Siapa Layak Menjadi Pemimpin Malaysia?

Mahathir sees no easing of rift with Abdullah

KUALA LUMPUR - FORMER Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad said on Tuesday he would remain a thorn in the side of his successor in the run-up to elections, and would continue to speak his mind. Until subdued by heart problems last year, the outspoken Dr Mahathir was the most vocal critic of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, accusing his government of lacking 'guts' and selling out Malaysian sovereignty.

'I still disagree on several of his policies, mainly allowing Malaysians to be subject to Singapore's wishes,' the 82-year-old told select foreign media in an interview ahead of Wednesday's launch of his new book.

The book published for the first time his personal correspondence with world leaders including US President George W. Bush, on issues ranging from terrorism to Islam and Myanmar.

'We are not as independent as before in terms of our attitude towards international affairs,' said Dr Mahathir, who ruled the nation for 22 years with an iron grip. 'We tend to be very accommodative.'

Dead wood
In the interview, he took Mr Abdullah to task for 'wasting (public) money', dismissed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as a 'daydreamer' and asserted that the domestic economy was in 'bad shape' without a rally in commodity prices.

Dr Mahathir said Mr Abdullah's ruling front would be returned with a strong majority in the polls, widely expected by March, but said voters must get rid of dead wood in the coalition.

'But there are certain people whose contribution is negative. These people should not be chosen as candidates,' Dr Mahathir, wearing a collarless Nehru suit, said at his office in the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers.

'I still support the party and I still believe the party will win with a good majority but one must not confuse support for the party with support for the individual,' he said.

On Mr Anwar, Dr Mahathir said his political enemy would not be a major factor in the coming elections.

'He's not a real factor,' he said. 'There's no more political future for him. If he thinks he's going to be the prime minister, it's daydreaming of the worst kind.'

A charismatic speaker, Mr Anwar was sacked from government in 1998 after falling out with Dr Mahathir.

Mr Anwar then led street protests before he was arrested and later jailed on what he called trumped-up charges of graft and sodomy.

Released in 2004, his corruption conviction means he cannot stand for elected office or hold political office until April this year.

Dr Mahathir, who has a history of heart problem, underwent a heart bypass in September and doctors have advised him to cut down on travel and other activities, including horse-riding.

The operation was Dr Mahathir's second such surgery since 1989 and followed two heart attacks over the past 13 months.

His quarrel with Mr Abdullah came to the fore after the government scrapped Dr Mahathir's idea to replace a causeway linking Malaysia and Singapore with a bridge.

Asked if Mr Abdullah should quit, he replied: 'It is up to him to decide. It's also up to the people to decide. If the people want him to move on, if they think his administration is not benefiting them, they should make a decision.' -- REUTERS

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/Asia/STIStory_201341.html

BY MAZWIN NIK ANIS

PUTRAJAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is willing to help Barisan Nasional campaign in the next general election provided candidates fielded by the coalition are “clean, honest and straight”.

The former prime minister said he would only want to campaign for candidates who he believed could bring good to the people.

“I believe that people who support the Barisan should be a little bit more selective. They should think, use wisdom in choosing the people they want to support.

“If there are dead wood and corrupt politicians being fielded as candidates, the people should not support them, not even if they are representing Barisan,” he told reporters after a preview of his latest book entitled Dr Mahathir’s selected letters to World Leaders at the Perdana Leadership Foundation yesterday.

Good read: Dr Mahathir (left) at the preview of his latest book in Putrajaya on Wednesday. With him is Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad who wrote the foreword for the book. Dr Mahathir said it was his hope to see the people “using their power as voters” to make changes to the leadership in Barisan and Umno as this was the only way to “clean” the government, claiming “cleansing” could not come from within the party as “everything now is being controlled and any contrary views will not be heard”.

“There is a risk in saying all these things and there will be a chorus of people who will curse me, including some of my former ministers.

“But I hope we will love this country enough to vote for the best candidate,” he said.

Asked if it was true that there was a gentleman's agreement when he resigned in 2003 that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would only stay as Prime Minister for only one term, Dr Mahathir said:

“Even if I said that such an agreement was made, I cannot prove it but that was my thinking since he was older than Najib, he should be the PM for a term and then Najib should be able to take over.”

On racial issues, Dr Mahathir said Malaysia had never really attained racial harmony but was able to keep it within control, adding there were quarters that have begun to use religion when taking action.

On his book, he said it contained 70 letters, all correspondence with world leaders on the crises and conflicts in the Middle East during his tenure as the prime minister.

The 239-page book contains letters to and from Dr Mahathir to, among others, former French president Jacques Chirac, Prince Charles the Prince of Wales, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former United States President Bill Clinton and current President George W. Bush.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/1/31/nation/20182272&sec=nation

Video VK LINGAM (Pengkhianat Negara - PART II)

Video VK LINGAM (Pengkhianat Negara - PART I)

Sambil menggulung rokok daun, Shahidan Kassim memandang ke luar rumahnya. Angin sepoi-sepoi bahasa meniup ke mukanya. Hatinya gelisah. Walaupun Pak Lah masih berteka-teki, khabarnya pilihanraya tak lama lagi. Perlis hanyalah sebuah negeri kecil yang bersempadan dengan Thailand, tetapi bahang pilihanraya cukup terasa. Shahidan tahu sangat kerana dia sudah lama menjadi Menteri Besar.

Biarpun keluasan Perlis hanyalah sekangkang kera, namun ramai yang berminat untuk menjadi Menteri Besar. Entah apa yang mereka inginkan dari jawatan Menteri Besar tu, Shahidan sendiri pun tak faham. Bukan glamour sangat pun menjadi Menteri Besar Perlis. Sebab itulah, Shahidan terpaksa menjadi presiden enam buah persatuan sukan, kalau tidak tentu namanya tenggelam.

"Ambil handphone tu sat!" kata Shahidan kepada pembantu rumah sambil memuncungkan bibir ke arah handphone yang terletak di atas meja makan. Dia adalah salah seorang dari lima orang pembantu rumah Shahidan; warga asing. Pembantu rumah itu segera berlari membawa handphone itu kepada Shahidan.

Shahidan membelek-belek handphone itu, cuba mencari nama tertentu. Sudah agak lama Shahidan tidak menghubungi dia walaupun mereka satu negeri. Shahidan menggaru-garu kepala kerana tidak bertemu nama yang dicari. Sejak kawannya itu berkahwin "isteri muda", Shahidan jarang berkomunikasi. Mungkin Shahidan berasa janggal kerana dia anak kampung yang tinggal di Arau, sedangkan kawannya itu sudah menjadi orang bandar. Sesekali pulang, kawannya kelihatan cukup rugged dan bertambah muda.

"Ahaaa... jumpa juga nombor ni... Macam mana aku boleh lupa ...!" kata Shahidan sambil menggosok-gosokkan hidungnya.

Ring! Ring!

"Mana pulak perginya ... tak jawab telefon aku ...," bisik Shahidan.

Ring! Ring!

"Hellloooo...." jawab suara di hujung sana. Suara wanita. Lembut dan manis. Shahidan rasa macam pernah dengar suara itu. Macam suara pembaca berita Buletin TV3.

"Boleh cakap dengan Mi?" kata Shahidan. Agak kasar suaranya. Shahidan sengaja membuatkan suara kasar kerana bimbang dituduh mengganggu isteri orang. Lagi pun, dia Menteri Besar, tak boleh main-main. Kalau main-main, nanti kena main.

"Nanti sat no..." jawab suara tadi. Terkedu Shahidan dibuatnya. Tak sangka pula orang Johor sudah boleh bercakap Perlis dengan baik sekali. Tak mengapalah, mungkin selalu mengikuti suaminya ke Padang Besar, sebab tu dia boleh menggunakan loghat utara.

"Helloooo!" Suara kasar di hujung talian. "Apa habaq, Dan?"

"Aku baik ... macam ni laa... Hang apa habaq?"

"Aku pun sihat .. dok rumah saja la. Nak balik Padang Besar, payah sikit laa ni, Zahidi tak pangge aku," kata suara itu.

"Tak patut dia buat hang macam tu," kata Shahidan. "Hang menteri. Patutnya, dia ketua bahagian ... jemputlah menteri yang dalam satu bahagian..."

"Tu laa... aku sendiri pun tak faham. Dulu dia nak sangat jawatan ketua bahagian. Aku malas nak kecoh-kecoh.. aku bagi kat dia. Sepatutnya jemput laa aku mai sama program bahagian. Aku ni menteri, tak kan nak main rempuh saja program bahagian, melainkanlah dijemput," kata suara itu lagi.

"Dia tak jemput hang langsung ke?" tanya Shahidan.

"Ada jugak la, sesekali .. Dulu dia jemput aku dengan Radzi... Aku turun, lepas tu Radzi pulak buat blunder pi hentam hang, Dan ... leceh aku!" kata suara itu sambil menambah, "Apu pun, Dan ... aku tak masuk campoq. Aku ada di situ saja."

Shahidan terus berkata, "Mi, kita kawan lama. Aku faham sangat. I trust you 100% la, don't worry. Sebab tu la, aku call hang ni .. aku nak habaq, aku nak calonkan hang lagi untuk parlimen."

"Ya ka? Terima kasih la... Hang la sahabat aku yang sejati," kata suara itu. "Tapi, apa pun keputusan di tangan Pak Lah .. Cuma, Radzi ada habaq kat aku yang Pak Lah nak aku bertanding kerusi DUN."

"Kerusi DUN? Isk, nak buat apa DUN, hang nak jadi wakil rakyat cabuk ker? Paling-paling tinggi pun, aku hanya boleh lantik hang jadi Exco.. tak kan dari Menteri nak jadi Exco...? Isk, buat malu kat orang la!" kata Shahidan.

Suara itu cepat-cepat menambah,"Bukan macam tu, Dan. Radzi kata dia nak recommend aku jadi Menteri Besar; ganti hang."

"Dah hilang akai apa Radzi ni ... Perlis ni elok-elok saja. Bukan ada masalah pun. Lagi pun aku baru tiga penggal jadi Menteri Besar, masih banyak kerja yang nak buat. Gila betul Radzi tu... Habis tu, apa alasan yang Radzi kata hang layak jadi Menteri Besar?" tanya Shahidan benar-benar ingin tahu.

"Dia kata aku ada bini muda!" balas suara itu.

"Kah! Kah! Kah!" Shahidan ketawa besar.

"Betui ni, Dan ... dia kata kalau ada bini muda boleh tarik pelancong ke Perlis!" jawab suara itu bersungguh-sungguh. Melihatkan kesungguhan suara itu bercakap, Shahidan diam sebentar. Sedikit sebanyak mungkin ada kebenarannya. Perlis adalah sebuah negeri yang kecil. Tak banyak aktiviti. Tak kan lah pelancong hendak datang ke Perlis untuk melihat Gua Kelam saja. Dulu ramai juga pelancong Siam yang masuk Perlis pada hujung minggu melalui Wang Kelian, tetapi sejak ada peraturan baru, jumlah itu dah berkurangan.

"Habis tu, hang minat nak jadi Menteri Besar Perlis ker?" tanya Shahidan.

"Aku tak tahu nak cakaplah, Dan. Aku ni pekerja parti. Kalau Pak Lah nak aku balik jadi Menteri Besar, tak kan aku nak kata tak mahu kot!" balas suara itu lagi.

"OKlah kalau hang jawab macam tu. Lepas ni aku nak recommend hang dengan Radzi untuk bertanding lagi. Hampa berdua pemimpin negeri ini yang hebat. Tapi, hampa kena bertanding di parlimen. Jangan dok mimpi nak tanding di DUN!" kata Shahidan sambil mematikan telefon itu.

Tiba-tiba pemandunya masuk ke ruang tamu; tempat di mana Shahidan bercakap tadi. Melihatkan Shahidan yang agak gelisah, pemandunya bertanya, "Boleh tahu, Dato' Seri sembang dengan sapa tadi?"

Shahidan pantas menjawab, "Tak dak cakap dengan sapa-sapa. Aku saja buat-buat cakap!"

Pemandu yang ingin tahu segera bertanya, "Buat-buat cakap, Dato' Seri?"

"Ya, macam VK Lingam buat-buat cakap dengan Ketua Hakim!" balas Shahidan dengan muka serious.


Entahlah, bagaimana boleh jadi secara kebetulan, sehari selepas itu, akhbar Utusan Malaysia menyiarkan laporan berita berikut:

Shahidan cadang Azmi, Radzi bertanding

Oleh Syed Ridzuwan Syed Ismail

KANGAR 30 Jan. – Menteri Besar Perlis, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim akan mencadangkan nama dua menteri yang dikaitkan sebagai seteru politiknya sebagai calon dalam pilihan raya umum ke-12.

Dua menteri itu ialah Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, Dato' Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad yang juga Setiausaha Agung UMNO dan Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar, Dato' Seri Azmi Khalid, masing-masing Ahli Parlimen Kangar dan Padang Besar.

Shahidan berkata, Radzi dan Azmi perlu dicalonkan semula kerana mereka merupakan pemimpin yang boleh memberikan perkhidmatan yang baik kepada masyarakat.

‘‘Saya secara peribadi akan mencadangkan sendiri nama mereka (Azmi dan Radzi) kepada Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi untuk bertanding di peringkat kerusi Parlimen walaupun UMNO Bahagian Kangar dan Padang Besar masing-masing tidak mencalonkan nama mereka.

‘‘Sebagai Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Perlis, saya mempunyai kuasa untuk mencalonkan mereka kerana pada saya, kedua-duanya adalah calon berwibawa dan sukar dicari ganti,” katanya kepada pemberita.

by Satira Politik Malaysia.

Dakwaan Perdana Menteri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi bahawa Malaysia kini di tangga kelapan dunia dalam konteks daya saing negara adalah satu fakta yang sengaja diputarbelitkan.

Penelitian menyeluruh kepada data yang dikeluarkan mendapati bahawa fakta tersebut adalah betul tetapi hanya di kalangan kategori negara-negara yang mempunyai populasi 20 juta penduduk ke atas.

Merujuk kepada Laporan Daya Saing Dunia 2007 seperti yang dipetik oleh Perdana Menteri, hakikatnya Malaysia hanya menduduki tempat ke 23 di dalam dunia. 15 daripada 22 negara yang menduduki tangga lebih tinggi di atas Malaysia pada tahun 2007 mempunyai populasi kurang daripada 20 juta penduduk, manakala 7 daripada 22 negara tersebut melebihi 20 juta penduduk.

Kedudukan kebolehsaingan Malaysia pada tahun 2006 adalah di tangga 22, dan pada tahun 1997 di tangga ke-17.

Keputusan Abdullah untuk mengeluarkan fakta yang bercelaru ini adalah usaha yang sangat lemah untuk menyembunyikan fakta bahawa asas-asas ekonomi Malaysia telah gagal bergerak di bawah pemerintahannya.

Daya saing Malaysia semakin merosot dan dalam keadaan di mana ekonomi kita dulunya setaraf dengan Singapura dan Hong Kong, kita sekarang di kedudukan ke 23 di seluruh dunia, manakala Singapura di kedudukan kedua dan Hong Kong ketiga.

Jelasnya, kita memerlukan kepimpinan yang lebih berwibawa sekiranya Malaysia ingin memperkasakan ekonominya sebagai gagasan ekonomi bertaraf global.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Video VK LINGAM (Pengkhianat Negara - PART III)

Transcript
Lingam: The constitution judges said the constitution said, in the opinion of the prime minister he recommend. Who the prime minister recommend? So you are Dzaiddin, you are chief justice, you recommend 10 names, I consent, I said I want these 15 names, can’t do anything. He recommend to rulers, rulers only consulted, not approve, only consult. You Know?
[Voice off-camera]: Because if it goes up to the Court of Appeal…
Lingam: Now Dzaiddin wants to come through the PM because he wants his Tun-ship. So…he doing everything to please the PM lah, but he recommended five judges, three…three approved, which is Tun Eusoff Chin’s men, two not Eusoff Chin’s men which we objected. I prepared the report and rejected… but he wants to appeal again lah.
[Voice off-camera]: Can he appeal?
Lingam: He can appeal lah, but will be rejected lah.
[Voice off-camera]: I never know appointment can be rejected you know?
Lingam: No, recommendation can be rejected. The PM shall recommend so and so, after consulting so and so. So, PM suppose to consult Loh Mui Fah before he recommends. So Loh Mui Fah recommend 10 names, he in fact can say I disagree with your 10 names, I recommend Gurm…Lingam and so and so. Nothing you can do. You are only…you are supposed to be consulted, not to be approved. You see the point or not? The constitution said consult. I suppose to consult my father before I marry, I consulted him, he disagreed but still I married!
[Voice off-camera]: Because that is not final, ah.
Lingam: Right, consult is to discuss. That’s all. But if I must get my father’s approval before married, then different. Approval different from consult.
[Voice off-camera]: So, who is the lord president now?
Lingam: Now chief justice Dzaiddin.
[Voice off-camera]: Dzaiddin…
Lingam: But between you and me. We have taken Dzaiddin for dinner three times.
[Voice off-camera]: Three times already.
Lingam: And we have given him the most expensive gift. Don’t ask about it lah. I have given him and Vincent Tan has given him. So, he also cannot attack us. Tomorrow we go say we give you this this this. He cannot go and say you are a agent. Correct or not? So, he is neither here nor there lah. That’s all.
[Voice off-camera]: But… Chief Justice..
Lingam: But in the court when I argue with him. He said, Datuk Lingam you said you will take one hour. I said, my Lord, it is only 50 minutes, I got another 10 minutes. But…I appreciate. Thank you, thank you… He is very nice with me, very polite with me. I have been sending cakes every hari raya. Vincent has been sending. He can’t go and say he is very clean, correct or not?
[Voice off-camera]: But then he is…
Lingam: But he is playing his game lah. He got the job, that’s it. Now, September he is finished that’s all. Make sure he is not extended.
[Voice off-camera]: But, he may ask for extension.
Lingam: He is hoping… he told somebody that he likes the job very much. Then he likes…Let him dream lah.
[Voice off-camera]: Above him is the Lord President?
Lingam: He is the number one man, Dzaiddin.
[Voice off-camera]: Whose the Lord President?
Lingam: He is called… those days called lord president, now called chief justice, federal court.
[Voice off-camera]: Oh… it is the same title.
Lingam: Number two President Court of Appeal, that Wan Adnan, my personal friend. He was sick. Nobody knows he is close to me. Right, in fact, he never knew his name is going up until I told him. Then number three, Ahmad Fairuz, Chief Judge Malaya. Ahmad Fairuz is going to be acting, now acting…number two. Right? So, next minute, even Raja Aziz said he is going to be the next top job. He is…definitely number one lah. So, he told me I leave it all to you and you must help me and all…I said I’ll arrange for you to meet Tengku Adnan, Vincent and meet with PM lah…But this bugger is sometimes a bit scared. Ah…I must play shadow from the behind. Nobody should know I know you. Then you can help more. But people, see you know more, like Eusoff Chin, because I met him in New Zealand, became a problem. But if I didn’t meet him in New Zealand, it’s a… no problem. Correct or not? Unfortunate.
[Voice off-camera]: Then, in your…then they said you have taken photograph with him holidaying in…huh…huh…
Lingam: But unfortunately, I didn’t know. The worst thing I didn’t know Eusoff Chin put his hand like that! Alamak…so…I also didn’t know about it. What to do?
[Voice off-camera]: Then… then…
Lingam: Do you know, today one o’clock, Eusoff Chin having lunch in his house today. Hari Raya today. He called me and my wife to come. I told him we don’t go today, we make it another day. I don’t come but my wife and children will come. You know or not?I told my wife to call…[unclear]… [phone rings]…
Lingam: Hello…Joe Ah…!

Note: Because some parts of the recording are inaudible the transcript may not be 100% accurate.