Sunday, October 22, 2006

Pertemuan Mubarak: Reaksi Awal Tun M

A Kadir Jasin

[UPDATE, 25 Oktober]

BERIKUT adalah transkrip temuramah Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dengan pemberita seperti yang disiarkan oleh The Star Online, akhbar Internet The Star:

Tuesday October 24, 2006
Transcript of Tun Mahathir's press conference.

THE following is the transcript of what former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said at the press conference held at his house in the Mines Resort City, just outside of Kuala Lumpur on Monday – a day after his meeting with the present Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Dr Mahathir: First, I’d like to give the background to all these things because I think many people are unaware or confused about the reason why I met Pak Lah.
Actually, Mubarak (the organisation of ex-members of parliament and state assemblymen) approached Mokhzani, my son, to try and help resolve this problem – the problem being my criticism of the Government.
They suggested three things: that I should meet the Umno supreme council; if that cannot be done, I should meet the Malay members of the Cabinet; and if that too is not possible, for me to see Pak Lah.
Zani, I don’t know what he did, but he said Pak Lah agreed to see me. So that was that and I was informed that I should meet Pak Lah.
Since this was initiated by Mubarak, I said I would like to see Mubarak first to find out what it is that they are asking me to do.
Mubarak came, five of them including their president, and Tan Sri Zaleha (former National Unity and Social Development Minister Zaleha Ismail) and they said they would like me to see Pak Lah because Pak Lah has agreed to see me.
I said if I wanted to see Pak Lah, I would like to tell him very bluntly: What have I to gain by criticising him? I told Mubarak what I felt about things and after Mubarak listened to me, they felt that I should tell these things directly to Pak Lah.
I said if I am free to speak frankly then I would see him.
After that, I believe Mubarak went to see Pak Lah and Pak Lah agreed to see me, and a date, time and place was to be fixed by him.
I had requested that there should be one person as witness for each of us but the agreement was that there would be nobody at all and I said that was fine.
Yesterday, the time was fixed at 3pm. Pak Lah met me at the door with his son Kamal. I went to the office, it used to be an office when I was living there anyway. I told him that I will record our dialogue.
I set up the recorder on the table and told him I would like to start and of course told him about all the things that I was critical about the Government. Of course, there were too many things I had to mention but in one and a half hours I covered a whole lot of things.
After that he explained, because he interrupted me several times when I was talking. For example, when I said it’s not true that the Government has no money for projects because before I stepped down in 2002, I made sure of a few things.
That the country is stable, Umno regains its popularity and the economy is doing well.
That the finances of the Government is in good shape. Only after that did I decide to step down.
But I said there’s no question that when I stepped down the Government had no money. He said that the Government now has more money, implying that when I stepped down there was no money.
During my time the profit made by Petronas was RM26bil.
I know that subsequently Petronas made RM58bil and the last financial year Petronas made RM86bil, which is bigger than the total collection from income and corporate taxes, which will be around RM60bil this year.
So the Government has money, which he agrees now. But he didn’t say that at the time I stepped down there was no money.
But I insisted that there was. He also said that when I said his son and son-in-law telephone people to give contracts to so and so, he said that while he did not know he will ask them but he didn’t think they did it.
On Scomi, he said that it is the only company in the region with the technology and mud engineering. Besides, it is 100% bumiputra so that is why Petronas gave the contract to Scomi.
There were a few other things he mentioned but he stopped, thinking it was already two hours. I figured the meeting was over and I collected my recorder and said good bye to him at the door and I came out.
Did you ask him to step down for the good of the country?
Dr M:
I didn’t.
Do you want that to happen?
Dr M: I was there to tell him what I was not happy with. I was not there to suggest what he should do and it is up to him to decide what he should do.
He did say that as a result of what I did I have become unpopular and he has become unpopular too and that the only people who benefited were (former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz (Kelantan Mentri Besar and PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat).
It is wrong what TV3 reported, saying that I agreed with him that what I had done made me and him unpopular and only Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz benefited. This is what he said, not what I said.
What is your feeling on the comment that you have become unpopular?
Dr M: He said that they had done a survey before I met him. And they had given him a briefing of the survey, that shows this result. If he wants to believe, that it is his right.
I said I don’t care about being popular or not but if anybody does things that don’t benefit the country and Malays in particular, I reserve my right to criticise whenever I think necessary.
And I pointed out to him that firstly, this has become a police state. Because every time anybody invites me to give a talk, they would be called up by the police and warned, called up by the police and told to withdraw the invitation.
Someone was not allowed to hold any meeting at all which involves me. This happened to many people. They were very shy to tell me about it but they were called up by the police and of course they were also called up by the mentri besar as well.
I did not tell him about this so I don’t think it is right for me to tell you what was said.
But I consider this a police state. And I consider also that my civic right has been taken away from me because I have every right to talk to Umno people, university people, civil servants and that’s my right.
But every time I want to do this and if people invite me they were told to withdraw. I told him more than 10 invitations had been withdrawn.
And of course in some cases police would meet these people. Umno people were told not to invite me. I know many Umno divisions want to invite me but are not allowed to.
So I am not allowed to speak to many groups of people. I consider it my right to speak to Umno people as a member and as ex-president. I have a right to speak to Umno people.
Did you talk about your agreement with him that was made before you step down?
Dr M: No, we did not.
What was Pak Lah’s reply to what you said on this being a police state?
Dr M: He said it was not true. He doesn’t agree with me that this is a police state.
Do you think the Prime Minister is going to do anything differently?
Dr M: We will have to wait and see. But my criticisms had some effect. For example, the activities of ECM Libra. At first you read reports in newspapers that ECM was doing these things but now it seems there is a complete blackout of ECM Libra activities.
There is no more report on Scomi activities.
Do you still plan to attend the Umno general meeting and to speak?
Dr M: I have not decided. But I have not been given any slot to speak so I don’t know how I am going to speak.
You’ve expressed unhappiness with Abdullah’s leadership. Do you think your unhappiness is being respected in Umno?
Dr M: I am not allowed to talk to Umno people at all. I have no means to assess this thing because I am not allowed to talk to Umno people. So I won’t be able to assess.
If I talk to them and explain to them what it is I am criticising then they will have to give their opinion. But I’m not allowed to explain anything, and I believe lots of people do not understand.
Did you talk about the incident at the Kubang Pasu division meeting?
Dr M: Yes, I said it was due to corruption. Whatever may be the finding of the committee I know for a fact that money was given.
Five people have reported. But there were others who said they received money but were not willing to come forward.
You are the founder of modern Malaysia. Are you concerned that your legacy is being chipped away by the controversy?
Dr M: It is not being chipped away by the controversy. It is being chipped away by the actions of the Government. For the past three years there has been no move.
The economy has not been doing well. People have not been able to have jobs and unemployment is still high.
Nothing has been done really to improve the economy. Although of course we read of very good figures but we see retail business is not good, contracts are not easy to come by, Class F people have no jobs and many contractors have folded.
Did you give him an ultimatum, because the last time you said he should undo what he has done wrong?
Dr M: I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that. I went there just to tell him. I didn’t give him any ultimatum. Because Murabak wants me to tell, that’s all.
Did he say anything about the incident in Kubang Pasu?
Dr M: He didn’t.
Why did you raise Ku Li’s name as a possible successor in the Bloomberg interview?
Dr M: No, I didn’t raise Tengku Razaleigh’s (former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah) name. They were asking whether there are other candidates who might want to, well, I thought Tengku Razaleigh was interested the last time and he might still be interested.
I mean, any Umno member can contest.
I did mention that the postponement of the Umno election is wrong. The excuse that I too did that when I was Umno president is not quite correct.
I did it because the general election was coming the following year and therefore I had to postpone the party elections the year before the general election.
But here, the general election can be held in 2009, and it is 2006 now.
Is there any reason why the party election cannot be held? Are you giving yourself a time frame to see changes after your meeting with Pak Lah?
Dr M: Well, I don’t talk about time frames. But if I am scheduled to meet people, if I am allowed to meet people, I will talk. I will mention why certain things are wrong.
Just like what I am telling you.
What do you want to achieve? You didn’t ask the Prime Minister to step down and you didn’t set a time frame.
Dr M: The Government has been criticised before and a government which is sensitive would take into consideration the criticism.
It may take the form of resignation, it may take other forms like stopping all these wrong things, the things that got people criticising.
From your point of view, what is the state of the economy?
Dr M: The economy is bad. I know because a lot of Chinese business people are very unhappy. Some of them, and I told this to
Pak Lah, some of them have said they will not vote for Barisan Nasional at the next elections. And some of them said today they prefer to go to China to do business because there are more opportunities in China than there is in Malaysia because they don’t fine it easy to do business in Malaysia.
Are you convinced or satisfied at all by any of Pak Lah’s responses?
Dr M: At the moment no.
Why?
Dr M: Because he said he didn’t think his children were involved. He said that Khairy (Jamaluddin) was his son-in-law and he has been working with him before he became his son-in-law.
And he says he will ask them, that’s all.
Does that mean that from Pak Lah’s responses and reactions to what you had to tell him, your assessment is that you have not actually achieved much in this meeting?
Dr M: I have achieved the objective of telling him in quite substantial detail. I am quite sure that the reports that are in the controlled press, the spin from people like (News Straits Time group editor) Brendan Pereira and (NSTP deputy chairman Datuk) Kalimullah (Hassan) and all that would have given him a completely wrong impression of what I have done.
Now I have the opportunity to tell him as it is, no Brendan in between, no Kalimullah in between.
So to that extent I am satisfied, no “spinning” that things were not going like that. (Makes spinning motion with finger.)
Do you wish that you had never stepped down?
Dr M: I wish I had stepped down in 1998, if it had been possible. I could have stepped down in 2002 but I was asked to ... he did tell me that he willingly asked me to stay on for another year, which is something I appreciate. But this is not a question of what you do or a character thing.
This is not about his or my character. This is about what is happening. I must admit that what is happening is something I never suspected at all or expected. I didn’t expect any family involvement.
I pointed out to him that it is wrong to have family involvement.
I also spoke about this oil-for-food thing, which is wrong. It was during the time when he was deputy prime minister and there was his name in this list published by the UN that he was involved in oil-for-food.
Although they say that him being a beneficiary, he did not gain anything. But that is the oil-for-food report from the US.
But as you know the US excluded all the American companies involved in oil-for-food so the US publication contains elements of cover-up.
But I don’t know whether the US is covering up or not in this particular case.
But he admitted that he wrote a recommendation for this chap Taufik or whatever it is, who happens to be a distant relative of his, married to his sister-in-law.
And when he did that of course he was the deputy prime minister.
When the company was formed, Trade or something or rather, he was deputy prime minister.
As deputy prime minister or as a minister, you should never get involved in the formation of any company or running of any company.
So when you met Pak Lah, to back up your statements did you show him any documents that you have?
Dr M: No documents.
So by raising this issue about his son-in-law and his involvement in oil-for-food, are you accusing the Prime Minister of corruption?
Dr M: Well, it is up to the public to assess. It is up to the legal people to decide on this but as far as I am concerned, it is wrong that a serving deputy prime minister should get his name listed among the companies in the oil-for-food trade with Iraq.
But Pak Lah never denied he recommended two or three companies that is related to him.
Dr M: As far as I am concerned, if you are in the Government you should not form any company in which you are listed as beneficiary. You should not write letters of recommendation for your own relative.
You can write letters of recommendation in a very general way or for some other company.
So will you support Najib as Umno president?
Dr M: That is hypothetical.
Do you think he will make it as Prime Minister?
Dr M: That is up to them to decide, not for me to decide, not for me to say I support or don’t. It’s entirely dependent upon Umno.
But I must admit that I had appointed Najib deputy prime minister and in the course of time, according to tradition, the deputy prime minister should succeed the prime minister.
When do you think the PM should call for the general election?
Dr M: The general election can be held anytime up to 2009, when the life span of the present Parliament terminates, so it is up to him to decide.
When do you like to see it?
Dr M: I don’t care what I like (sic).
What’s next for you after this?
Dr M: I told him I will continue to make criticisms and I will continue in my usual way.
But I do hope the habit of asking the police to frighten people should stop and my civic rights should be restored.
That I have rights to speak to Umno, the right to speak to any audience that I like.
You said the Chinese would vote for the Opposition, aren’t you afraid that the Opposition will have a bigger majority?
Dr M: Yes, I think it is possible. My assessment is that it is not possible for the Opposition to win but they may be able to reduce the majority of the Government.
Don’t you think what you are doing now is bad for the party?
Dr M: I see that what he is doing now is bad for the party and unless you criticise and stop what he is doing now, it will have bad results for the country.
It is not an internal problem of Umno alone. It’s not a question of unity within Umno.
Umno cannot win the elections without public support and today the public is very critical of the present conditions, the present economy, the present system of administration, the involvement of family members, the telephone calls, the contracts won by the children’s company.
This concerns the public and if the public doesn’t support, even if 100% of Umno were to support our candidates, they will still lose.
What is your assessment of the Prime Minister’s personal integrity. Is he an honest man?
Dr M: Well, I don’t know. But how does he get involved in the oil-for-food business?.
He says no, he is not involved but his name is there as the beneficiary.
But didn’t you know that when you were the Prime Minister?
Dr M: I didn’t know about it when I was PM.
The first time I heard about it was when it was published by the (New) Straits Times that his name appeared there. Subsequently Najib said: “Don’t talk anymore about it.”
And of course there were no more reports about this affair in the Straits Times or any other newspaper.
Recently in the course of writing my memoir, I tried to get hold of the copy of the Straits Times which reported this thing but it seems to have disappeared.
The Berita Harian was there but the copy of the Straits Times has disappeared. Maybe somebody has a copy, can lend it to me.
You said you touched on approved permits (APs) and Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz?
Dr M: Yes, I said the AP thing, I told the story already from the beginning, why it was issued.
I said it was wrong to give to two friends of Rafidah and this constitutes abuse of authority by the minister. And I am surprised the minister is still retained in the Cabinet.
On Proton, I said: “You have destroyed Proton.” When Mahaleel (former Proton CEO Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff) was there, the share price was about RM8.60.
Today the share price is about RM4.60 or something like that, you know RM5.
And Proton is losing money. Only a few years back Proton made RM1.5bil profit, now it is losing money and this is due entirely to the change, the removal of Mahaleel and the appointment of a man acting as its non-executive chairman but who is actually doing the work of the executive chairman.
Of the RM2bil reserve that Mahaleel left, how much is left?
Dr M: I would like to know. I want to know. I wonder ...
The market says the reserve is down to zero and now they are talking about borrowing. Is this true?
Dr M: The market may know something. I cannot say something which I have no knowledge of.
Are you unhappy with Najib for not saying much?
Dr M: Whether I am happy or not, whatever happens to him is something that will happen to him, not to me.
What do you mean?
Dr M: Whatever he does of course will affect his future.
But he is somebody whom you had lobbied for.
Dr M: Yes I did, but beyond that I am not prepared to do anything more.
By what you said about retaining Rafidah, Proton, the AP and all that, you are practically telling the PM how to run the country?
Dr M: Why not? If you are doing it the wrong way, you are destroying the economy of the country. There is no FDI coming in now.
There is no local investment also and people who want to invest in this country find great difficulty getting through.
And investors from outside, one of them at least has been given back his deposit and told that he is technically wrong or whatever.
So, the country is not doing well. If you want to believe that the country is doing well and pooh-pooh what people are saying on the ground, that is up to you.
Do you believe the economic figures given by the Government?
Dr M: Sounds a bit strange to me when I see companies going down the drain. Companies like Proton which was very profitable before is now losing money.
And I wonder, of the companies in the Khazanah stable, how many are doing well because these are companies which do not seem to inform people of their situation.
Najib recently announced RM40bil in investments by companies.
Dr M: Announce is OK. It’s like announcing the Ninth Malaysia Plan, it has been announced two years ago but up to now as far as I know none of the projects have taken off.
I did also comment (to Pak lah) on this private financing initiative. Now what is private financing initiative? It sounds as if it is the private sector which is going to do everything and the Government does not have to spend one sen.
It sounds like privatisation but it is not. It is the same as build, lease and transfer.
It means the private sector build this bridge at whatever cost and then lease it to the Government.
Of course, when you lease it to the Government it must give the company profit and sufficient money to pay off debts.
And in the end of course the Government will pay.
Your view on bumiputra equity ownership at 18% or 45%?
Dr M: I think the Government has to explain how it reached the figure of 18% and the other side has to explain how it reached the figure of 45%.
I don’t think the figure of 45% is correct.
As far as 18% is concerned, it may be nearer the actual figure than the 45% figure. So let’s clear this up. Don’t say: “Don’t question this thing.”
To every criticism directed at the Government, the answer is: “Don’t question this thing, don’t raise this issue, stop talking about this.”
Have you anything good to say about the Government? Has the Government done anything good?
Dr M: (Scoff) The Government has still maintained that we are still an independent country although foreign policy-wise we are less highly regarded than before especially by developing countries and Muslim countries.
Abroad they are asking what’s happened to Malaysia. But this wanting to be friendly with Mr Bush is something other people are commenting and I can’t understand.
Are your criticisms a reflection of the rakyat’s unhappiness over Pak Lah’s administration rather than overall corruption, for example the councilors issue?
Dr M: I think the councillors are having a field day. MPs, they are ... ministers are off on their own. So I don’t know what is happening.
But crime rate has gone up, there is no sufficient attention paid to drug problem, to the increased cases of rape, and all kinds of things.
The police I don’t know what they are doing, maybe they have lots of other things. Crime rate today is very high. Everyday we read not only about snatch theft but people just up and kill people.
During your time it was also evident.
Dr M: Yes it was evident but not to this extent.
You said Malaysia has become a police state. Isn’t it ironic because your critics said the same thing about your administration.
Dr M: I never stopped people from making speeches. In 1987 when Tengku Razaleigh, (a former deputy prime minister Tun) Musa Hitam and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi challenged me, Abdullah remained as Minister.
They were travelling all over the country, campaigning with Umno branches and divisions and I never stopped them.
But of course, Pak Lah now says he was stopped.
Umno branches said they heard him when he came to talk.
And I know because when I went to his area to speak, he came up on the stage and he spoke also. I never stopped him from speaking.
I never stopped Tengku Razaleigh from speaking, which is why, although I was nominated by 86 divisions and Tengku Razaleigh was nominated by 37 divisions, I barely managed to win because of the intensive campaigning carried out by Tengku Razaleigh, Musa Hitam and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
But now, I am not allowed to speak to anybody. I know I'm speaking to the Press now.
I know the New Straits Times will have to make some kind of spin about this, TV3 too will have to spin somehow, but fortunately for us that in my time, we have the Internet, so I would advise people to read the Internet and not these newspapers because they are all getting phone calls.
Now, Kalimullah is not here but there is another man on the fourth floor who does the reading.
Will you meet Pak Lah again?
Dr M: If there is a chance to meet him and if there is any use, then yes, I would meet him. If there is a problem and I only speak to him and others don’t know about it, the effect would not be there.
On Pak Lah’s relationship with US President George W. Bush, when he met Bush earlier, he did not touch on the two Malaysians detained in Guantanamo, he did not touch on the FTA, he did not touch on the American nuclear ships visiting Port Klang. What did he talk to Bush about?
Dr M: He said he agreed with Bush that the Pope did not mean what was reported.
How was Pak Lah’s body language during the meeting?
Dr M: It was good.
What is your next step?
Dr M: I know what I am going to do. After this, if I see something I should speak up about, I will do so.
If someone asks me, I have to explain, if not, I’ll be unpopular, according to his statistic.
Do you think he has changed compared to before?
Dr M: Yes, there is change. When he was deputy prime minister, his children and son-in-law were not involved. And he agreed ... everything decided by the Cabinet.
He was a very good deputy. But people change when they have power.
At that time, Khairy was not yet Umno Youth deputy head, it was after I had resigned.
What I am uncomfortable with was that the wives of ministers already had Bakti (the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers) to do charity work.
But he agreed that his wife, as the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife, set up another body.
I think there was no need for two or three charitable bodies because one is enough to do charity work.
Because, if we have a welfare body, we have to ask money from people.
It is not nice if we ask money from people.
I didn’t say anything because he had already formed the body.
But about Khairy’s appointment, I was disappointed, because there was supposed to be someone who wanted to contest the position but he was called by Hishammuddin (Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein) and ordered not to contest.
I know that the practice of appointment without contest is something which happens in Umno but it happens when someone has long served Umno and proven their worth.
But this is someone who had just joined Umno and who has not shown any bakti (service) to Umno but won without contest.
There were messages through the telephone that everyone had to vote. And I know that even though people voted, they were not satisfied and they booed him.
But the following year, there was no more booing.
Probably some things had happened until there was no more booing Khairy.
Do you think the PM grasped all that you brought up?
Dr M: I am not in a position to say whether he grasped it or not. But what I know is that he listened to me.
I don’t know what he wrote in his notes, you see he may write something else.
But as far as I can see he wrote something in his notes.
How long more are you going to be patient?
Dr M: I will continue. Until there are some changes, until I achieve some result.
Of course I am 82 years old, people believe that if they delay long enough this interfering Nosy Parker will disappear or would not be able to speak.
Would you like to see the PM leading for a second term?
Dr M: Depends on how he performs.
Are you saying that Pak Lah is losing control?
Dr M: It’s some people opinion that he has lost control.
You said the police called up people who invited you, he said it’s not true. Why don’t you test it with an invitation for you to talk?
Dr M: I want to wait and see whether any Umno division would invite me. Before they can call me, people will come. Not the police but party people.
The mentri besar will come and give warning.
All this I know, so there is no need to deny. I also know about a telephone call from Perth, when I wanted to go to Kelantan, that was received by (Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri) Annuar Musa.
When I went to Kelantan, Mubarak’s function was cancelled. I don’t know who called from Perth.
Tengku Razaleigh told me because he was with Annuar Musa at the time, who was in the hospital.
Tengku Razaleigh said Annuar Musa said: “I will make sure he does not speak.” I don’t know what “making sure” means but what actually happened is that when I went there, I wasn’t allowed to speak.
During your time, you did not see eye-to-eye all the time with former premiers Tun Hussein Onn or Tunku Abdul Rahman. Don’t you think it seems like one big cycle going round and round?
Dr M: But when Rahman and Tun Hussein sided with Semangat 46, I never stopped them. They went around, they spoke, they criticised me but I never stopped.
But why are they stopping me from speaking, censoring me in the mainstream media? Why are they spinning stories about me, digging up something that happened during my time to prove that I was a bad PM?
I didn’t do those things. Did I dig up stories on Tunku Abdul Rahman? Can you show evidence I dug up stories about Tun Hussein committing whatever?
I’m not talking about details. I am talking about former prime ministers not seeing eye-to-eye on the running of the country (with the present prime minister).
Dr M: Yes, that was not seeing eye-to-eye but could speak. This is not seeing eye-to-eye and not allowed to speak and everybody is forbidden from hearing the former prime minister speak.
Seems like you made a terrible mistake choosing the PM?
Dr M: I make a lot of mistakes. I choose people and they all turn against me. I am very bad.
You know when people come and are nice to me, they cry and something like that to me I said ya, I think he is sincere.
Although they were stabbing me before, they come back to me, I accept them.
In the 22 years, you had no rival.
Dr M: Despite all people trying to pull me down. You know Musa tried to pull me down, he thought he was more popular and he would win but he lost.
And Tengku Razaleigh tried to pull me down and of course Anwar Ibrahim also did.
Despite all this I survived. Because this is democracy you have to allow for people to criticise you and if you have a good answer you win, if you don’t have a good answer, you lose.
Had I lost to Tengku Razaleigh, I wouldn’t have been PM for 22 years.
In democracy you need an opposition party to talk about the Government but you ...
Dr M: In most countries, the main party, like the LDP or the Labour Party that you see in England, and even the American party, within the party, they are allowed to criticise the leadership.
But here, everybody must say yes, I support.
Even if yesterday they say this bridge must be built, this is our side.
Tomorrow the PM says we won’t build this bridge because Singapore might be upset, immediately the comments from people with pictures, their faces in the Straits Times with comments “We must not build this bridge, It is wrong.” You see the change is fantastic.
Would you like to form an Opposition party with like-minded people?
Dr M: No, I don’t want. I am a loyal Umno member. What I am trying to do, people might not believe it is to save Umno from bad leadership.

[POSTING ASAL]

LAPORAN awal memetik bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, sebagai berkata beliau akan terus mengkritik Kerajaan.

Dr Mahathir memberitahu wartawan selepas menemui Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi selama lebih dua jam di Seri Perdana petang ini bahawa beliau “tidak boleh mengatakan beliau gembira dengan hasil pertemuan itu.”

Bagaimanapun beliau berkata beliau berpuas hati kerana dapat menyampaikan terus kepada Perdana Menteri apa yang terbuku di hati beliau kerana sebelum ini ada orang yang menuduh beliau tidak menyampaikan perasaannya terus kepada Abdullah.

Sumber-sumber yang rapat dengan bekas Perdana Menteri berkata beliau memberitahu wartawan yang Abdullah berkata populariti beliau (Dr Mahathir ) merosot sejak dia mula mengkritik Kerajaan.

Dr Mahathir memberitahu wartawan bahawa populariti Abdullah juga merosot akibat kritikannya.

Ketika blog ini ditutlis, Perdana Menteri belum membuat sebarang kenyataan.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

prompt update

Andin Salleh said...

Tun M akan terus mengkritik kerajaan?

Tidakkah mungkin jika Tun M menjadi "penasihat" kerajaan?

Jika Tun M terus memainkan peranan sebagai pengkritik kerajaan, saya sukar membayangkan bahawa ia akan membawa hasil yang positif.

Sebaliknya, "konflik" antara beliau dengan PM akan berterusan, dan UMNO juga mungkin akan mendapat kesan negatifnya.

Anonymous said...

Selamat Hari Raya Dato dan para penulis komen,

Kita semua ternanti-nanti liputan penuh hasil pertemuan empat mata antara PM dan Tun M. Berita TV hanya memberi sedikit butir mengenai pertemuan itu, tetapi tidak cukup bahan yang boleh dibawa beraya.

Saya tak fikir PM akan buat sebarang komen sebelum berjumpa penasihat2 beliau. Saya juga tak fikir pertemuan itu membuat PM gembira dan puas hati, terutama dari segi memberi penjelasan terhadap isu2 yang dibangkitkan Tun. Malah, saya nak kata bahawa pertemuan itu membuat PM lagi pening. Kalau pertemuan itu menggembirakan, sudah tentu PM akan buat sidang akhbar dan mengumumkan hasil pencapaian debat perdana itu. Jadi, apabila PM tak buat sidang akhbar, ini bermakna dia tak ada hal yang posotif untuk dimaklumkan kepada rakyat.

Tun M pula buat sidang akhbar. Kita tunggu juga kalau2 ada akhbar perdana yang akan membuat laporan. Saya fikir berita pertemuan itu adalah antara berita hangat sepanjang Ramadhan dan menjelang Syawal ini. Tapi, mungkin juga media perdana nak dengar dulu dari mulut PM sebelum membuat laporan terhadap apa yang diperkatakan oleh Tun M. Kalau dalam suasana biasa, kedua pemimpin patut buat sidang akhbar bersama. Jika ada begini, wartawan yang benar2 wartawan boleh mengajukan soalan bernas dan mereka berdua boleh menjawab sebaik mungkin. Kalau ada sidang akhbar bersama, saya jamin tak ada sesiapapun akan mengantuk atau lena!

Dato' sebut fasal populariti! kah kah kah! Pertemuan ini dan perbandingan antara mereka berdua bukan fasal populariti! Isunya ialah keberkesanan pemimpin dan hala tuju negara dan rakyat negara ini. Umum tahu bahawa bisik2 di kalangan pemimpin atasan memberi gambaran bahawa mereka bukanlah sebegitu positif terhadap perkembangan ekonomi tanahair.

Ramai orang khuatir bahawa bisik2 ini akan menyebabkan masalah besar bagi kita semua. Bisik2 ini mungkin boleh bawa padah.

Anonymous said...

Saya setuju dengan Kawan. Kalau ada hasil positif dari pertemuan itu, tentulah mereka akan buat sidang akhbar bersama dengan serta merta. Ini cerita orang politik. Kerja mereka score point.

Tapi bila PM membisu walaupun berpuluh-puluh orang pemberita dan jurugambar menanti di luar pagar dalam panas dan hujan, kesimpulannya tentulah tidak ada hal atau perkara positif yang mahu dikhabarkan.

Saya mendapat tahu hanya pemberita The Star dan NST yang ikut Tun Dr M ke rumahnya. Tun Simpati kerana mereka datang dalam hujan. Dia buat Press Confrence mengejut. The Star ada TV cameraman dari Star TV. Boleh jadi Footage Star TV itulah yang "diceduk" oleh Stesen-stesen TV untuk berita jam lapan malam.

Tun M kata dia akan terus kritik Kerajaan. Jadi nyatalah pertemuan itu tidak mendamaikan. Nyatalah PM tidak score point dan nyatalah soalan-soalan Tun Dr Mahathir tidak dijawab dengan memuaskan.

Tapi saya yakin media massa arus perdana milik Kerajaan, Umno dan parti komponen BN akan putar-belitkan fakta. Mereka akan gambarkan Tun M sebagai orang tua nyanyok yang tidak mahu berdamai, dan PM sebagai mangsa fitnah.

Namum pada akhirnya rakyat jelata, ahli Umno dan pengundi akan tahu siapa yang betul dan siapa yang salah berasaskan kepada kesempitan hidup yang memakin hebat, jenayah yang semakin meningkat dan harga barang yang semakin naik.

Pada waktu itu mereka akan buat keputusan masing-masing bila pemilihan Umno dan pilihanraya diadakan.

Anonymous said...

Salam semua dan Minal aidil wal faizin.

Seperti yg pernah saya katakan dlm posting dahulu( Mubarak) jika tiada keikhlasan dan kejujuran bahawa pertemuan mereka utk kebaikan dan kesejahteraan Islam, orang Melayu dan rakyat Malaysia, memang sukar utk sesuatu yg positif berlaku buat masa ini. Jika kedua-dua bertemu dgn masing2 mempunyai ego yang tinggi( dia kata dia ni dah kurang popular, dia ni kata dia pun dah kurang popular~ depa ingat depa artis ka?).

Kalau masing2 berjumpa just to get at each others throat apa yg akan berlaku adalah konfrontasi yang berpanjangan dan masing2 tidak akan beralah( bagi orang politik beralah is a sign of weakness).

Sama2 kita lihat apa akan berlaku pada UMNO dan negara( dan mari berdoa agar ALLAH pelihara negara ini dari konflik yg melarat-larat).Dinasour dan gajah mahu berperang, banyaklah tikus2 dan semut2 dalam sengsara.

Dr M tidak berpuas hati dgn outcome pertemuan ini. Masih banyak terbuku di hati Dr M. Pak Lah mungkin akan lebih risau selepas ini sebab Dr M akan terus mengkritik beliau.Mungkin Pak Lah akan terus menyorok dalam kepompong 'mandat besar' beliau.

Investor luar sedang memerhati dgn perasaan tak keruan. Nak melabur atau cari negara lain?

Kita bagaimana? Kita tunggu harga petrol dan diesel naik lagi tahun depan. Dan bekalan gula dan tepung yg tiba2 boleh hilang di musim perayaan

Wassalam

Ayub Tulakang

Anonymous said...

Dato,

According to the transcript of TDM’s press conference Dr Mahathir said:

"He also told me that since I have done this, I have become unpopular and he has lost popularity too because of my criticism and the people that have benefited are (former prime minister Datuk Seri) Anwar and Nik Aziz (Kelantan Mentri Besar and PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat)."

===================================

Pak Lah seems more concerned abt his & TDM's popularity (as though it matters so much to DR M) when there are bigger issues at hand which he didnt/couldnt respond to.

I suspect Pak Lah will get back to KJ and the 4th floor boys for consultation to find the best way to "spin" & present his side of wht transpired in the meeting to make TDM look bad.

Just wait & see.

Jay

sinbad said...

Dato'

Tadi saya baru tengok Buletin 1.30 di TV3. Kenyataan Tun Dr Mahathir yang negatif terhadap Dato Kalimullah dan Brendan Pareira terkeluar secara terang-terangan. Terkejut saya, bagaimana berita sebegitu boleh keluar di TV3.

Apakah itu petanda yang ada perubahan bakal melanda?

---------------

Saya juga mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri pada Dato dan semua pengunjung laman blog ini. Jika ada terkasar bahasa atau tersinggung perasaan, saya minta maaf zahir dan batin.

Anonymous said...

Selamat Hariraya kepada Datuk dan pembaca semua.

Dari pancaran air muka Dr Mahathir pada sidang media selepas pertemuan dengan Perdana Menteri, memang jelas beliau tidak begitu ceria. Menggambarkan beliau tidak berapa gembira dengan hasil pertemuan itu. Daripada lapuran Agendadaily, beliau berckap selama satu setengah jam manakala PM berpeluang bercakap selama kira-kira setengah jam sahaja.

Bagaimana pun sangat baik Dr Mahathir yang membuat kenyataan media dan tidak PM yang buat. Tindakan PM tidak membuat sebarang kenyataan berhubung pertemuan itu melegakan suasana. Sekiranya beliau membuat kenyataan, dan ada sedikit sebanyak daripada kenyataan itu tidak selari dengan apa yang telah dinyatakan oleh Dr Mahathir, tentulah akan mencetuskan polemik baru yang akan berlarutan menjadi perang media. Dari itu wajarlah PM mengambil pendekatan mendengar dan biarkan Dr Mahathir dengan caranya.

Indikasi daripada peristiwa ini menunjukkan tindakan Dr Mahathir membuat serangan terbuka dan juga serangan peribadi terhadap Perdana Menteri bukan tindakan yang sangat bijak dan tidak dapat membantu mengurai banyak perkara.

Anonymous said...

Nampaknya spekulator-spekulator mendapat duit raya masing2 sebelum hari saya. so...spekulasi-spekulasi ini seronok dibualkan ketika mengunjungi rakan taulan. rasanya banyak cerita-cerita dan pandangan peribadi hasil pertemuan PM & TDM ini.

Saya sedih dgn komen-komen dan pandangan yg telah,sedang dan akan saya dengar susulan pertemuan mereka berdua. Apa-apapun doesnt make point to me sbb setiap pandangan yg banyak ditulis hasil dari menyebelahi satu pihak tidak membantu diri anda dan orang sekitar anda.

Anda rasa anda memberi komen/kritikan yang adil tetapi hakikatnya, tidak 100% akan rasa adil dan sebaliknya. I think same goes to PM dan TDM.

Anonymous said...

Salam semua,

Mohon maaf Dato sebab nak lari dari tajuk sikit ni.
Selepas membaca Sunday Star saya terkejut ttg berita seorang lagi ahli majlis munisipal Selangor bina banglo mewah tanpa kelulusan MPK.
Mula2 datuk Zakaria, sekarang En Mazlynoor Abdul Latiff pula.
Minta maaf cakap Dato dan semua; Depa ingat MPK tu bapak depa punya ka?

Juga dilapurkan dalam akhbar yg sama Presiden MPK Abdul Bakir Zin juga kecewa bagaimana banglo tersebut boleh dibina( hingga 80% siap) tanpa bahagian penguatkuasaan atau bahagian perancangan MPK mengambil tindakan supaya kerja2 dihentikan dan tidak juga memberitahu kpd Presiden MPK.

Mazlynoor pula claimed ramai lagi ahli majlis munisipal membina banglo di kawasan tersebut tanpa plan bangunan.

Saya merasa takjub, bagaimana perkara begini di biarkan berleluasa? Adakah kerana para ahli majlis munisipal ini kebal2 belaka kerana di lantik atas tiket Parti pemerintah?
Mereka seperti penyamun Ali Baba kasim Baba. Mereka tidak melihat undan2 itu boleh di kenakan ke atas mereka, hanya utk rakyat lain. Mungkin mereka merasa mereka ini Tok Demang pada waktu zaman sebelum merdeka dulu kot.

Atas sebab penyalahanguna kuasa ini, saya menyokong jika Majlis Kerajaan Tempatan di buat secara local election. Sapa yg tak amanah atau salah guna kuasa dan kedudukan boleh di hadapkan kpd rakyat. They will be answerable to the rakyat and not their party.
Saya ingin bertanya, bagaimana orang-orang seperti ini boleh di beri kedudukan dalam party dan kerajaan? Penyalahguna kuasa dan perasuah di pandang mulia dan di hormati dan di angkat sebagai pemimpin. Benarlah hadith Nabi SAW tentang akhir zaman....

Wassalam
Ayub Tulakang

penganggurpaksa said...

Datuk,

Saya dah dapat rasakan dah, mesti tak boleh selesai.

Kalau populariti jadi isu...baik Pak Lah jadi penyanyi! Mana tahu boleh masuk Cit Cat Azwan yang lagi banyak melahirkan isu-isu panas dari suratkhabar dan media perdana.

Syabas TDM kerana dapat juga berjumpa PM kita walaupun setakat dua jam sahaja...

kalau saya nak jumpa PM pun time Hari Raya aje kot di PWTC...tapi sori lah saya tak pegi...buang masa aje...dulu best juga bersalam TDM...sebab respek kat TDM...!

Akhir kata, Selamat Hari Raya kepada TDM, Datuk dan rakan2 seagama sekalian...semoga perjuangan kita diberkati dan dirahmati dengan rahmat yang Maha Esa...dan semoga rancangan2 Negara akan berjaya seperti yang kita harapkan...

P/s: Just nak bagitau, kitorang terserempak dgn Datuk Najib di Parkson KLCC semalam...dalam pukul 12tghari kalau tak silap...dia tengah shopping baju raya kut...tak apa la lagipun dah memang nak Raya..baju kena tukar baru...lagipun perjumpaan TDM dan Pak Lah tak de kena mengena dgn dia....DOK GITU?

A Voice said...

Eid is the the festivity to culminate a victorious ramadhan. May your ramadhan be one.

Maaf zahir batin. Selamat hari raya.

sinbad said...

Dato,

Kenyataan negatif Tun Dr Mahathir terhadap Dato Kalimullah dan Brendan Pareira sudah tiba-tiba "hilang" dalam Buletin Utama dan Nightline TV3.

Nampaknya harapan kita terhadap perubahan yang dicita mungkin tipis.

Andin Salleh said...

Walaupun saya masih menghormnati Dr.Mahathir, tetapi tindakan beliau melemparkan kritikan baru terhadap PM tidak sampai 17 jam selepas mereka bertemu memang agak mengecewakan.

Saya kadang-kadang mahu membuat ramalam yang terburuk, bahawa tindakan Tuna Mahathir bukan setakat akan melemahkan PM, tetapi juga akan melemahkan UMNO dan "menghancurkan" UMNO.

JIka selama ini kita tidak pernah terbayang bahawa UMNO akan runtuh dan hancur, maka dengan tindakan Dr.Mahahtir itu UMNO mungkin akan mengalami nasib yang demikian tidak lama lagi.

Tentu saya tidak pasti sama ada ramalan terburuk ini akan berlaku atau tidak.

Akan tetapi, kita semua tahu, dalam dunia ini tidak ada yang kekal. Malah selama ini memang tidak ada parti politik yang boleh terus kuat dan gagah seperti UMNO sehingga mencapai usia 50 tahun.

Oleh itu, dengan tindakan Dr.Mahathir itu, kita mungkin akan terpaksa mentalkinkan UMNO tidak lama lagi.

Jika berlaku hal yang demikian, hal yang nampaknya memang ditempah oleh Dr.Mahathir, maka sejarah tentunya tidak bersalah, jika nanti mencatatkan bahawa Dr.Mahathir adalah pengkhianat UMNO dan bangsa Melayu!

Anonymous said...

Sdra/Sdri Harat,

Maaf saya mencelah. Dalam dunia ni, orang yang mengkeritik tidak bahaya. Yang bahaya ialah pihak yang dikeritik tidak melakukan apa2 setelah mendapat maklumbalas yang diberi secara ijhlas. Dalam hal ini, Tun M memberi kritikan. Ada pihak kata ini bukan kritikan, tetapi maklum balas. Munngkin pedas sikit tetapi tidak merosakkan. Saya percaya Sdra/Sdri akan setuju bahawa cara yang paling baik untuk mengatasi atau menangani kritikan/pandangan pedas ialah dengan penyiasatan yang rapi lagi bebas.

Kalau Sdra/Sdri keciwa dengan tindakan Tun M untuk mengkritik PM sejurus lepas pertemuan di Sri Perdana, percayalah - ramai juga yang keciwa dengan 'elegant silence' dari PM. Kita perlu tanya kedua pemimpin ini - setakat mana mereka ikhlas mahu mencari titik pertemuan dalam kemelut hari ini? Setakat mana mereka boleh duduk semeja dan mencari jawapan secara terpeinci kepada isu2 yang dibangkitkan.

Tun M bukan pengkhianat! Kalau kita nak longgokan orang yang mengkritik PM atau kerajaan, maka negara ini tersangat besarlah jumlah pengkhianatnya. Kalau kita baca akhbar media arus perdana, memang nampak seolah-olah Tun M ialah individu yang tidak waras dan terlalu mengharapkan sesuatu dari PM dan kerajaan.

Sdra/Sdri Harat, pengkhianat yang sebenarnya ialah mereka yang duduk di kerusi empuk yang memutarbelitkan kenyataan, samada yang keluar dari mulut Tun atau PM. Pengkhianat tidak akan mewajahkan dirinya, percayalah. Pengkhianat ialah mereka yang tidak mahu melihat orang berbaik2. Harap Sdra/Sdri Harat renongkan. Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir batin!

Admin said...

Kalau dah tahu kedua-duanya populoriti
merosot..ayuh kita sokong Sdr Anwar yang popularitinya sedang meningkat.

eventscookingandalacarte said...

sepatutnya kabinet generasi sekarang patut tahu karekter tun yang sering memberi kritikan pedas tapi sahih. saya percaya tun sendiri tidak bangga dan menyukai apa yang dilakukannya tetapi ia dilakukan atas dasar seorang nasionalis yang menempuh pelbagai dugaan sebagai ahli umno, presiden umno dan perdana menteri.Pak lah dan KKK nya ( Kalimullah, Khairy dan Kamaluddin )juga rakan yang lain mungkin terasa yang mereka overqualified untuk dikritik tetapi ini adalah kritikan dari negarawan yang pernah mengkritik kerajaan dalam bukunya 'The Malay Dilemma' yahg menyebabkan beliau disingkirkan dari Umno. Sepatutnya beliau berasa bangga atau setidak tidaknya memberi perhatian bukannya mencari pengaruh untuk membidas atau mencari pengaruh untuk mendeletekan tun serentak dgn
lupa akan jasa-jasanya. Pak lah berkata yang popularitinya dan tun merosot dan sebagai seorang pengundi saya rasa pak lah harus faham dalam politik tidak ada undi sms tetapi deliverance beliau sebai pm. tun tidak mementingkan populariti sejak dari dulu lagi dan hasil kerjanya diiktiraf oleh rakyat jelata walaupun dari parti cap bulan, cap roket, cap mata biru dan banyak lagi. tun tidak pernah berdendam jika tidak masakan geng2 parti 46 dambil dan dilantik semula masuk ke kabinet dan team b mampu diberi peluang sehingga menggantikan beliau. itu orang tidak nampak. pada pengamatan saya tun adalah seorang 'kind hearted dictator' yang berpegang teguh pada prinsip ketuanan melayu dan kesejahteraan rakyat dan beliau bukannya 'corrupt democratic leader ' yang hanya tahu meraih undi dan melaungkan benda yang sama berulang kali tanpa melihat track record sendiri. Mari kita berimaginasi sebentar dan bayangkan negara tanpa tun! atau lebih tepat lagi cuba pak lah bayangkan, tanpa tun siapa pak lah? adakah org lain yang sanggup memberikan takhta kpd org yang pernah menentangnya??? kalau saya tidak. selamat hari raya.

About Me

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I was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column “Other Thots” in the Malaysian Business magazine, Kunta Kinte Original in Berita Harian and A Kadir Jasin Bercerita in Dewan Masyarakat. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots – Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).