Lagi Percubaan Meminggirkan Dr M

A Kadir Jasin

[Komen menggunakan pengenalan anonymous tidak akan dilayan. Sila guna nama sebenar atau nama samaran yang sesuai.]

[Update, 2 November]

MAJLIS Tertinggi Umno yang bermesyuarat hari ini mengambil keputusan tidak memperakukan pemecatan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad sebagai penasihat beberapa agensi kerajaan termasuk Petronas dan Proton kerana mengkritik Kerajaan.

Menurut Bernama, Presiden parti merangkap Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berkata selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat itu bahawa Umno juga tidak akan mengenakan sebarang tindakan disiplin ke atas bekas Perdana Menteri itu.

"Majlis Tertinggi mengambil maklum cadangan pemimpin-pemimpin Umno Kedah berkenaan kedudukan Tun sebagai penasihat kepada beberapa buah agensi kerajaan dan memutuskan tidak akan menamatkan perkhidmatannya sebagai penasihat badan-badan itu,” kata Abdullah.

"Majlis Tertinggi juga tidak akan mengenakan tindakan disiplin ke atas Dr Mahathir kerana mengkritik Kerajaan secara terbuka," Abdullah memberitahu sidang akhbar.

Abdullah berkata tiada ahli parti yang terkecuali daripada tindakan tatatertib tetapi Majlis Tertinggi memutuskan tidak mengenakan sebarang tindakan terhadap bekas Perdana Menteri itu.

Dari aspek undang-undang dan peraturan, keputusan MT itu adalah akademik kerana hak melantik dan menamatkan perkhidmatan Dr Mahathir adalah hak Perdana Menteri.

Tindakan merujuk kedudukan Dr Mahathir sebagai Penasihat Petronas, Proton dan Lada kepada MT boleh dilihat sebagai percubaan oleh sesetengah pembesar Umno untuk mempolitikkan pelantikan beliau kerana tindakannya mengkritik Kerajaan.

Dr Mahathir dipetik sebelum ini sebagai berkata dia tidak akan meletakkan jawatan sebagai penasihat tetapi akan akur kepada keputusan parti.

[Posting Asal]

DALAM posting pada 17 Jun lalu, saya mengemukakan soalan: Tersingkir sekali lagi kah Dr Mahathir?

Saya meramalkan bahawa lambat laun Umno akan bertindak terhadap beliau kerana mengkritik Perdana Menteri dan Kerajaan.

Dari aspek undang-undang dan peraturan, bekas Perdana Menteri itu masih menganggotai Umno. Tetapi, untuk segala maksud dan tujuan, dia sudah tersingkir daripada parti yang dianggotainya sejak tahun 1946.

Dia bukan sahaja tidak lagi dialu-alukan di atas pentas Umno, malah dia sedang diburu seperti anjing kurap yang jijik oleh anak-anak didiknya sendiri.

Akhbar milik Umno, Utusan Malaysia dalam laporan muka depannya pada 30 Oktober memaparkan tajuk berita: “MT bincang jawatan Dr M sebagai penasihat syarikat dan agensi Kerajaan.”

Kalau akhbar itu masih berwibawa dan laporannya masih mencerminkan sentimen Umno, maka masa depan Dr Mahathir di dalam Umno semakin pudar. Malah kemungkinan beliau disingkirkan sekali lagi tidak boleh ditolak bulat-bulat.

Menurut akhbar itu, langkah membawa isu berkenaan ke mesyuarat MT Khamis ini diambil sebagai salah satu jalan penyelesaian kepada kritikan berterusan Dr. Mahathir terhadap Perdana Menteri, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Apakah “penyelesaian kepada kritikan berterusan Dr Mahathir terhadap Perdana Menteri” termasuk penyingkiran daripada Petronas, Proton dan Umno?

Akhbar itu memetik Setiausaha Kerja Umno, Brigedier Jeneral (B) Husainay Hashim sebagai berkata bahawa sebarang perkara yang membabitkan parti sudah tentu akan dibincangkan dalam mesyuarat MT.

Namun ada baiknya MT mengambil daya usaha itu walaupun pelantikan Dr Mahathir sebagai Penasihat Petronas dan Proton bukan dalam bidang kuasanya. Pelantikan Dr Mahathir adalah keputusan Perdana Menteri.

[Dr Mahathir memberitahu rombongan Mubarak yang mengunjunginya pada 30 Oktober bahawa dia tidak bercadang meletakkan jawatan daripada Petronas dan Proton.]

Dengan membawa hal itu ke mesyuarat MT, bolehlah lebih banyak pembesar Umno (saya sengaja tidak menggunakan istilah pemimpin) memberi pandangan, walaupun kita sudah boleh meneka bahawa majoriti mahu Dr Mahathir terus dihukum.

Seandainya Dr Mahathir disingkirkan sebagai penasihat Petronas dan Proton, yang rugi bukan Dr Mahathir tetapi Umno dan negara. Di dalam Umno hari, tidak ada orang yang lebih mengetahui mengenai dua entiti ekonomi negara itu selain Dr Mahathir.

Saya masih ingat bagaimana pada tahun 1976 Dr Mahathir kerap memberikan taklimat off-the-record kepada wartawan ekonomi mengenai rundingan Perjanjian Perkongsian Pengeluaran (Production Sharing Agreement) di antara Petronas dan syarikat-syarikat minyak antarabangsa.

Waktu itu beliau Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Perdagangan. [Pada waktu itu, Menteri Besar Kedah Mahdzir Khalid, yang pada 28 Oktober lalu, mengecam hebat Dr Mahathir, baru berusia 16 tahun.]

Di bawah pentadbiran beliau selama 22 tahun, industri petroleum negara berkembang pesat dan dasar pengantarabangsaan perniagaan beliau mengubah Petronas daripada sebuah syarikat minyak nasional kepada salah sebuah syarikat minyak antarabangsa yang terbesar di dunia.

[Dalam tempoh masa itu juga, Mahdzir lulus universiti, menjadi guru, masuk politik dan bertanding pilihan raya.]

Hari ini Petronas bergiat di 30 buah negara dan menjadi salah sebuah daripada 500 syarikat terbesar di dunia mengikut senarai majalah Fortune.

Dalam pucuk pimpinan Umno dan Kabinet hari ini, saya rasa yang mengetahui secara mendalam peranan Dr Mahathir memajukan Petronas adalah Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak.

Seperti Dr Mahathir, Najib terbabit dengan hari-hari awal Petronas dalam kapasiti beliau sebagai Pengurus Hal Ehwal Awam syarikat minyak negara itu.

Kalau Najib masih Najib yang saya kenali dan yang saya temuramah untuk akhbar Business Times pada tahun 1977, beliau wajib memberi perspektif sejarah kepada pembabitan Dr Mahathir dalam Petronas seandainya kedudukan beliau sebagai Penasihat Petronas dibincangkan Khamis ini.

Jika Najib dan sesetengah daripada kita berani atau boleh bersuara ketika “Diktator” Mahathir memerintah negara, saya tidak nampak sebab mengapa Najib dan pembesar-pembesar Umno tidak berani bersuara pada zaman ketelusan dan keterbukaan ini.

Kalau Allahyarham Abdul Razak Hussein boleh dianggap sebagai Bapa Petronas, Dr Mahathir adalah Bapa Proton. Beliaulah yang mencetuskan idea Projek Kereta Nasional pada tahun 1983 dan kerananya berpecah hala dengan timbalannya pada waktu itu Musa Hitam.

[Diktator Mahathir dicabar oleh Musa, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Rais Yatim, Radzi Sheikh Ahmad dan banyak lagi pada pimilihan Umno tahun 1987. Dia hampir kalah.]

Walaupun masa depan Proton kini dikaburkan oleh ketiadaan dasar yang jelas dan pengurusan yang terumbang-ambing, hakikat yang tidak boleh dinafikan ialah ia telah berjaya mewujudkan kepakaran dan kapasiti ekonomi di dalam bidang automotif, khasnya di kalangan Bumiputera.

Petronas dan Proton, melalui dasar pembiayaan pendidikan, gunatenaga dan latihan masing-masing telah melahirkan puluhan ribu jurutera dan pengurus Bumiputera.

Dr Mahathir tidak meminta diberikan gelaran dan anugerah. Dia tidak meminta dirinya diberikan gelaran negarawan. Yang meberikan gelaran dan jolokan ini semua adalah pembesar-pembesar Umno sediri kerana pada waktu itu, apa yang baik bagi Dr Mahathir akan membawa keuntungan kepada mereka.

Jadi tidak kenalah kalau ada orang seperti Mahdzir yang hari ini mengungkit mengenai kenegarawan Dr Mahathir.

Lagipun, siapalah beliau untuk mengatakan yang dia dan rakyat Kedah berasa malu dengan tindakan Dr Mahathir dan hilang keyakinan terhadap bekas Perdana Menteri itu?

Kalau dibandingkan Mahdzir dengan Mahathir, kesimpulannya samalah dengan kita membandingkan langit dengan bumi -- jaraknya terlalu jauh.

Kalau pembesar-pembesar Umno dan Kerajaan yang lebih kanan dan yang sudah lebih daripada dua dekad berdamping dengan Dr Mahathir masih tidak berupaya memahami beliau, inikan pula Mahdzir yang baru setahun jagung dalam politik nasional.

Maaf cakap, sebenarnya orang seperti beliaulah yang bertanggungjawab mengeruhkan suasana yang sudah pun keruh di antara Abdullah dan Dr Mahathir dengan membuat kenyataan rambang yang kemudiannya diputar-belitkan oleh sesetengah komponen media arus perdana.

Malangnya, kumpulan “orang muda berkeris” inilah – meminjam ungkapan ahli Umno bilangan 33, Tan Sri Khalid Abdullah (bekas Exco Kedah dan bekas Pengerusi Utusan Melayu Berhad) yang nampaknya “berpengaruh” terhadap Pentadbiran Abdullah.

Saya kagum membaca biodata Mahdzir yang dimuatkan di dalam portal rasmi Kerajaan Negeri Kedah. Saya bangga apabila budak Kampung Jabi, Pokok Sena berjaya masuk universiti (USM) dan seterusnya menjadi pembesar negeri.

Pada zaman saya bersekolah di Saint Michael School, Alor Star pada tahun 1950an dan 1960an, Kampung Jabi adalah kampung pedalaman yang menjadi bahan jenaka dan ketawa. Ia sinonim dengan istilah hulu.

Tetapi, terima kasih kepada pemimpin terdahulu seperti Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putera dan Dr Mahathir, hari ini Kampung Jabi berupa sebahagian daripada “the greater Alor Star” dan melahirkan seorang Menteri Besar yang “berasa bahawa orang Kedah malu dan tidak lagi menghormati Dr Mahathir” kerana dia mengkritik Abdullah [New Straits Times, 29 Oktober.]

Saya berasal dari Kedah. Kampung saya tidak jauh dari Kampung Jabi. Hasil daripada pembangunan yang dibawa oleh pemimpin-pemimpin terdahulu, kini ada tiga atau empat laluan bertar yang menghubungkan kampung saya dengan Kampung Jabi.

Saya boleh ikut jalan pekan Titi Haji Idris. Saya boleh ikut laluan pekan Langgar dan saya boleh ikut jalan Kampung Tobiar. Kampung Jabi tidak lagi sinonim dengan hulu dan kemunduran.

Sebagai orang kampung, saya yakin Mahdzir arif mengenai ular. Dr Mahathir ibarat ular berbisa yang secara sukarela turun dari pohon tinggi. Kini dia menyusur akar.

Mahdzir, sebagai budak Kampung Jabi, pasti tahu bahawa ular tedung yang menyusur akar tidak hilang bisanya. Ular kapak yang hodoh rupanya dan bersembunyi di bawah daun kering jika mematuk boleh menyebabkan daging mangsanya menjadi busuk dan reput.

Saya tidak akan membazirkan ruang mengulas kenyataan Ketua Pemuda Umno, Hishammudin Hussein bahawa dia “sick and tired” dengan kritikan Dr Mahathir terhadap Abdullah dan Kerajaan.

Saya kenal siapa pembesar dari Negeri Johor ini. Saya berbulan-bulan membuat liputan lawatan perpisahan Allahyarham bapanya, Tun Hussein, sebelum beliau bersara pada tahun 1981. Lawatan yang penuh emosi dan air mata.

Saya sekadar ingin mengingatkan anda semua mengenai kata dua “pendekar” Umno, Nazri Abdul Aziz, tidak lama lalu yang berbunyi “kita tengok siapa letih dulu.”

Abdullah Sangkal Dakwaan Dr M

A Kadir Jasin.

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[Update 30 Oktober 2006 - Revised Version]

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, hari ini menyerahkan transkrip soal jawabnya dengan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, 22 Oktober lalu kepada perwakilan Mubarak yang menemuinnya di Putrajaya.

Dalam pertemuan hampir dua jam itu, Dr Mahathir memberitahu perwakilan Mubarak bahawa terpulanglah kepada Kerajaan sama ada hendak memecat beliau sebagai Penasihat Petronas dan Proton atau tidak. Bagi pihaknya, dia tidak bercadang meletakkan jawatan.

Akhbar Utusan Malaysia dalam laporan muka satunya hari ini berkata Majlis Tertinggi Umno yang akan bermesyuarat Khamis ini akan membincangkan kedudukan Dr Mahathir sebagai penasihat syarikat dan agensi Kerajaan.

Dr Mahathir juga mengulang-maklum kepada Mubarak bahawa beliau akan terus mengkritik Kerajaan jika pada fikirannya ada perkara yang tidak kena.

Perwakilan Mubarak pula memaklumkan kepada beliau bahawa mereka akan meneruskan usaha damai mereka.

Wakil Mubarak yang hadir hari ini adalah Datuk Abu Zahar Ujang (bekas MP Kuala Pilah merangkap pemangku Pengerusi Mubarak), Tan Sri Zaleha Ismail (bekas Menteri Kebajikan), Datuk Othman Abdul (bekas MP Pendang) dan Datuk Badri Yunus (bekas Ecxo Kedah).

Terdahulu, sumber-sumber yang rapat dengan Dr Mahathir berkata bekas Perdana Menteri itu akan menceritakan apa yang berlaku dalam pertemuan beliau dengan Abdullah 22 Oktober lalu.

Sumber-sumber itu menambah, oleh kerana pertemuan berkenaan diusahakan Mubarak maka Dr Mahathir berasa wajar untuk memaklumkan kepada Mubarak secara terus mengenai apa yang telah berlaku.

Sementara itu, salah seorang ahli Mubarak yang terbabit merundingkan pertemuan Abdullah-Mahathir, Tan Sri Khalid Abdullah telah mengutus surat kepada Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, Menteri Pertanian Tan Seri Muhyiddiin Yassin dan Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Mahdzir Khalid.

Surat itu berbunyi: "Beberapa waktu yang lalu, masalah telah timbul iaitu perbalahan di antara Tun Dr Mahathir dan Dato’ Seri Abdullah, bekas Presiden dan Presiden UMNO sekarang. Saya rasa bimbang kerana pada hemat saya UMNO sekarang menuju ke arah yang lebih buruk sejak ianya ditubuhkan dulu. Adalah menjadi satu kesilapan jika pihak-pihak tertentu bertindak mengikut hawa nafsu, bukan dengan fikiran yang waras. Ada yang bersikap seperti “ORANG MUDA BERKERIS” sering cabar mencabar menunjukkan kekuatan.

Soal Tun Dr Mahathir dan Dato’ Seri Abdullah sebagai insan peribadi adalah kecil, tetapi soal bangsa Melayu adalah amat besar dan perlu ditangani dengan pengorbanan dan bijaksana. Perkara yang dititikberatkan ialah isu yang dibangkitkan, bukannya peribadi. Pada hemat saya UMNO dan MT sekarang ini berada di persimpangan dan perlu membuat pemilihan sama ada mewakili orang Melayu atau individu.

Janganlah hendaknya sebagai kata pepatah “lain yang luka lain yang diubati, kelak luka tidak sembuh dan terus bernanah dan busuk.” Kenalilah di mana luka yang sebenar dan di situlah kita ubati. Jauhilah sikap bongkak dan takbur kerana ia akan membawa kesan buruk kepada bangsa dan negara. Pemimpin datang dan pergi, bangsa tetap ada. Sama ada dapat menyambung kehidupan yang lebih bermakna atau sebaliknya, terletak kepada kepimpinan sekarang.”

Ia disalinkan kepada Hishammuddin Hussein, Rafidah Aziz, Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, Muhammad Muhd Taib, Aziz Shamsuddin dan Zainuddin Maidin.

Dalam nota kakinya, Khalid meminta surat beliau dipanjangkan kepada Ahli MT jika difikirkan perlu.

[Posting Asal]

PERDANA Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi memecah kesunyian dengan menyifatkan kenyataan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad untuk terus mengkritik Kerajaan sebagai “patukan berbisa”.

Bernama dalam laporan bahasa Inggerisnya memetik Abdullah sebagai menggunakan ungkapan “doses of venom” bagi mengulas kenyataan Dr Mahathir pada 22 Oktober yang beliau akan terus mengkritik Kerajaan jika perlu.

Bercakap kepada wartawan di majlis rumah terbukanya di Kepala Batas semalam (26 Oktober), Abdullah menyuarakan harapan agar Dr Mahathir menunggu penjelasannya kepada perkara-perkara yang dibangkitkan di dalam pertemuan mereka Ahad lalu sebelum meneruskan kritikannya.

Abdullah berkata: “Dia mengulanginya sekali lagi dengan suntikan bisa yang lebih kuat...apa lagi yang boleh saya lakukan (kalau) dia masih mahu meneruskannya?”

Perdana Menteri berkata dia hampa (disappointed) dan dukacita (regretted) terhadap kenyataan Dr Mahathir bahawa beliau akan terus mengkritik Kerajaan.

Di pihaknya pula, Dr Mahathir mengeluarkan kenyataan bertajuk "Why I Criticise the Prime Minister" yang secara langsung dan tidak langsung membalas hujah-hujah Abdullah. [Sila lawati Malaysia-Today.Net untuk laporan penuh.]

Berbalik kepada sidang akhbar Perdana Menteri, beliau dengan keras menafikan tuduhan Dr Mahathir bahawa Malaysia telah menjadi negara polis (police state) di bawah pemerintahannya.

Dia juga menafikan yang syarikat milik anaknya Kamaluddin, Scomi Berhad, mendapat kontrak TNB walaupun tidak mempunyai kemampuan.

Katanya, syarikat milik Kamaluddin mempunyai 180 buah kapal dan anak-anak Dr Mahathir juga mendapat kontrak (awam) tetapi tidak dihebohkan. Dia mendakwa kontrak yang diperoleh oleh anak-anak Dr Mahathir adalah lebih besar.

Mengenai kebebasan pemimpin Umno untuk bersuara, Abdullah mendakwa mereka kini berasa lega kerana mereka bebas bercakap.

Abdullah juga menafikan yang beliau terbabit menyekat kebebasan Dr Mahathir (untuk bertemu orang ramai dan menghadiri majlis).

(Laporan Bernama, bagaimanapun, tidak menyebut orang dan majlis macam mana yang Perdana Menteri maksudkan. Rungutan Dr Mahathir adalah dia disekat daripada berjumpa dengan ahli Umno dan berucap kepada mereka.)

[Untuk laporan lanjut sila lawati http://www.bernama.com.my

[Untuk membaca surat terbuka Tun Dr Mahathir mengenai mengapa beliau menegur Perdana Menteri dan Kerajaan sila lawati www.beritakmu.net]

Duit Raya dan Anak Berhati Mulia

A Kadir Jasin

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SEDARKAH saudara dan saudari mengenai betapa banyaknya kita makan semalam?

Kita makan ketupat, nasi himpit, rendang, soto, lontong dan berbagai-bagai lagi makanan yang lazat-lazat.

Kita minum teh, kopi, air sirap, Coca-Cola, Sarsi, Seven Up, Kickapoo Joy Juice dan berbagai-bagai lagi jenis minuman.

Dalam sekelip mata kita lupa lapar dahaga pada bulan puasa. Dalam sekelip mata pengorbanan bulan mubarak itu kita lupakan. Dalam sekelip mata perut kita kenyang tidak terkira.
Bagi yang mudah sakit perut, terpaksalah bergegas mencari garam penghadam Eno fruit salt.

Betapa mudahnya kita lupa.

Maka tidak hairanlah kalau hari raya semalam juga dijadikan hari untuk mencaci cela orang yang kita benci, orang yang tidak lagi mampu memberi kita duit raya dan mewariskan kita kuasa.

Saya bersyukur kerana masih diberikan kesihatan. Ayah dan ibu saya masih ada. Ayah berusia 83 tahun dan ibu akan menjangkau usia 80-an.
Lapan adik-beradik saya semuanya masih ada. Saya tidak boleh mengatakan yang kami semuanya seia sekata, tetapi kami tetap bertegur sapa.

Saya gembira campur duka pada hari raya tahun ini. Suka kerana masih ada usia. Masih ada sedikit keberanian untuk berbicara. Kerana anak-anak mengenang jasa.

Bagi mereka yang sudah beranak-pinak, saya mohon bertanya: Terasa kah Tuan dan Puan akan betapa gembiranya menerima duit raya daripada anak-anak?

Tuan dan Puan tidak memerlukan wang itu. Tetapi Tuan dan Puan tetap berasa amat gembira menerimanya walaupun tidak sebanyak mana.

Saya gembira kerana anak-anak saya yang dewasa memberikan saya duit raya. Saya tidak memerlukannya, tetapi ia tetap membuatkan saya amat gembira. Ia membuktikan yang anak-anak kita MENGENANG JASA.

Saya yakin begitu jugalah dengan banyak ibu dan bapa yang lain. Mereka tidak memerlukan duit raya. Peluk cium dan salam mesra sudah lebih daripada memadai.

Namun lumrah alam, tidak semua anak cerdik, penyayang, sopan santun dan mengenang budi. Tidak semua anak memeluk cium kita di pagi raya.

Dalam konteks yang agak sama, itu jugalah yang berlaku kepada orang tua politik kita, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Pasti ada “anak-anaknya” yang cerdik, penyayang, sopan santun dan mengenang budi. Mereka mencium tangannya pada hari raya dan, yang mampu memberikannya duit raya tanda kasih.

Tetapi, bagi seorang pemimpin yang menerajui politik, pemerintahan dan pemikiran negara begitu lama, pastinyalah Dr Mahathir juga menghasilkan benih-benih yang hambar, yang tidak cerdik, tidak penyayang, tidak bersopan santun dan tidak mengenang budi.

That’s the price one has to pay for leadership. Popularity is not in the realm of leadership. If one craves to be popular, he or she is better off being an entertainer or a professional footballer. Or a wrestler for that matter.

In leadership, quality is more important than quantity. Recognition is better than mere popularity.

Maka pada hari raya yang mulia ini, anak-anak yang cerdik, penyayang, sopan santun dan berbudi bahasa memeluk cium Dr Mahathir.

Mereka memeluk cium beliau bukan kerana beliau akan memberikan mereka duit raya yang banyak atau mewariskan kepada mereka kuasa.

Mereka memeluk cium beliau kerana dulu beliau pernah memberikan mereka duit raya, membekalkan mereka ilmu di dada dan meniupkan semangat sekeras waja.

Tetapi pada hari raya juga, anak-anak malang yang tidak cerdik, yang tidak penyayang, yang tidak bersopan santun dan yang tidak berbudi bahasa mengutuk, mencaci cela orang tua mereka kerana dia tidak lagi berkuasa tetapi masih gigih bersuara.

Yang malang bukanlah ayah yang dicaci cela dan dimaki nista atau anak-anak yang cerdik, penyayang, bersopan santun dan berbudi bahasa, tetapi anak-anak dangkal yang lupa asal usul dirinya.

Ayah kandung saya sudah 83 tahun usianya. Usia saya hampir enam dekad lanjutnya. Tetapi kepada ayah, saya tetap anaknya. Jadi salah kah ayah kalau sampai hari ini pun dia terus mengingatkan saya mengenai sembahyang, mengenai menjadi suami dan ayah yang penyayang dan mengenai perjuangan dan pengorbanan?

Apakah kita akan berada di sini – sesetengahnya dengan kuasa akal dan minda manakala yang lain pula dengan kuasa wang berjuta dan undi pilihan raya – jika bapa kita seorang yang hambar, nyanyuk dan gila?

Selamat Hari Raya Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dan anak-anak ”ciptaannya”.

Jika ada secangkir madu untuk Tuan nikmati, nikmatilah ia kerana itu hasil kerja kuat Tuan. Tetapi jika ada secawan racun yang terpaksa Tuan minum, minumlah ia kerana ia juga hasil kerja kuat Tuan.

Insya-Allah, madu yang berkhasiat akan menghilangkan bencana racun yang berbisa.
Salam Aidilfitri, maaf zahir batin.

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDIL FITRI
MAAF ZAHIR DAN BATIN KEPADA
PEMBAHAS DAN PELAWAT DIHORMATI

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.

Mubarak berusaha Sebulan menemukan PM dan Dr M

A Kadir Jasin

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[UPDATE, Petang 22 Oktober]

PERDANA Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahatjir Mohamad sedang mengadakan pertemuan di Seri Perdana.

Kita tunggu keputusannya. Sambil itu kita berdoa sesuatu yang baik akan tercetus daripada pertemuan Ramadan ini.

[Posting Asal]

SUATU sumber Mubarak telah memaklumkan kepada saya pada 17 Oktober mengenai usaha mereka mempertemukan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, dengan bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Pada hari yang sama, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad memberitahu wartawan di Langkawi bahawa beliau bersedia menemui Abdullah untuk “memberitahu beliau segala kegusaran saya dan selepas itu terserahlah kepada Perdana Menteri.”

Bekas Perdana Menteri berkata pertemuan itu akan diadakan sebelum Hari Raya puasa (yang dijangka jatuh pada 24 Oktober).
Daripada penjelasan sumber Mubarak dan perbualan dengan beberapa pihak yang mengetahui, saya mendapati butir-butir dan gambaran berikut:-

1. Usaha mempertemukan Abdullah dan Dr Mahathir bermula kira-kira sebulan lalu;

2. Ahli Mubarak yang terbabit adalah Tan Sri Zaleha Ismail (bekas Menteri), Datuk Abu Zahar Ujang (bekas Ahli Parlimen Kuala Pilah merangkap pemangku pengerusi Mubarak) dan Datuk Othman Abdul (bekas Ahli Parlimen Pendang);

3. Turut terbabit pada peringkat awal dan pada peringkat-peringkat tertentu rundingan adalah Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, Setiausaha Agung Umno, Tan Sri Khalid Abdullah (bekas Exco Kedah dan bekas Pengerusi Utusan Melayu) dan Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir;

4. Pada mulanya, dua cadangan Mubarak yang dipersetujui oleh Radzi adalah, pertama menjemput Dr Mahathir berucap kepada Majlis Tertinggi dan kedua menjemput Dr Mahathir berucap kepada Menteri-Menteri Umno/Melayu;

5. Dr Mahathir bersetuju dengan kedua-dua cadangan itu dan menambah satu lagi iaitu beliau berjumpa Perdana Menteri dengan syarat disertai oleh seorang saksi yang diyakini;

6. Radzi memaklumkan hal ini kepada Perdana Menteri. Beliau bersetuju bertemu Dr Mahathir tetapi tidak bersetuju ada saksi;

7. Mubarak menemui Dr Mahathir pada 2 Oktober untuk memaklumkan pendirian Perdana Menteri. Dr Mahathir keberatan bertemu Perdana Menteri tanpa saksi. Tetapi setelah lebih satu jam “dipujuk” oleh perwakilan Mubarak, Dr Mahathir bersetuju dengan pertemuan empat mata “demi orang Melayu dan Umno”;

8. Dr Mahathir memberitahu Mubarak yang beliau bersedia pada bila-bila masa dan di mana saja untuk berjumpa Perdana Menteri dan meminta Mubarak mengaturkannya;

9. Pada hari yang sama Mubarak menemui Perdana Menteri untuk memaklumkan persetujuan Dr Mahathir. Perdana Menteri nampak gembira;

10. Mubarak diberi tahu oleh Radzi bahawa Perdana Menteri akan mengatur sendiri pertemuan dengan Dr Mahathir;

11. Mubarak juga dimaklumkan yang sebelum beliau bertolak ke Makkah untuk menunaikan Umrah, Perdana Menteri menghubungi Mokhzani dan meminta beliau mengatur pertemuan dengan Dr Mahathir selepas 16 Oktober.

12. Mubarak yakin dan masih menaruh harapan pertemuan itu diadakan sebelum bulan puasa berakhir.

Syabas kepada Mubarak dan saya menyertai mereka berdoa agar pertemuan itu nanti membawa kebaikan kepada agama, bangsa dan negara.

Dr M: Najib or Ku Li Can Become PM

A Kadir Jasin

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IT is interesting that in his interview with Bloomberg Television, the former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should mention Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as one of the two possible candidates to succeed Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The other, understandably, is the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak.

Dr Mahathir has always had a soft spot for Najib for two reasons. First, he is the son of late Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysia’s highly respected second Prime Minister.

Dr Mahathir owed a lot to Razak for his personal safety and for his political survival. It was Razak who brought him back to Umno in 1972 after being expelled two years earlier by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra.

It is widely believed that it was Razak’s “wasiat” (will) that induced the late Tun Hussein Onn to make Dr Mahathir his deputy instead of the two other more senior Umno vice-presidents, Tengku Razaleigh and the late Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba.

Second, he was responsible for charting Najib’s political career. Najib was Deputy Minister of Education when Dr Mahathir became Prime Minister in 1981. Dr Mahathir immediately transferred him to the Finance Ministry.After the 1982 general elections, Dr Mahathir appointed him the Menteri Besar of Pahang, making him the youngest Menteri Besar at 29. He rose progressively through Culture, Youth and Sports, Defence and Education Ministries.

Dr Mahathir out of his way, including breaking the tradition, to ensure that Najib was made the Deputy Prime Minister when he passed the baton to Abdullah.

But in recent months, as his criticisms of Abdullah grew stiffer and the latter retaliated by using the party to shut him out, Dr Mahathir was said to have become somewhat reticent about his support for Najib. He thought Najib wasn’t doing enough to pull his weight as Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President.

This could be one of the reasons why he mentioned Tengku Razaleigh as a possible successor despite the fact that they seldom see eye-to-eye. Tengku Razaleigh mounted a failed challenge to oust Dr Mahathir as Umno President in 1987. Abdullah was a key player in Tengku Razaleigh’s Team B.

But Dr Mahathir has always had healthy respect for the Kelantan Prince, openly acknowledging him as a worthy opponent. In recent months, Tengku Razaleigh has on many occasions “sided” with Dr Mahathir in his criticism of the Prime Minister.

The mere mention of his name should give Tengku Razaleigh a boost should he decide to make a second attempt to challenge Abdullah for the top party post. But this does not amount to an open support by Dr Mahathir. I am sure former Prime Minister would like to know what Tengku Razaleigh has to say and offer to the party and the country.

For Najib, Dr Mahathir’s mention of Tengku Razaleigh may not immediately diminish his chances of taking over from Abdullah. But it does put him in a bid of a dilemma because he is indebted to both men – Dr Mahathir for making him a protégé and Tengku Razaleigh for introducing him to politics and the economy way back in the mid 1970’s.

At the very least Dr Mahathir’s mention of Tengku Razaleigh should set the people, especially Umno members, thinking that there is more than one person that can take over from Abdullah sooner or later.

Another possibility is it could set Umno members thinking about the wisdom of separating the post of party President and the Prime Minister. A future Umno President may not necessarily become the Prime Minister or want to assume the post.

Pertemuan Abdullah-Mahathir Harus Terbuka

A Kadir Jasin

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AKHBAR bahasa Inggeris The Star melaporkan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, sebagai membayangkan kemungkinan pertemuan di antara Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dengan bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad diadakan segera.

Ia memetik Radzi yang juga Setiausaha Agung Umno sebagai berkata bahawa pertemuan itu akhirnya akan berlaku.

Yang menarik, menurut The Star adalah hakikat bahawa Radzi mengeluarkan kenyataan itu secara sukarela tanpa ditanya oleh wartawan di sidang akhbar bulanan di kementerian pada 10 Oktober.

Kata Radzi, “sesuatu yang baik” akan berlaku pada bulan Ramadan ini dan beliau sentiasa mendoakannya.

Menjawab soalan pemberita, beliau berkata: “Sesuatu yang baiklah. Siapa tahu. Mungkin mereka telah berubah hati.”

Kalau benar kenyataan Radzi itu, baguslah. Siapa tahu sesuatu yang baik akan terbit daripada pertemuan itu.

Tetapi lebih elok jika pertemuan itu turut melibatkan beberapa orang lain agar tidak berlaku syak wasangka dan tuduh menuduh kemudian hari.

Lagipun, apa yang berlaku di antara Abdullah dan Dr Mahathir bukan soal peribadi dan pastinya bukan rahsia lagi. Umum bukan sahaja sudah tahu punca perselisihan mereka malah turut terbabit dengannya.

Justeru itu, mereka berhak mengetahui dengan sejelas mungkin apa yang berlaku dalam pertemuan itu. Ini akan dapat dipenuhi hanya jika pertemuan itu dicatatkan dan dilaporkan secara sahih dan rasmi.

Kegagalan merakam, melaporkan dan menghebahkan hasil pertemuan itu tentunya tidak selaras dengan mantera semasa iaitu ketelusan, kebertanggungjawaban dan keterbukaan.

Lagipun, kalau seorang asing seperti Menteri Mentor Singapura, Lee Kuan Yew, boleh mendedahkan kandungan suratnya kepada Abdullah, tentulah tidak ada alasan mengapa hasil pertemuan di antara Abdullah dan Dr Mahathir hendak dirahsiakan.

Jadi bagi mengelakkan interpretasi dan pemahaman yang berbeza, amat wajarlah pertemuan itu dihadiri oleh " saksi-saksi " yang berwibawa dan yang tidak memihak.

Nakal, Jangan Ulangi Lagi

A Kadir Jasin

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NAKAL [naughty], kata Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak.

Jangan ulangi lagi [don’t repeat it], kata Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Dengan itu nampaknya, sepanjang mengenai dua pemimpin tertinggi kita, selesailah isu fitnah dan hasutan Menteri Mentor Singapura, Lee Kuan Yew terhadap negara kita.

Kuan Yew tidak mohon maaf. Tetapi ini tidak menghalang sesetengah komponen media massa arus perdana kita memutar-belitkan fakta untuk memberi gambaran bahawa dia memohon maaf.

He did not apologise. Dia tidak meminta maaf. Dia sekadar berkata: “I am sorry” (saya dukacita) kerana kenyataannya telah menyebabkan “discomfort” – ketidakselesaan – kepada Perdana Menteri kita.

Oleh sebab Perdana Menteri kita tidak menghebahkan kandungan suratnya kepada Kuan Yew, jadi kita tidak tahu istilah siapakah “discomfort” itu.

Adalah ia istilah Kuan Yew atau Menteri Mentor Singapura itu sekadar mengulang pakai sentimen Perdana Menteri kita.

Setelah membaca surat Kuan Yew kepada Abdullah yang “di carbon-copykan” kepada kita melalui media massa kita, rasanya teringin pula hendak membaca surat Perdana Menteri kita kepada Kuan Yew. Itu pun kalau boleh.

Dalam suratnya, Kuan Yew sekadar berkata: “I am sorry that what I said has caused you a great deal of discomfort.”

Dalam bahasa yang mudah, Lee sekadar menganggap Perdana Menteri kita mengalami rasa kurang selesa amat sangat, lebih kurang macam orang yang perutnya meragam kerana terlalu banyak makan waktu berbuka puasa.

Atau orang yang rasa mahu buang air, tak kira kecil atau besar, ketika kenderaannya tersangkut dalam kesesakan lalu lintas Bandar Raya Kuala Lumpur selepas hujan lebat.

Bukan sahaja Kuan Yee yang nakal (naughty) itu tidak memohon maaf (apologise) kerana menuduh Malaysia meminggirkan rakyat keturunan Cinanya, malah dia tidak pun menarik balik tuduhan itu.

Sebaliknya dia mengambil kesempatan mempertahankan kenyataannya dan membuat tuduhan baru, termasuk terhadap bekas Perdana Menteri kita, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Jadi sepanjang mengenai Kuan Yew, dia tetap mempertahankan kenyataannya bahawa Malaysia secara sistematik meminggirkan orang Cina dan menuduh Malaysia membuat kenyataan yang serupa mengenai kaum minoriti di Singapura.

Kata Kuan Yew: “I had no intention to meddle in your politics. Indeed, I do not have the power to influence Malaysia's politics or to incite the feelings of the Chinese in Malaysia.”

Aduhai, bodohnya kita jikalau kita termakan kata-kata manis dan putar-belit bekas pemimpin kuku besi Singapura itu.

Tidak berhasrat campur tangan dalam politik negara kita? Rupa-rupanya Kuan Yew juga amat peka mengenai niat dan hasrat. Abdullah pernah ditajuk-beritakan sebagai berkata: “Jangan Pertikai Niat Ikhlas Saya.”

Berniat atau tidak, kenyataan fitnah Kuan Yew itu bukan sahaja mencetuskan rasa marah rakyat Malaysia, malah telah menyebabkan mereka bertelingkah antara satu sama lain.

Kalau itu bukan campur tangan, apakah muslihat Kuan Yew? Hakikatnya dia bukan sahaja campur tangan dalam hal ehwal negara kita, malah telah menghasut (incite) orang Cina Malaysia sehingga ada di antara mereka yang secara terbuka mengkritik negara mereka sendiri dan memihak kepada Kuan Yew.

Atas perbuatan jahat itu, Kuan Yew hanya dianggap “naughty” (nakal) dan dimarahi dengan kata-kata “jangan ulangi lagi.”

Alangkah gembiranya kita kalaulah kita Kuan Yew. Kita boleh memfitnah sebuah negara berdaulat dan kita hanya dianggap nakal dan diberi amaran jangan mengulanginya lagi.

Kuan Yew membuat kenyataan di negaranya dan disiarkan oleh media massa dunia. Apa yang beliau hujahkan bukan dokumen rasmi. Ia sekadar laporan akhbar.

Tetapi apabila Perdana Menteri kita menulis surat kepada Kuan Yew meminta beliau memberi penjelasan, surat beliau adalah dokumen rasmi.

Kuan Yew menjawab surat Perdana Menteri kita. Surat Kuan Yew itu adalah dokumen rasmi. Perdana Menteri kita tidak berkongsi suratnya dengan kita. Kuan Yew berkongsi suratnya dengan kita dan dengan dunia.

Ini macam cerita budak jahat buat fitnah mengenai anak cucu kita. Budak jahat tak kena apa-apa, anak cucu kita yang bergaduh sama sendiri, diherdik dan dirotan.

Aduhai, seronoknya jadi Kuan Yew. Walaupun sudah 16 tahun tidak menjadi Perdana Menteri dia masih dilayan sebagai orang terpenting di Singapura.

Andainya tidak, masakan Ketua Kerajaan sebuah negara dengan 24 juta penduduk, tergesa-gesa menulis surat kepada beliau yang hanya “guru” (mentor) kepada sebuah negara kecil dengan penduduk seramai 4.02 juta?

Atau seperti kata pembahas “shar101”: “Since LKY 'wrote' to all of us, shall we not reply to him?”

I think we should. We should tell him that his statement was malicious and he should apologise for meddling in our affairs.

We should also tell him to concentrate on taking care of his compliant 4.02 million countrymen and women, 77 per cent of whom are Chinese, 14 Malays and 7.6 per cent Indians instead of instigating our people.

The following is his address:

LEE Kuan Yew

Prime Minister’s Office

Istana Annexe, Orchard Road, Singapore

238823 68356217 68356218

lee Kuan Yew@pmo.gov.sg

[Revised Version]

Muslihat di Sebalik "I'm Sorry" Lee Kuan Yew

A Kadir Jasin

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MOHON maaf Menteri Mentor Singapura Lee Kuan Yew kepada Malaysia kerana menyebabkan “keresahan” (discomfort) berikutan ulasannya mengenai bagaimana Malaysia melayan kaum minoriti Cina, cukup unik.

Membalas surat Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Lee berkata dia amat berdukacita. Dalam bahasa Inggeris, Lee menggunakan istilah “sorry”.

Menurut laporan akhbar The Star, Lee berkata setelah sedekad melalui perhubungan yang tegang dengan Perdana Menteri dahulu (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad), berselisih faham dengan Malaysia adalah sesuatu yang tidak diingininya.

Bekas Perdana Menteri Singapura selama 25 tahun itu menambah sejak Abdullah mengambil alih sebagai Perdana Menteri, perhubungan antara kedua-dua buah negara telah menjadi semakin baik.

Lee jarang mohon maaf. Sebaliknya dia menjadikan amalan politiknya memaksa orang lain, sama ada musuh-musuh politiknya di Singapura atau media massa asing, meminta maaf kepadanya.

Jadi apabila dia memohon maaf kepada Malaysia, dia melakukannya dengan cara yang cukup luar biasa yang memberikan beliau kesempatan dan faedah tertentu. Dalam erti kata yang lain, dia memohon maaf tanpa menjatuhkan air mukanya.

Yang paling memeranjatkan ialah suratnya kepada Abdullah turut diedarkan kepada media massa Malaysia dengan hanya memaklumkan hal itu kepada Perdana Menteri kita melalui nota kaki di dalam surat berkenaan.

Ini cukup luar biasa kerana maklumat yang terkandung di dalam surat kepada Perdana Menteri kita itu menjadi pengetahuan umum hampir serentak dengan beliau menerima dan membacanya.

Jadi, apa jua reaksi balas Abdullah kepada penjelasan dan mohon maaf Lee itu tidak dapat tidak akan diteliti rapi oleh orang ramai kerana mereka juga “menerima” surat yang sama daripada Lee, serentak dengan Perdana Menteri.

Ini adalah cara Lee cuba mempengaruhi pendapat umum di Malaysia dengan berhubung terus dengan rakyat jelatanya. Dari aspek perang saraf, Lee sudah berjaya mempengaruhi pandangan rakyat Malaysia sebelum Kerajaan mereka sendiri sempat memberi reaksi.

Kalau dalam permainan catur, Lee sudah “checkmate” Kerajaan Malaysia. Kalau dalam peperangan, musuh sudah melempar kembali bom tangan yang kita lontarkan tetapi belum meletup.

Walaupun Lee, dalam suratnya berkata dia tidak bertujuan untuk campur tangan dalam politik Malaysia dan tidak berkuasa untuk mempengaruhi politik Malaysia atau menghasut orang Cina Malaysia, namun bagi saya, tindak-tanduk Lee membawa maksud sebaliknya.

Apakah tujuan dan muslihat Lee memberikan salinan suratnya itu kepada rakyat Malaysia melalui media massa Malaysia serentak dengan penghantarannya kepada Perdana Menteri Malaysia?

Apakah Lee serius dengan mohon maafnya? Ini kerana di dalam surat kepada Abdullah itu pun dia masih mempertahankan kenyataan dengan alasan bahawa ia dibuat di dalam “free-flowing” dialog dengan bekas Setiausaha Perbendaharaan Amerika, Lawrence Summers di hadapan perwakilan persidangan Tabung Matawang Antarabangsa/Bank Dunia pada 15 September lalu.

Dia juga mempertahankan hujahnya dengan berkata bahawa Singapura memerlukan kerajaan yang kuat (ertinya Kerajaan PAP) untuk menjalin perhubungan yang baik dengan Indonesia dan Malaysia, dan untuk berinteraksi dengan ahli politik Malaysia yang menganggap Singapura sebagai negara kaum Cina dan mahukan Singapura sensitif dan akur kepada permintaan mereka.

Lee juga memuji Abdullah kerana memperjelaskan pendirian Kerajaan Malaysia menghormati perjanjian-perjanjian dengan Singapura selaras undang-undang antarabangsa dengan membatalkan Projek Jambatan Bengkok.

Kesimpulannya, apa jua reaksi kerajaan kita kepada mohon maaf Lee itu, beliau sebenarnya mendapat peluang keemasan untuk berinteraksi terus dengan rakyat jelata Malaysia.

Timbul juga tanda tanya apakah sopan dan menepati protokol bagi Menteri Mentor Singapura itu mengedarkan surat berkenaan kepada khalayak sedangkan surat itu ditujukan kepada seorang Perdana Menteri.

Memandangkan bahawa Lee Kuan Yew telah menghebahkan kandungan suratnya kepada rakyat Malaysia, adalah wajar Perdana Menteri mendedahkan kandungan suratnya kepada menteri Singapura itu.

Dengan yang demikian dapatlah rakyat jelata membandingkan protes beliau dengan respons Lee Kuan Yew.

POST SCRIPT [4 Okrober]

Terima Kasih Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar kerana memperjelaskan apa yang tersurat dalam surat Lee Kuan Yew kepada Perdana Menteri kita. Yang tersurat adalah Lee Kuan Yew TIDAK MEMOHON MAAF.

Dia sekadar berkata dia “sorry” (dukacita) kerana kenyataannya menyebabkan Perdana Menteri kita menyalami “discomfort” (ketidakselesaan).

Utusan Malaysia yang dalam laporannya semalam menyiarkan tajuk berita “Kuan Yew Minta Maaf”, hari ini menyiarkan tajuk berita “Surat Kuan Yew bukan permohonan maaf – Syed Hamid”. Tajuk berita akhbar Berita Harian semalam “Lee Kuan Yew Mohon Maaf.”

Syed Hamid menganggap surat penjelasan Lee Kuan Yew kepada Abdullah tidak menggambarkan permohonan maaf yang sebenar.

Beliau menegaskan, surat penjelasan tersebut lebih merupakan penerangan kepada Perdana Menteri berhubung apa yang didakwa mengenai peminggiran secara sistematik masyarakat Cina di Malaysia sebelum ini.

“Saya tidak menganggap ia surat permohonan maaf kerana beliau (Kuan Yew) hanya menjelaskan apa yang dikatakan (tuduhan peminggiran masyarakat Cina di Malaysia).

“Dalam surat itu Kuan Yew hanya menyatakan permohonan maaf kerana menyebabkan timbul ketidakselesaan kepada Perdana Menteri sahaja,” katanya kepada pemberita di majlis berbuka puasa di Wisma Putra, di sini hari ini.

Syed Hamid berkata, permohonan maaf kerana menimbulkan rasa tidak selesa kepada Perdana Menteri berbeza dengan permohonan maaf kerana membangkitkan isu peminggiran masyarakat Cina di Malaysia oleh Menteri Mentor tersebut.

A big thank you to Syed Hamid. At least somebody understands Lee’ trickery and speaks up. That the Mainstream media should attempt to spin the story in the first place is mind-boggling.

Now we why Lee made public his letter. He had anticipated that someone would spin its contents. By making the letter public, Lee directly told theMalaysian people that he was not retracting his allegation and was not apologising to Abdullah.