Dr M VS Government

Mahathir on offensive against government
May 1, 06 1:14pm

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's ferocious attacks on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government are undermining the administration and could be aimed at forcing Abdullah's early departure, observers say.
Since stepping down in 2003, Mahathir has launched a number of broadsides against the government, which has been gradually unravelling his vision for the country, particularly megaprojects like the national car.
But his criticisms have become more bitter since Abdullah earlier this month dropped his predecessor's long-cherished plans for a new bridge to Singapore, saying that the city-state was asking for too many concessions.
In a sign of growing impatience over Mahathir's barbs, Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar has called on the veteran leader to stop the public bickering with the government, warning it would affect the country's image.
"The disagreements should not be escalated to the extent of creating a situation that gives rise to a perception of a political crisis," said Syed Hamid.
"We have to accept the fact that when there is a change in leadership, the current leadership may act or make a decision different from that of the previous leadership," he added.
Sharp-tongued remarks
Mahathir handed over the reins to his hand-picked successor Abdullah in October 2003 after more than two decades in power, ending his stint as one of Southeast Asia's political strongmen.
Initially accused of pulling the strings behind Abdullah's administration after his retirement, the former premier has since become a vocal critic of its decisions.
While some analysts say dissension from the former leader - especially one so intricately involved in the nation's affairs for so long - is to be expected, Mahathir's sharp-tongued remarks are starting to raise eyebrows.
Changes at troubled car maker Proton, which he nurtured from its inception, and a possible free trade agreement with the United States have provided targets.
At his most acidic, Mahathir has accused Abdullah of being unpatriotic by mulling the sale of sea sand to Singapore as part of now-defunct negotiations for the new bridge.
"That there should be any Malaysian leader willing to entertain this idea, to destroy Malaysian seas to satisfy Singapore, speaks badly of his love for his country," Mahathir said last week.
Opposition leader Lim Guan Eng from the Democratic Action Party said Syed Hamid's comments signalled the "beginning of a new crisis" in Abdullah's ruling United Malays National Organision (Umno).
The bridge plans "may have collapsed, but more damaging is the collapse of the relationship" between the two men, Lim said in a statement.
The wrangling is feeding the perception that Abdullah is a one-term premier who will merely fill the gap in a transition between Mahathir and his reputed ally Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.
One-term prime minister
While mainstream newspapers, many of which are owned by ruling parties, have shied away from the issue, the influential website malaysiakini said Mahathir was actively trying to unseat Abdullah.
"It's all about preserving his vision of economic nationalism," the website's editor-in-chief Steven Gan wrote in a weekend editorial.
"With Mahathir rallying his troops within the party, Abdullah is likely to be a one-term prime minister," he said, adding he expected a leadership challenge after the general election, which could be as early as the end of 2007.
However Shahrir Samad, Parliament's backbench leader and a prominent Umno politician, has denied there are any party splits.
"It is to Abdullah's credit that he has refrained from answering directly to the comments that were made by Mahathir," he told AFP.
If Mahathir is plotting to curtail Abdullah's political career, analysts say they do not expect open defiance from Najib, who would be viewed negatively for undermining Abdullah.
"What can actually lead to problems is the people around those two leaders. They can try to raise the temperature," said political commentator Chandra Muzaffar.

Syed Hamid seperti ‘mahu mengajar Dr M’ Nash RahmanApr 30, 06 1:25am

Bekas Menteri Besar Kedah, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid membidas Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar yang menurutnya, telah mengeluarkan kenyataan yang seolah-olah mahu mengajar Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berhubung isu pembatalan pembinaan jambatan untuk menggantikan Tambak Johor.
Walaupun beliau tidak menyebut nama Syed Hamid, tetapi Sanusi jelas merujuk kepada kenyataan Syed Hamid kelmarin yang menyebut semua semua pihak perlu menerima hakikat apabila berlaku perubahan kepimpinan, pemimpin semasa mungkin membuat tindakan dan keputusan berbeza dari pimpinan terdahulu.
“...Bila ada perubahan kepimpinan, kita kena terima... macam nak ajar Dr Mahathir. Ini orang yang dilantik oleh Dr Mahathir dalam kabinetnya,” kata Sanusi selaku ahli penal di majlis forum mengenai hubungan Malaysia-Singapura di Johor Bahru semalam.
Forum bertajuk ‘Keharmonian hubungan Malaysia-Singapura sebagai teras kesetiakawanan dan keamanan Asean’ itu dianjurkan oleh Biro Penerangan dan Halehwal Pergerakan Pemuda Umno Bahagian Pulai.
Ahli penal yang lainnya ialah bekas Ketua Pengarang Kumpulan NSTP, Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad; bekas Ketua Pengarah Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DPB), Datuk Hassan Ahmad dan bekas Pengerusi Kelab Penyokong Kerajaan (BBC), Datuk Ruhanie Ahmad.
“Katanya, kalau tidak bersetuju jangan pula bangkitkan sentimen hingga boleh memecahbelahkan negara... apakah Dr Mahathir hendak memecahbecahkan rakyat Malaysia?” soal Sanusi lagi.
“Dia kata lagi... boleh sebabkan negara tidak stabil dan tidak selamat... Apakah Dr Mahathir mahu negara ini tak stabil dan tidak selamat? ...Mengapa sampai hati kata macam tu...,” tambah Sanusi lagi yang merupakan rakan politik terapat Dr Mahathir ketika beliau dalam kerajaan dahulu.
Bagaimanapun, Sanusi yang juga Presiden Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) berkata beliau membuat teguran itu bukan kerana beliau “terlalu fanatik dengan Dr Mahathir” tetapi kerana pada pandanganya, kata-kata seumpama itu tidak harus ditujukan kepada bekas Perdana Menteri itu.
‘Jangan hina orang tua’
Sehubungan itu, beliau menasihatkan generasi muda supaya jangan menghina orang tua “kerana anda juga akan jadi tua suatu masa nanti”.
“Apabila Tun Ghafar Baba meninggal, saya tidak menangis di pusaranya, tetapi saya menangis kerana saya gagal selamatkan beliau ketika ditumbangkan pada tahun 1993,” kata Sanusi, merujuk ketika Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim bertanding jawatan timbalan presiden Umno yang disandang oleh Ghafar yang ketika itu Timbalan Perdana Menteri.
Anwar mendapatkan pencalonan terbanyak, sedang Ghafar hanya tujuh pencalonan. Berikutan itu Ghafar mengambil keputusan menarik diri daripada mempertahankan jawatan tersebut dalam pemilihan Umno 1993.
Menurut Sanusi, beliau begitu terkejut apabila mendapati Ghafar berjalan ke sana-sini “dengan membawa beg kertas”.
“Dr Mahathir juga akan pergi... jika kita akan menangis ketika Dr Mahathir sudah tiada dan menghamburkan kata-kata pujian... mengapa tidak sekarang ketika beliau masih hidup...,” katanya.
“Kita terlalu cepat berkawan dengan musuh dan cepat pula bermusuh dengan kawan... Saya bukan fanatik Umno. Pada 1974, apabila Tun Razak pilih saya untuk bertanding... saya mendapat tahu Dr Mahathir menentang pencalonan saya.
“Bila (kami) berdamai pada 1977, baru saya tahu Dr Mahathir setia pada agama dan negara, setia pada kawan dan setia pada prinsip,” katanya sambil menambah sukar untuk mencari pemimpin hari ini yang boleh dikatakan setia pada kawan, tetapi lebih setia pada jawatan.
Oleh itu, beliau berharap generasi muda supaya mengutamakan keberanian daripada kepandaian kerana manusia yang bodoh boleh diberi pelajaran “tetapi manusia yang penakut tiada gunanya”.
“Pesanan (kepada) orang muda, macama manapun, jangan hina orang tua, kerana anda juga akan mennjadi tua... jangan perkecil sejarah, kerana di sanalah terletak kebijaksaan bangsa...,” katanya.
Perbezaan pendapat
Tan Sri Abdullah kemudiannya mencelah memaklumkan bahawa orang yang dimaksudkan oleh Sanusi ialah Syed Hamid.
Ketika mengulas perbezaan pendapat antara kerajaan dan bekas Perdana Menteri itu berhubung pembatalan pembinaan jambatan menggantikan Tambak Johor, Syed Hamid dilaporkan berkata amalan untuk sesuatu kerajaan ambil tindakan adalah berlainan dari masa ke satu masa.
Syed Hamid dilaporkan berkata: "Saya fikir kita kena terima hakikat bila ada perubahan pimpinan, pimpinan semasa mungkin membuat tindakan dan keputusan berbeza dari pimpinan terdahulu. Ini tidak bermakna dia membuat semata-mata untuk memuaskan hati atau perasaan," katanya.
Bagaimanapun, kata menteri luar itu lagi, ia tidak seharusnya berpanjangan sehingga menimbulkan suasana yang boleh menggugat perpaduan dan kekuatan negara.
Syed Hamid dilaporkan berkata: “Kalau pun tidak bersetuju, jangan pula bangkitkan sentimen yang boleh merosakkan perpaduan dan kekuatan kita. Kita tak boleh berhentikan sesiapa (daripada memberikan pandangan), lebih-lebih lagi orang yang ada kedudukan, yang amat dihormati dan tinggi dalam pandangan rakyat jelata.
"Masing-masing memberi penjelasan dan hujah. Kalau ada tidak bersetuju dia mempunyai hak suarakannya dan selepas itu perkara itu tidak seharusnya menimbulkan satu suasana yang boleh bangkitkan seolah ada krisis politik," kata Syed Hamid.
Syed Hamid tells Dr M: Accept change...
Apr 28, 06 7:34pm

All quarters must accept the fact that decisions may differ when there is a change in leadership, said Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar today.
It was obvious that the statement was directed at former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Mahathir of late has been raising a ruckus over the government’s decision to scrap the half-bridge project, mooted by him when in office.
Without mincing his words, the former premier had even accused his handpicked successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration of selling out national interest. Syed Hamid, who has also come under intense fire from Mahathir’s camp, was asked to comment today on his former boss’s tirade.
“The practice of a government taking different actions from time to time is normal, it is not something extraordinary. It does not mean we have failed to see specific issues,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
“I think we have to accept the fact that when there is a change in leadership, the current leadership will take different actions and make different decisions than its predecessor. This does not mean he (the new leader) is doing something just to satisfy himself,” he added.
Political crisis
The minister said the differences in opinion should not drag on until to the point of threatening the nation’s unity.
Such a tiff, he added, should not give the impression that Malaysia was facing a political crisis.
“It is not necessary for everyone to agree with the government and Dr Mahathir as the former prime minister has the right to disagree and provide a different interpretation (on the issue),” he said.
“I think these arguments and views will continue but the question is the government sees that it has made (a decision) in the best interest of the people and for the good of Malaysia.
“We did not pawn the interest or the sovereignty of the nation. What is important, is that we stop bickering with each other,” he added.
Syed Hamid said he hoped that the situation does not escalate to the point of dividing the nation.
“We made a decision based on certain factors. After that, there are those who disagree and even if they disagree, they should raise sentiments that can ruin the unity of the country.
“We cannot stop anyone from raising their arguments and views, especially if that person has a standing in society, is much respected and regarded highly among the people,” he added.
Previously, Mahathir’s former political secretary Matthias Chang had accused Syed Hamid of giving 'bad advice' to Abdullah over the bridge issue and called for his resignation.
Najib: Jual pasir, guna ruang udara idea Singapura
Apr 29, 06 1:24pm

Idea mengenai penjualan pasir dan penggunaan ruang udara Malaysia oleh pesawat Singapura sebagai syarat pembinaan jambatan menggantikan Tambak Johor, datangnya daripada republik itu.
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, perkara itu dibawa ke pengetahuan Jemaah Menteri selepas ditimbulkan di peringkat pegawai kedua-dua negara.
"Bagaimanapun, Jemaah Menteri telah memutuskan bahawa menjual pasir dan membenarkan Singapura menggunakan ruang udara kita sukar diterima, terutama sekali oleh rakyat Malaysia.
"Jadi kita mengambil keputusan demikian (membatalkan pembinaan jambatan itu)," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Kabinet Mengenai Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal di Putrajaya semalam.
"Kabinet telah memutuskan perkara ini dan jelas kita tak ada cadangan nak jual pasir," kata Najib.
Menurut laporan Bernama, kenyataan terbaru bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berhubung isu jambatan itu menyebut beliau langsung tidak dapat menerima alasan keputusan pembatalan projek itu oleh kerajaan.