia Bhd are expected to release their results by the end of this month.

tunku : it's great to hear everyday now that our economy is at its best, stock market 13year high, import/export touch RM1 trillion, oh my God what a good news to us the Malaysian.But i wonder when everything is at its best why did the commercial vehicles sales dropped from 12,368 units (jan 06) to 3060 units(jan 07) last month , its bad news.The real estate sales has dropped too. If the economy is at its best than there will be more sales for transportation vehicles and poperties.Retails sector too are doing bad.And proton.......sales keep dropping day by day, still that azlan having good sleep.Spinning, keep spinning.

Prime Minister's interview on Al-Jazeera

(Bernama) -- Below is the full transcript of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's interview with Al-Jazeera Friday which was aired Saturday evening. The interview was conducted by Teymoor Nibili and aired by the cable news operator on the '101 East I talk' show.

Teymoor: A year ago at the height of the Danish cartoon crisis you said a huge chasm has opened between the West and Islam, and you said that Westerners see Muslims as congenital terrorists. Has much has changed since then?
PM: I do think if there is any change, it is not noticeable. We do not feel there is a change but the unfortunate part is that they continue to remain with their belief.
tunku : how to change the OIC chairman is not doing his part.

Teymoor: Why do you think that is?
PM: Because perhaps the tension in the Middle East still continues and so too in other places, which involves some acts of terror by Muslim fighters, if I can use the word, or Muslim terrorists. So that feeling continues.
tunku : if only you dare to talk to bush and co. about thsi issue and condemn them

Teymoor: You have been active in trying to propound a theory of Islam as a moderate religion and that in fact included a meeting with President (George W. Bush) where you reportedly tried to explain to him the common routes of Judaism and Christianity and Islam. How was his response? Did he?
PM: His response was very good. On the occasions where I met him, he had been very frank and very friendly and ready to discuss on anything. I raised some issues, he himself brought up some issues that he wanted to discuss with me.
tunku: that's why bush listen to all your suggestion, or you suggest wrong things to him.

Teymoor: Such as?
PM: Well on the issue of the Middle East, that is something he is very concerned about, and on issues in other places, he wanted to know my views and how I feel about them.
tunku: that's why there's peace in middle east right now.

Teymoor: And yet we still, as you say, a year on, live in a world where the term Islam or Fascism has become common currency.
PM: Well there is one thing. I hate to mention this but I think it is good if I was to mention it. I told him about the Middle East, about Palestine and about Iraq. I've been trying to get them to form a government of national unity because I believe that if the people can speak with one voice that is truly representing their people, one government that represents the people, then it is easier to deal with that government.
tunku : easier said than done

Teymoor: But we have now a National Unity Government, do you think that's going to work?
PM: Yes, in Palestine I hope they will work. I hope it will work that is all I can say. It's not easy. They tried three times. Abu Mazen tried three times. I know this for a fact because whenever I met him, we spoke about this. I told him to continue to persevere to get the people united. All this requires a lot of patience.
tunku: your hope can't do much, there must be effort from you as chairman of OIC.

Teymoor: What it really requires is Israel to actually recognize the Government and deal with it as an equal, is that going to happen?
PM: Israel must also recognize that there is now a government that represents the Palestinian people. That is very important and I need also to mention to President Bush that when such a government is formed, he should not right away start condemning it in the way that he did when Hamas came to power. At least Hamas should be given a chance. Let us see first how they manage because a group that has been engaged in activities branded as terrorism would normally change when they're given the power to govern.
tunku : it's that so, i thought you have mentioned it already to your pal, bush.When are you going to mention it? After golf ?

Teymoor: What role should the US now play in the Palestinian situation?
PM: The role, I think, is what they should do with the current government. With this government, they should first of all give it a chance. They know all the problems. They're not stupid. They know all the problems they are facing. They know the history of their country. They know what they are facing. So it is important that the government be given a chance to sort things out. But if they want to engage, they should speak to the government. Of course this will be good. I always believe in engagement and not containment.
tunku : so you belive in engagements but you dont dare to engage with your former boss.

Teymoor: Going back to your conversation with President Bush presumably the question of Iraq came up. What is your feeling about the position in Iraq right now?
PM: I have always felt at the time that the US should leave and then let the Iraqis sort out their problems because in some way I believe the presence of US forces do give some reason to perhaps certain groups to continue to resort to the acts of terror in the way they have done. But of course President Bush did mention that. There is a very sizable portion of the people who would like to see the US continue fearing that its departure from the scene would trigger a civil war.
tunku : you should tell bush since you're close to him that, you moron you should not attack iraq in the first place.How you know that there is a very sizable portion of the people who would like to see the US continue fearing, is there any survey done(throughly) or you just heard it from bush??

Teymoor: I was speaking recently to the Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and he said that he thinks it would be wrong for the US troops to leave because it would leave a power vacuum there.
PM: That's his opinion but my belief is somewhat different. But we have to consider the Iraqis. There is also this other thing that must take place at the same time to make every effort to reduce the sectarian conflict.
tunku: than voice out your belief, don't say it at interviews only, tell bush, tell the whole world.

Teymoor: One of the problems that the US claims that it's facing is interference from Iran. Do you see that?
PM: Well that has always been the perception. There has always been the perception that Iran is interfering. But we have to engage Iraq with Iran. We cannot ignore Iran. We just cannot ignore Iran. It is a big factor in the Middle East policy.
tunku : you're right in this and please let bush know too.

Teymoor: It's a very clear policy of the US that it will ignore Iran. It refuses to hold a dialogue with Iran unless it's on the US terms. You're saying that's a mistake.
PM: You cannot engage with any group by saying that these are my terms first, now we talk. You can't do that. If you want to have a dialogue, talk about the terms, discuss the terms, engage them to talk about the terms. But this is not done. I have always had my belief even when I was the Foreign Minister that engagement is better than containment.
tunku : again you talk about engagement, hope you practice what you say.

Teymoor: Iran's nuclear programme is something that you have spoken of before and you suggested that you are in support of the idea that they should be allowed nuclear fuel, do you think that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon or do you believe their statement that they only want power?
PM: Of all the various discussions that we had with Iran, it agreed that there can be inspections by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) at anytime. These people from the Atomic Energy Agency can have their office close by and always watch how the programme is going and what the Iranians are doing. They're willing to do that. It means they are prepared to be open.
tunku: my answer would be, if us,israel,uk,france,china,pakistan,india,nort korea etc can have why not Iran???? everyone should stop at the same time not only Iran.why us dont dare to attack north korea??? because they knows that n.korea has the capability to attack them back, they attacked Iraq because they knew there was nothing there.

Teymoor: Can we speak for a moment about President Ahmadinejad because his position in world perception is not a very good one. He is seen as a monster. Was it your sense when you met him that he is intent upon launching a military attack on Israel?
PM: You see President Ahmadinejad is a man who has been pushed, pressed against the wall. When a person is put in that position, he will react in ways that will make people think, and they will say don't mess up this chap he is capable of anything. Don't do that. So it's going to be very difficult. It is a reaction of a person who feels that there's so much against him and he's reacting that way.
tunku : u r right again on this and hope that you have guts like him

Teymoor: Many Americans, many Westerners feel that it's the Iranian state's position that Israel must be physically destroyed by military means. Do you believe that?
PM: I don't think that they would go to that extent. It would be disastrous.
tunku:they dont dare too as Iran can destroy Israel into pieces if they want.

Teymoor: It's also the belief of many in the West that President Bush is creating a situation with Iran that is identical to the situation with Iraq. Do you think there will be an attack on Iran?
PM: I wouldn't believe that after having experienced the situation in Iraq. It is not a good experience in Iraq. He also had to face the increasing opposition by Americans towards his policy. I don't think the President would then go for Iran in the way he has done in Iraq
tunku: they know that Iran is not weak like Iraq when the attacked Iraq, they'll be folls if they attack Iran.

Teymoor: Perhaps not in the same way but the possibility of limited military action?
PM: That is something that could happen but I think it would be better if no military action is taken against Iran.
tunku : i belief they will imposed economy sanction by us and un, thats the weapon they always used.

Teymoor: Your predecessor, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has proposed that President Bush is a war criminal and should be tried as such. Do you think that's too extreme?
PM: That's his views.
tunku: common OIC chairman and bapak hadhari, you're so scared of bush, at least Tun Dr Mahathir never been scared of anyone else except of God.

Teymoor: You don't agree with the opinion?
PM: That's his views.
tunku : that's is his views, that's the best you can answer.how to agree, to pak lah if agree with TDM will make him look like a fool.

Teymoor: Some people say that the reason for that is the somewhat unusual economic policies that Malaysia has in place which favour the indigenous population over some of the minorities. The New Economic Policy as it's known has been in place for a number of years. Do you see this being a permanent part of Malaysian economic policy?
PM: I don't think it will be permanent. I don't think it will be forever. It is important to continue to address the ethnic imbalance. This is absolutely important. The ambition, the vision of the New Economic Policy was, or is even now and we can say that, is not easily achieved. To restructure society we need to eradicate poverty. We are closing the economic wealth disparity between the indigenous people and the non-indigenous to bring about a situation where the indigenous people, who previously had only two per cent of the economic cake, would have a share of 30 per cent. At the same time, we are also creating a situation where the indigenous people can be actively involved in business and industry. That is not easily done.
tunku : can you do all these while golfing and fishing?

Teymoor: How long do you think that will take?
PM: We are targeting that by the year before 2020, we should be able to achieve this.
tunku : if you not asleep

Teymoor: To eliminate that policy entirely?
PM: Once we achieve it, there is no more reason why we should have that policy around anymore.
tunku : it wont achieve under you

Teymoor: You have in the past called that policy a crutch and you've said continuing reliance on crutches will enfeeble and maybe we'll eventually end up in wheel chairs, so that you do realize that it is in a way counter-productive.
PM: Yes, yes. That's why I say we cannot go on with this forever. It is intended to be a policy to help, to assist them to obtain certain objectives. When the objectives are met, there is no reason for the continuation of the policy because the policy is anchored to that objective. The faster we get to that objective, the faster we'll be able to throw away the crutches.
tunku: the person who called that policy a crutch was Tun Dr Mahathir, not pak lah, and the best part pak lah admitted that it was him.typical pak lah,"ini idea saya"

Teymoor: The foreign media seem to think that maybe one of the problems about foreign investments in Malaysia is the fact that the major political figures in the country, yourself, your predecessor and Dr Anwar Ibrahim are locked in a battle of suspicion and mutual, let's say, misunderstanding to choose a calm word. How would you characterize that relationship and do you think it's a problem?
PM: Whether it will be a problem or not depends on how you manage the situation. I have decided not to respond to whatever accusations that are being made against me because I'm concentrating on my job. I have a lot of work to do. I don't want to be engaged in this kind of verbal war and that kind of things. I have a job to do and I'm doing it. I'm proving to the Malaysians and the Malaysians have noticed it. In Malaysia today, the economy is performing better.
tunku : how you want to respond as you don't how to respond till you get your advisors to advice you, so you can't do it live. If you are on the right path why you want to be silence, speak out, let the whole world if not malaysian know about it. Why are you so afraid to let TDM talks to the public true press/tv, there's black out any critics against you.You have said you are open to critics but they are not allowed to be published, WALK THE TALK la pak lah oii.

Perlis Mufti: Muslims not united because of prejudices

JAKARTA: There are factions among Muslims because they suffer from “narrow-minded crisis,” said Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin yesterday.
As a result they also have the tendency to label as “unIslamic “ those who do not share their views.
“They refuse to accept the views of others and also do not give them a chance to ask,” he said on the sidelines of an international seminar on Islamic thinking here.
Earlier, he presented a paper on the Role of Al-Sunnah in Assessing and Managing Religious Thinking at the seminar, organised by the Perlis Government, the Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia and the Jemaah Muhammadiah Indonesia.
More than 100 ulama and Muslim intellectuals from Malaysia and Indonesia attended the three-day International Islamic Thinking Reformation Seminar, which ended yesterday.
Dr Mohd Asri said narrow-minded Muslims only contributed to the backwardness of Muslims.
He added that such Muslims who resorted to violence to solve problems had led to Islam being labelled violent and militant.
He said Islam needed a new image to bring back its glory days.
Dr Mohd Asri alleged that some ulama had not freed themselves from outdated views and understanding.
Citing tithe collection as an example, he said Muslims were too bogged down with fundamentals leading to constraints in the use of the funds. – Bernama

tunku: i agreed with what Dr Mohd Asri said on this issue 100%.We always tend to label others of being unIslamic enough.Some of the "lebais" always see us like we are dirts and they are very clean.That's why Tun Dr Mahathir had always said follow the fundamental of Islam, back to basic, follow the true teaching of Quran. In Quran there's no sunni,syiah,etc and everyone is equally love by Allah, there's no difference in us, be it malay,indian,chinese etc.Dont easily label others unIslamic.

Syarat damai Abdullah-DrM: Mahkamah tolak saman

Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur, yang akan bersidang pada 24 April depan dijangka akan menerima permohonan Dr Mahathir untuk menolak saman Anwar Ibrahim terhadapnya, kerana ia sebahagian syarat ‘perjanjian damai’ bekas Perdana Menteri itu dengan Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Menurut sumber tertinggi Keadilan, keputusan itu sebahagian daripada empat syarat damai yang dipersetujui oleh kedua-dua pemimpin terbabit bagi menyelesaikan perbalahan antara mereka.
Usaha perdamaian itu, jelasnya bukan berlandaskan kepentingan rakyat, tetapi berpaksikan kepada kepentingan keluarga kedua-dua belah pihak.
Tiga syarat lain, jelasnya, ialah yang berkaitan dengan kepentingan perniagaan dan hutang-piutang anak-anak Dr Mahathir, iaitu Mokhzani dan Mirzan dan isu pengambilalihan syarikat gergasi termasuk Proton.
Jelasnya, terbukti syarikat utama milik Mokhzani, Kencana Petroleum Bhd. yang dibekukan sejak tiga tahun lepas telah disenaraikan ke Papan Utama Bursa Malaysia pada bulan Disember 2006.
“Salah satu syarat perdamaian tersebut nampaknya telah dipenuhi oleh Abdullah,” jelasnya kepada Malaysia Today.
Mokhzani baru-baru ini telah tersenarai antara 40 individu terkaya di Malaysia oleh Malaysian Business selepas Kencana Petroleum Bhd. disenaraikan ke Papan Utama Bursa Malaysia .
Selain itu, katanya usaha juga sedang dilakukan ke atas hutang Mirzan kepada Maybank yang akan dipindahkan sebagai hutang tidak berbayar (lapuk) atau Non-Performing Loan (NPL) bagi mengelakkan tindakan mahkamah.
Beliau bagaimanapun tidak mendedahkan jumlah sebenar hutang Mirzan kepada Maybank.
Syarat keempat, katanya ialah tentang pengambilalihan Proton yang kononnya akan diambilalih oleh syarikat antarabangsa luar negara.
“Tetapi kepentingan perniagaan kedua-dua pemimpin, keluarga Dr Mahathir dan Abdullah dalam Proton akan terus dipertahankan melalui NAZA Motor yang dijangka mengambilalih Proton,” ujarnya.
“Kritikan Dr Mahathir terhadap Abdullah sekarang hanyalah sandiwara untuk mengaburi mata rakyat,” katanya.
Sehubungan itu, katanya rakyat jangan tertipu dengan sandiwara kedua-dua pemimpin Umno terbabit.
Malaysia Today

tunku: why this keldaian, oopss keadilan always come out with this sort of nonsense.Do you think Tun Dr Mahathir will do this kind of dealing, if this keadilan chap really know who is Tun Dr Mahathir then he wont make this kind of remarks.Please for once if you really want to be opposition party in the interest of "rakyat"then be a good one, not like what you are having now.The leadership of keadilan is full of lies,from head to tail.It's a party for desperado.TDM is not afraid of the anwar's suit.Let me remind you that Tun Dr Mahathir will not sacrifice the interest of his country, may it be for family, not like the current regime.

Khairy: No need to rush into polls

REMBAU: Umno Youth feels that the Government needs to be given enough time to fulfil its last election pledges and to put the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) on track before fresh polls are held.
“If the election is called too early without the benefits of the projects reaching the people, voters might have doubts (about the Barisan’s pledges),” said deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
Many factors had to be considered for an election and not just the economy, he said, responding to remarks by Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) executive director Prof Emeritus Dr Mohamed Ariff Abdul Kareem.
A Malay daily had quoted Dr Mohamed Ariff as saying that it was now the best time to call for a general election, as the nation’s economy was on a sound footing.
He said the government should take this opportunity to hold the elections and carry the mandate to fully focus on managing the economy, which is expected to boom next year.
Khairy said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had explained that while the 9MP projects had started, the full impact had yet to filter to the grassroots level.
“I feel it is important that the pledges made by the Barisan become a reality,” he told reporters here yesterday.
He added, however, the movement was prepared to face an election at any time.
Khairy, who is also Rembau Umno Youth chief, had earlier flagged off an Umno Youth expedition to Taman Negara involving 90 members in 23 off-road vehicles.
On another matter related to the election, he said efforts to improve unity in the party would always be given priority.
He was commenting on a recent reminder by Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for Umno leaders to cast aside their differences and ensure the party is on a stronger footing to face the election. – Bernama

tunku: why mr kayjay, your rice bowl still small or is it because the old man has put sand into it,you need time to make it bigger and bigger i guess.every word of yours are from umno youth,wonder why? oopps now i know because you are the son in law others are son out law.no matter when the government will do he elecion it wont give you and your father in law a bigger majority than before, that is for sure.

Snatch Theft

Last night i saw snatch theft right in front of my eyes for the first time in my life. There was a Chinese lady waiting for someone in front of a supermarket. I was about 50 metres away from the crime scene.As i was walking towards the supermarket i heard someone screaming, a teenager chinese guy was trying to rob this lady,she was screaming and fighting back with the snatcher.I shouted all my heart out at the snatcher and start chasing after him, as he saw me chasing he ran without taking anything from the victim.But i could not get hold of him which i regrets till this moment and may be forever, another guy was waiting with a bike about 15metres away and they fled.I dont know who will be their next victim??
To my surprise there were about 10-15 people watching this incident without helping and doing anything at all except for watching. What has happened to our society, are these people from the "pondan" group ?I think pondan are better than them.These ignorant morons is a shame to our society. I am not saying that i am the hero of the day but the snatcher failed in his assignment just because of me, if all malaysian can do this we will help reduce these crimes.Please help each other, one day may be you will become a victim and just imagine no one is there to help you.

Forced sponsorship-NST School Sponsorship Programme

New Straits Times
Schools in the federal administrative capital will be using the New Straits Times as part of their learning tool, thanks to Alliance Teamwork Marketing Sdn Bhd.
The company is sponsoring the newspaper to 13 schools under the NST School Sponsorship Programme.
The year-long sponsorship is worth RM42,640.
ATM executive chairman Danny Chua handed over the sponsorship to New Straits Times Press group editor-in-chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun at a ceremony here yesterday.
Also present was Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who is also Member of Parliament for Putrajaya and its Umno division chief.
Tengku Adnan presented bicycles to reward 62 students who performed well in their public examinations last year.

tunku: why nst,why not star.everytime there's english newspaper sponsorship it will be nst, guess the cant sell much and the best way ask private company to sponsor to schools,if they dont sponsor there's no contract,no special treats etc.Of course it's a method of brainwash for the students, grow up and accept everything that are taught to them in nst.

PM: Rakyat M'sia selesa dan bahagia

16-02-2007 12:58:37 PM
PUTRAJAYA: Kajian baru-baru ini menunjukkan rakyat Malaysia mempunyai tahap keselesaan dan kebahagian keluarga yang tinggi, kata Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hari ini.
Perdana Menteri berkata kajian itu menunjukkan indeks keselesaan dan kebahagian keluarga yang dicapai adalah 8.2 daripada skala tertinggi 10.
Beliau berkata kajian itu menunjukkan indeks budi bahasa rakyat pula adalah 7.2 daripada skala tertinggi 10.
"Indeks lebih daripada tujuh adalah satu pencapaian yang baik. Kita mestilah meningkatkan usaha untuk meningkatkan tahap itu dari semasa ke semasa," katanya pada perhimpunan bulanan Kementerian Dalam Negeri di sini.
Abdullah, yang juga Menteri Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, bagaimanapun, tidak menyebut pihak yang menjalankan kajian itu.
Abdullah meminta kakitangan awam supaya bekerja dengan niat yang suci iaitu untuk memberi khidmat bagi membahagiakan rakyat, bukan untuk memperkayakan diri sendiri.
Beliau berkata rakyat kini lebih yakin dengan pembangunan ekonomi negara setelah Malaysia menikmati peningkatan dalam pelaburan, pasaran modal yang aktif serta kedudukan kewangan yang semakin kukuh.
"Kedudukan ekonomi negara bertambah baik. Pelaburan luar dan dalam lebih RM40 bilion. Pasaran modal aktif dengan prestisi tinggi, jumlah dagangan yang tinggi dan indeks yang tinggi.
"Kedudukan kewangan negara juga semakin kukuh," katanya.
Perdana Menteri berkata ini menjadikan rakyat merasa lebih lega berbanding dengan kebimbangan sebelum ini.
Tahun lepas, Malaysia menarik pelaburan dalam dan luar negara berjumlah RM46 bilion menerusi 1,077 projek yang diluluskan dalam sektor pembuatan berbanding RM31 bilion pada 2005.
Malaysia mencatatkan jumlah dagangan RM1.06 trilion tahun lepas dengan eksport bernilai RM588.95 bilion dan import RM480.49 bilion. Jumlah dagangan itu meningkat 10.5 peratus berbanding tahun sebelumnya.
Indeks Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur pula ditutup pada 1258.63 mata semalam.
"Prestasi ekonomi itu memberi satu harapan baru kepada rakyat terhadap (kemampuan) ekonomi negara," kata Perdana Menteri.
Beliau berkata bahawa dalam masa rakyat mahukan kemajuan dan menikmati kemajuan, mereka juga mahukan keamanan dan keselamatan.
Abdullah berkata rakyat berasa selesa apabila negara aman dan selamat dalam keadaan ekonominya yang meningkat.
Kementerian Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, katanya, mempunyai peranan yang besar dalam memenuhi harapan rakyat.
Beliau mengulangi harapannya agar sistem penyampaian awam diperbaiki bagi memberikan perkhidmatan yang berkualiti kepada rakyat. BERNAMA


tunku : from which society this survey was done???? i asked around today to about 20 people i met if they are happy with current economy and lifestyle, 16 out of 20 complaint they dont have enough money, goods prices keep increasing, business is poor,no payment etc. so i guess this index was carried out at sri perdana, of course everyone there must be happy and living good life except of that 1.8 from the 10.pak lah is very happy (may be with the new TOY).

It's Time For Us To Have Alternative Media, Says PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- The time has come for the world to have alternative media which will become a channel for those whose voices have been ignored by other international media, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.
The prime minister said this would ensure that global issues were reported in a more accurate and objective way compared to the present situation.
"I was a foreign minister for a long time and I remember that on many occasions the leaders of the countries of the South were always talking about getting not enough space, their views were not (heard) ... the media was not interested in what they said.
"... and if Al Jazeera decided that they should play that kind of role, then they are more than welcome," he said in his speech before launching the Al Jazeera English KL Broadcast Centre here, Friday.
Abdullah said international society wanted to know more about what was happening around the world from the alternative point of view.
"We want to know more, we would like to have a fair story, we would like to have an objective assessment of the various situations and issues coming out of the situations," he said.
Abdullah, in welcoming the news network to this country, believed Al Jazeera would be able fill the gap left by other international media.
The prime minister also promised full support and cooperation for the news network while operating in the country.
"We are not imposing on you any kind of imposition, we give you the freedom to operate this centre in the way you would want to, in the way we believe would be fair," he said.
Al Jazeera Network director-general Wadah Khanfar, in his welcoming speech, said Kuala Lumpur was chosen as one of its four broadcast centres based on the unique criteria of the city.
"We have chosen Kuala Lumpur because we realise Kuala Lumpur is a model, a model of tolerance, a model of diversity. It is also central in the region."
He said the network planned to give the KL Broadcast Centre more hours of broadcasting along with various news bulletins and programmes from the centre beginning next month.
Khanfar also thanked the Malaysian government for the cooperation rendered to Al Jazeera.
Kuala Lumpur was chosen over Hong Kong and Singapore as one of Al Jazeera's four broadcast centres for its 24-hour English language news and current affairs channel.
Apart from Kuala Lumpur, Al Jazeera English, which is based in Doha, Qatar, also operates from Washington DC and London.
Located on the 60th floor of Tower 2 of the Petronas Twin Towers, the broadcast centre is headed by Asian Bureau chief Trish Carter with 125 staff, about half of them journalists.
They include the award-winning news anchor Veronica Pedrosa and former CNBC Asia anchor Teymoor Nabili.
Since it started operation in November last year, the 24-hour English language news and current affairs channel is accessible to over 80 million cable and satellite households across the globe.
As the sister channel to Al Jazeera Arabic, it is the first global English language channel with the headquarters in the Middle East, with the aim of providing the same ground-breaking news and balanced journalism to the English-speaking world.
-- BERNAMA

tunku:hello mr prime minister, you are talking about alternative media for the world, why not you start it at our very own soil,Malaysia. The mainstream media in Malaysia are controlled by you.What you dont like cant come out, our dearest ex prime minister's views and comments are black out from the mainstream media. So by all mean we in Malaysia too need an alternative media which covers all views and comments. Have you got the gut to allow it, by what you have said above you should allow.WALK THE TALK pak lah oiii.

Nik Aziz saran polis baca khutbah pakai seragam, senjata

KOTA BHARU 15 Feb. – Menteri Besar, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yang mengalu-alukan kesediaan pimpinan polis Kelantan untuk membaca khutbah Jumaat menyarankan mereka berdiri di mimbar dengan pakaian seragam dan bersenjata.
Beliau berkata, pada zaman Rasulullah dalam keadaan tertentu, adakalanya baginda memegang senjata ketika membaca khutbah.
Katanya, penggunaan tongkat ketika khatib membaca khutbah hanya merupakan satu tradisi.
Nik Abdul Aziz percaya kesediaan polis menyahut seruan berkhutbah akan membolehkan mereka berperanan lebih berkesan dalam menyedarkan masyarakat supaya bersama-sama membanteras jenayah.
“Pengalaman pihak polis juga boleh disampaikan melalui khutbah bagi menimbulkan kegerunan di kalangan orang yang cuba melakukan jenayah atau terlibat dalam gejala sosial,” kata Nik Aziz ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.
Menurut beliau, khutbah itu dapat digunakan untuk mengingatkan umat Islam tentang bahaya penagihan dadah yang bakal memusnahkan kehidupan dan menghancurkan kebahagiaan keluarga.
‘‘Pegawai-pegawai polis sesuai menyampaikan khutbah dengan pakaian seragam dan lengkap bersenjata,” ujarnya.
Nik Aziz menyatakan demikian ketika diminta mengulas kesediaan polis untuk membaca khutbah iaitu langkah yang akan dirintis pada bulan Mac depan sempena sambutan ke-200 ulang tahun penubuhan pasukan polis.

tunku: hello tok nik aziz, janganlah anda menjadi nyanyuk senyanyuk2nya.Apa guna bawa senjata semasa nak baca khutbah, Islam adalah adama suci dan agama keamanan ,kesejahteraan di dunia dan akhirat. Tok kata nak bagi orang yang dengar menjadi gerun(di kalangan penjenayah), penjenayah macam mana orang nasihat pun dia buat jugak jenayah, lagi pun Islam tidak mengajar kita menggerunkan orang.Rasulullah SAW mungkin membawa pedang ketika zamannya kerana keadaan semasa(perang/keselamatan diri). Kita bukan dalam keadaan berperang yang hendak bawa senjata ketika membaca khutbah.Tok tak habis-habis merapu, boleh kawan dengan syaitanlah, tuhan mencarutlah dan sebagainya.Eloklah tok gunakan akal selagi boleh dan pencenlah.

Petronas well managed

Malaysia is proud of Petronas’ record in its global oil ventures and economic contributions to the nation.
Noting that the national petroleum firm was the only Malaysian entity in the Fortune 500 list, the Prime Minister said many countries acknowledged Petronas’ achievements and had invited it to their region.
“Petronas is well managed,” Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said at the ground-breaking of the massive Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) at Kimanis, about 60km from here.
Stressing that Malaysia’s resources must benefit the people, he said he was pleased that Petronas was planning to team up with skills training institutes, such as polytechnics, to secure a ready workforce.
Petronas president Tan Sri Hassan Marican said the SOGT was the main component in the Sabah oil and gas integrated infrastructure project that also includes the development of oil and gas fields offshore of the state’s west coast.


Tunku: There's no doubt, i am very proud of Petronas achievements but this happens because of the leadership at Petronas not because of you Mr Prime Minister.Try to put Azlan your SIL's pet at Petronas see how Petronas performance after that. Like what he did to Proton, from a RM4 billion cash rich proton to a losing company now, you should worry about that Mr Prime Minister, dont even look at Petronas as they are in better hands, with Tan Sri Hassan Merican the president, petronas are safe and they also listen to the "advisor" not like proton.

Another proof of HP6 government

Former Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said his successor was right in scrapping the raffle draws that he instituted to encourage Malaysians to change their identity card to the MyKad.
He said he agreed with the decision made by Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, who has taken charge of the ministry.
Azmi, who is now Natural Resources and Environment Minister, said when he was transferred to the new ministry he forgot to inform Radzi about the draws.
“I believe the (Home Affairs) ministry officials had also forgotten about the issue,” he said in the 60 Minit Bersama Mentri programme over RTM1 on Wednesday night.
A day earlier, Radzi had lashed out at the idea of dangling a carrot to get people to change to the MyKad, describing the move was “silly and rubbish.”
Among the prizes offered in the Jom Tukar dan Menang deal, started 18 months ago, was a Perodua MyVi, a Suzuki scooter and electrical items.
Azmi, who moved out from Home Affairs in February last year, said he came out with the idea because there were, at that time, more than two million Malaysians who had not changed their identification card.
“By the end of 2005, we managed to reduce the number to 500,000,” he said, adding that the bigger issue at that time concerned the deadline to change to MyKad and the fine that would be imposed after Dec 31, 2005.
“The public then came in droves and packed the National Registration Department offices.”
However, he added, when it was announced that the fine was only RM10, many people then criticised the lucky draw and said they had wasted their time rushing to make the MyKad.
“I told the department to hold on to the lucky draw but in February last year, I was transferred to another ministry,” said Azmi.
He and Radzi had since discussed the issue and agreed that it was an old matter and should be put to rest.
The prizes could be donated to orphanages and welfare homes, he added.
When contacted, Radzi said he had received positive response from the public on his decision.
“I am not trying to be popular. It is okay if I am a victim of public criticism. I feel I did the right thing,” he said, stressing that the public must know their responsibility.
He said he and Azmi would “remain good friends despite the issue.”

Tunku: This two ministers had changed their ministry long ago and till today they forgot to inform each other about what decision has been made or cancelled.Radzi you better go back to your kampung and "visits" your ayam itik like you did when the Kubang Pasu Umno meeting was held few months ago. You are an expired "thing".

Radzi's Mykad Statement too harsh according to Shahidan

Shahidan(Perlis mb) yesterday said that Radzi should not describe the idea of giving gifts for changing new IC as "stupid and rubbish".He said Radzi should not utter such words even if he did not agree with the measure taken by the previous minister that is Azmi Khalid.He should just change what Azmi did without calling it stupid and rubbish.Shahidan also said that the minister who took over Azmi's portfolio,should not opposed all action carried out earlier, Azmi is currently Natural resources and Environment Minister who is also married to Normala Shamsuddin.

Tunku: Hello Mr Shahidan, wish you could tell the same to our HP6 cabinet members and the leader, Pak Lah. What you have said that a new person who came in should not demeanized the former. This government of us today like to demeanized others.I admit that the idea to give myvi to the person who change the IC is stupid as this is every single malaysian responsibility to change it but once you had promised then deliver. Shahidan wake up and others too.

HP6 Govt Withdraws Lucky Draws For MyKad Applicants

Home Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- The government Tuesday announced the withdrawal of all lucky draws including for the grand prize of a Perodua Myvi car for MyKad applicants.
Describing the move to reward the public for applying for MyKads as "a silly thing to do", Home Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said all the prizes including the car would be donated to orphanages.
"Have to reward them to change to MyKad, have to hold lucky draws, only then the public will come. That's rubbish," he told reporters after his ministry's monthly assembly at the Immigration Department headquarters here.
"It is a silly thing to do to offer something to Malaysians for them to come and change their identity cards to MyKads," Radzi said.
He said Malaysians must be responsible and sincere in getting a very important document like the identity card.
Asked whether the government was not afraid to be labelled a liar for calling off the lucky draws, Radzi said: "We do not lie. We just ask the public to forget about it."
On Aug 24, 2005, the then Home Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid announced the lucky draws offering a host of prizes worth RM300,000 and a grand prize of a RM50,000 Perodua Myvi for 16 million MyKad holders and applicants before Nov 30, 2005.
Azmi had said the government proposed to hold the lucky draws to spur two million Malaysians who had yet to have the MyKad to apply and not wait until the deadline of Dec 31, 2005.
Two lucky draws were held at the end of September and October, 2005, offering 80 prizes worth RM100,000 each month. The prizes included Suzuki 150cc scooters worth RM6,500 each, 29-inch televisions, digital cameras, personal computers and mobile phones.
However, the final lucky draw due by the end of November, 2005, offering 80 prizes worth RM100,000 and the grand prize did not take place until today.
The lucky draws were conducted digitally with the prizes sent to the winners according to their address on their MyKad.
The lucky draws did not cost the government as the prizes were sponsored by a consortium of companies that supplied MyKad hardware and software.
Radzi was silent when asked whether the Cabinet was aware of his decision.
He said to date, 500,000 Malaysians had yet to apply for the MyKad and they were mainly those at drug rehabilitation centres and mental hospitals and senior citizens.
-- BERNAMA

Incentives For Pictures Of Traffic Offences Withdrawn

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, Tuesday announced that the cash incentives for capturing traffic offences on camera in conjunction with the Chinese New Year festive period has been withdrawn.
He said the "Shoot, Send and Win" contest organised by the Road Safety Department for the incentives would be cancelled after taking into consideration views from various quarters.
"As there is the possibility of abuse for profit by some quarters, I am making the decision to stop this programme after having considered the views of various parties," he said in a statement here Tuesday.
He admitted that the contest, which was supposed to run from Feb 10 to March 10, had received much criticism from various quarters.
On Feb 10, Chan announced that a reward of RM150 for the best picture, RM100 (second best picture) and RM50 (third best) would be given each day during the period for helping bring traffic culprits to book.
The programme was aimed at helping to bring down the high road fatality rate during the festive season.
The Malaysian Syariah Lawyers Association and Bar Council had questioned the wisdom of having such a programme.
Among others, it encouraged motorists to use cameras on their handphones to take pictures of traffic offenders when the action in itself (using handphone without a hands-free kit while driving) was an offence, they argued.


tunku: this hp6 government keep changing their mind and so called collective decision by the cabinet. Recently they changed their mind on giving free text book to all by 2008. The bridge was cancelled after much 'big talk' from the cabinet ministers. It seems like this government "cakap tak serupa bikin".We cant afford to have a hp6 government to rule this country, they will ruin this country.The leadership have to GO. There's a word they call "ikan busuk dari kepala", so get rid of the "kepala" in order to have a credible government.Full fill your promises made to people.This Radzi announced recently that maid agency can only charge agency fees not more than RM2450 but none of the agencies are following this rules and nothing is done by the government to ensure that they abide by the ruling.Get this kind of people from our government please.

No dynasty in UMNO

Tun 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) Datuk Seri 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. - Bernama

Big Mandate again next General Election????

According to analysis done by Dato Kadir our PM,has got the biggest budget in our history that is RM 46.6 billion making him most powerful in term of finance.The figures we see daily looks good but our daily life getting worse, the prices of goods increased tremendously.There's not much activity we see around us, everyone complaining business is slow although the 9th Malaysian Plan has kicked off.
But imagine with that sum of money can lure voters, and don't be surprised that this government will get another BIG MANDATE for the next election. Guess pm can have good sleep every night.That's why he dont bother to answer anyone.

Tun is fine , ALHAMDULILLAH

Tun is fine and doing routine medical check up as it's a procedure for a heart patient to do this check ups once they're feeling discomfort. He's just having severe flu according to Dato Mukhriz and should be out soon from IJN.Tun we pray for your speedy recovery.

TUN DISCHARGED TODAY AFTERNOON.

Tun at IJN

Tun Mahathir admitted to IJN for a full medical check up following complaints of tiredness and having flu said a source. Let us pray for his good health. He had a very busy and hectic schedule last week and yesterday at a fucntion in JB. He need lots of rest.
Let us read doa to Allah for him ( TDM )
Azhibil ba'sa rabban naas washfi. Antash shaafee. Laa shifaa-a illaa shifaa-uk. Shifaa-al laa yughaa diru saqamaa

As-alul laahal azeem. Rabbal arshil azeem. Ay yashfi yak

Ka shafallaahu durrak. Wa ghafara zambak. Wa 'aafaaka fee deenika wa jasadik.

Tun Mahathir takes fresh swipe at successor

JOHOR BARU, Malaysia (Reuters) - 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.

Other comments by Tun will be publish later on.

Government should revive water talks with Singapore

(The Star) JOHOR BARU: 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.

Dr Mahathir stressed that during his time as Prime Minister, the Federal Government had spent RM700mil to build water treatment plants in Johor to stop the state from purchasing treated water from Singapore.

“Now we can negotiate for a new amount for our raw water as we do not need to purchase treated water from Singapore anymore,” he said, adding that if nothing was done on the matter, Singapore would continue to purchase water at three sen per 1,000 gallons until 2061.

Dr Mahathir was addressing some 400 people during a seminar on the challenges faced by the country to achieve 2020 organised by Kelab Maya Umno (Umno Cyber Club) here yesterday.

He 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.

Boycott USD

One of the most idealistic way to keep USA in control is boycotting the dollar. Tun Mahathir has urged this on so many occasion but no such effort has been seen till now. If we are trading goods with other country than USA why still want to use USD, eg we are trading with China, instead using usd , we should use yuan and vice versa.
USA is a bancrupt country which only relying on money that are deposited in USA by tycoons around the world and its so sad that most of the tycoons are from arab countries. They should take their money out and deposit it in some other countries.
Tun Dr Mahathir said that if most countries refuse to trade in dollars, especially in the oil and gas industry, its devaluation will effectively diminish the economic and political power of the US.
If everyone stops accepting the dollar, the US will end up with a lot of worthless paper.

SO PLEASE BOYCOTT USD.

US/MALAYSIA FTA just for big project

KUALA LUMPUR 8 Feb. – Amerika Syarikat tidak menyentuh soal membida projek-projek berskala kecil melibatkan projek pembangunan yang diperuntukkan kepada kontraktor bumiputera kelas F dalam rundingan Perjanjian Perdagangan Bebas (FTA) negara itu dengan Malaysia.
Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz berkata, AS sangat menghormati polisi kerajaan Malaysia berhubung isu penyertaan bumiputera dalam ekonomi.
Sehubungan itu, katanya, AS tidak menyentuh isu berkenaan semasa rundingan pusingan kelima FTA yang sedang berlangsung di Karambunai Resort, Sabah.
“AS sangat memahami isu-isu dalaman yang melibatkan bumiputera,” jelas beliau.
“Firma-firma AS hanya berminat menyertai tender projek-projek berskala besar,” kata Rafidah kepada pemberita di sini hari ini selepas menyaksikan majlis memeterai memorandum persefahaman (MoU) antara QI Services (M) Sdn. Bhd. dengan ISS Consulting (M) Sdn. Bhd. bagi pembelian perisian perancangan sumber perusahaan bersepadu (ERP), mySAP.
Rundingan pusingan kelima FTA antara AS dan Malaysia selama lima hari di Sabah akan berakhir esok.

Tunku: oh rafidah only class F protected, what about other classes ,E,D,C,B and A????
Last week your tone was brave like the one you should be as they called you Iron Lady but now what happened??? Do we need this FTA for government projects???? Think before you destroy us.

New York Hotel in JB on 10th Feb, 10am

You Johoreans and those who have the chance please go to New York Hotel in Johor Bahru on the 10th Feb at 10 am to hear what our great leader have to say about the challenges ahead of us. To mykmu.net , I salute you people for organizing such a great event, i wish i could be there but my support are with you guys.Hope there's life coverage in the net.

RM1 Trillion Trade Last Year

Government announced yesterday that last year(2006) trade exceeded RM1 trillion, WOW. It's very good thing to know. Abdullah mentioned about the challenges we had but forgets to mention the man behind it, it was Tun Mahathir that contributes to it, not you Abdullah.
The other thing is lately we are seeing lots of good thing happening with our economy, that's really good, e.g
trade RM1 trillion
BSKL above 1200pts
last year growth 5.8
and the list continue......
but where is the MONEY, we the rakyat can't see it, business man a crying for such a bad business for them, private companies not giving bonus(most of them), no increase in salary, goods prices are up, so what it's all about????? Will the pm explain to us?

Dr M Deserves Nobel Peace Prize

More and more people coming out to support nomination of Tun Mahathir for Nobel Peace Prize . It seems that there are lots of people who recognized his contribution not to Malaysia but the world,particularly the Third World countries.
Latest support came from Foochow association in Sabah and Sarawak.Its president Philip Wong Pak Ming said: "He transformed our nation to an egalitarian society to what we are known today. On the international front, he made Malaysia to become a very respected member of the world community when it hosted numerous regional and global conferences like those of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), APEC and many others."
Describing Dr Mahathir as a dynamic leader who voices out his opinions in defence of developing countries at international fora such as the United Nations (UN), Wong said, "Our job now is how to get the Norwegian Nobel Committee to recognise all the good work of Dr Mahathir in his contribution to world peace."
What has happened to UMNO, will it support all out for this nomination and lobby for Tun Mahathir's nomination???????????
Tun mahathir's has said when asked to comment on the nomination that, there are other important things to look at rather than this nomination, such a humble but still we have to make sure the people on top to lobby for him, it's a pride to our nation if he got it, it's not about Tun himself here. So wake HP6 government dont just say your happy with the nomination but in your heart full of hatred(guess who when asked by reporter).

Tun Mahathir's Latest Potshots

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”.

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.

Mahathir: 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.

How do you view Malaysia’s negotiations of the FTA with the US? There have been many protests, for instance, by trade unions.

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?

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.

The government is saying that, without the FTA, it will be very hard for us to continue the growth that we have.

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.

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?

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.

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?

Well, not according to some who have to pay RM10,000-20,000 extra to buy a Proton car.

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.

Do you think you are misunderstood by a lot of people?

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.

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.

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.

But some of your ministers were (allegedly corrupt).

Give me the evidence, it is not easy. People keep on saying he is corrupt, he is corrupt...

What about Rafidah Aziz (International Trade and Industry Minister)?

Well, (she was) not during my time.

It was during your time.

During my time, she was very careful, didn’t give APs (approved permits) by the thousands, (but) after my time, my goodness...

Your former deputy Anwar Ibrahim claimed he had given you evidence of corruption (involving high profile figures)...

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.

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.

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?

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.

Just like the private jet (leased by the government)...

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).

Something like the super yacht they bought in Turkey?

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.

So it was Ananda who bought the yacht for (Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad) Badawi?

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.

Do you think the government has abandoned all hopes on Proton?

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.


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.

Are you still meeting him?

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.

What about the progress in Langkawi, is it going as you had wished?

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.

How is the bakery business going?

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.

How is it going so far? Is it making money?

So far, they are eating the bread (laughs).

Going back to Langkawi, are you saying that the government is not actually following what you wanted Langkawi to be?

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.

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?

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...

You are arguing for a re-peg of the ringgit?

Yes, why not? What’s wrong?

To re-peg it to?

RM3.50 for example.

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.

Given the current situation, what would be the fair...

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.

Are you suggesting the government’s economic policy is actually imbalanced or they don’t know what they are doing?

It is up to you to decide, whether they do or not.