WAR continues: Dr Mahathir: Nazri, a HATCHET MAN; Datuk Nazri:,NO, I’am NOT; REBUT the substance; DENY what I said are Not TRUTHS; Zain’s CHANCE Meet

The saga continues - the war of words and it seems Datuk Nazri is on top with him goading Dr Mahathir to rebut points he had raised and establish the truths. Dr Mahathir is still clinging to his old beliefs and wants them to be the truths.

The past is seldom what you remember it to be, for you have already rearranged it from the instant of any given event. The past is being constantly recreated by each individual as attitudes and associations change. This is an actual recreation, not a symbolic one.
The Datuk even challenged the Doctor to an open debate.

One letter writer mentioned that most “people have missed the real issue in the Dr Mahathir Mohamad vs Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dispute. Ultimately it all boils down to one issue - a dispute over whose relatives and cronies benefit from the government Treasury. Mahathir is upset because his cronies have been largely left out in the current dispensation.”
It looks like Dr Mahathir has not make enough hays while the sun was shinning for his 22 years in office. Then after stepping down and look around he realized others have more hays in their stores and even his last hays that were drying up were snatched away. So he is damn angry.

Meanwhile Bernama reported Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin said at a chance encounter with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Sunday, he conveyed his and the people's feelings over the former prime minister's stinging attack on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his administration.

"I sincerely poured out my feelings and that of Umno grassroot members and the people over the unhealthy development. But I found that Dr Mahathir had made up his mind."


"I told him straight and he was not angry...his reaction was like what we read in the newspapers. He did not say anything but he believed in what he was doing," he told reporters after launching the NAM News Network (NNN)."

Zainuddin said he met Dr Mahathir by chance at the Japan GT car racing championship at the Sepang circuit as an experiewnced "jounalist" and refused to take on the mediator role.




The Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak believes that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's continued criticism of his successor and the government will not affect investors' confidence in the country.

"They are aware that we are a stable government and backed by a strong political party," he told reporters after opening the World Security Forum at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, here Tuesday.

Najib reiterated the stance taken by Umno in explaining to the people on the criticisms raised by the former prime minister.

"We have to address not only Dr Mahathir but a wider populace," he said.

Asked whether the former Umno president would be expelled from the party following his action, Najib, who is Umno deputy president, said the party had not discussed the matter.

Najib also dismissed claims by Dr Mahathir that Vision 2020 could not be achieved due to the slow pace of current development.

He said that as long as Malaysia sustained six per cent growth for the next 15 years, the country could be a developed nation by 2020.

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Dr Mahathirs Q&A with newsmen Jun 27, 06 6:58pm

The following is an excerpt of what former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said when questioned by journalists.

On Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz's comments yesterday.

Mahathir: Nazri is what they call a hatchet man. I don't care at all for his opinion.

I know there is this process of demonising me so that I will be hated by Umno. At that stage, I think they will take action to expel me. At the moment, they cannot. It has to be built up, and they are building this up through the newspapers, showing pictures of me with PAS leaders.

(They said) I was supposed to be on the same platform (with PAS leader); I don't know what they meant about platform. Those PAS people, they came together with all the other NGOs. I wasn't on the same platform with PAS people but if they want to come, I can't say no. I am giving a talk to NGOs, and they came. It wasn't even organised by me. I went there, and they were there; so be it.

On whether he would be leaving Umno

The party doesn't belong to Datuk Nazri. It belongs to all Malays. Nazri has no right to ask this person or that person to leave. I was in Umno before he was born.

On causing disunity within the party.

No, not disunity. Lots of people have come to ask me, 'cannot something be done about what's happening?' And nobody wants to take the risk. Because you take the risk, you get punished. And lot of people now feel the pinch.

So, nobody wants to talk. Ministers want to say yes, MBs (mentri besars) want to say yes, to be in the good books. So nobody is talking. So I talk. I have nothing to gain, I have already retired, I have no more ambition. But when people appeal to me, and also because I see wrong things being done, I feel it is my duty (to speak out). It was also the same when I thought the (first prime minister) Tunku (Abdul Rahman) was wrong. Nobody wanted to take the risk, I stuck my neck out. That is a bad habit I have, I stick my neck out.

On whether he was sad due to the lack of support for him.

I am not sad because the number of people who come to see me, the number of people who wrote letters to the press but were not published; there are very many of them. They all gave me a copy of their letter, and they said they had written but not published.

You look at the newspapers, it would seem that nobody agrees with me, everybody is angry with me but lots of people are not angry with me. In fact, they come to see me, and say 'go on, datuk, go on datuk, we cannot'.

They say all this talk about openness is a big bluff. The only thing open, they feel, is when you condemn anybody who criticises the government. You can see them digging up; now they have not just stopped at me. They have gone on to attack other people who have the same ideas as mine. I am sorry for (ex-New Straits Times editor-in-chief) Kadir Jasin, they dig here and
there. If we dig, there is also dirt.

On starting rumours about the government.

The AP thing, is that a rumour? Nobody dares to say anything until I said it. Others, it's the same. The selling of Agusta, losing RM500 million for nothing because you are 'bodoh' (stupid) and don't know technology, (and) you say it's useless.

Sack this person, and that. These are not rumours, they are facts. I spoke about facts. Why is the good of me saying this? This won't appear in your papers.

There are a lot of people doing it, they have been told they must demonise us, that nothing I say will appear in the press. But this is (their) openness - you are open to support the government, it's not open to criticise the government.

On breaking his promise not to criticise the government.

They broke the promise first, I kept silent. Promises made while I was in the government, and just before I was about to leave, were broken but I didn't say anything. So, finally when it comes to the bridge, I felt it is our sovereignty, it has been undermined.

People talk about my pet projects - I have no pet projects, all are my pet projects, during my time, they were influenced by me, the whole country is my pet project. So, don't talk about pet projects.

Yes, of course, I built the railway, KLIA, Putrajaya - was there anything that happened during my time that I didn't have a hand in, that I didn't encouraged and ensure that they were successful? All were my pet projects.

To make it sound this is my pet project ... it is sheer nonsense. This is a spin doctor's job. I think these are very good spin doctors.

They are building up towards it, if I am still popular in Umno rank and file, I don't think they will do it. But they have to demonise me, associate me with PAS and opposition, show pictures of me, what was that picture (in the newspaper)? Well, I was smiling so I must have smiled at quite a lot of people but those pictures were not shown.

On when Umno will sack him

I don't know, it's up to the tempo. I think if they can build up Umno's hatred for me fast enough, then they will do it sooner. I don't plan to do anything. As far as I am concerned, if you do
something wrong, I will criticise.

On whether the spat has become an open war.

No open war. Critising the government is not war. They are trying to make out that this is a war between Dr Mahathir and Umno. You mean to say you can't criticise the PM at all? During my time, the amount of criticism I had to face would fill several volumes.

On his criticism being not good for the country.

It is not good if you don't criticise. Things which are done which are wrong; that would not be good for the country. In any case, people already have doubts. After I left, whether things would move at the same pace, they felt that (they are not), and even Malaysians are going abroad nowadays, there is no business in place.

It's not going to stop me from criticising. I have been expelled from Umno before. Before, it was even more serious. I didn't know it would stop me from becoming PM. But now I don't have any ambition to come back, not even as an MP.

On achieving Vision 2020.

Because things have slowed down. Everybody says things have slowed. Of course, the figures that are trotted out says that everything is fine, but figures can hide a lot of things.

On whether the PM supports the move to expel him.

I don't know. Everybody has the right to expel anybody, they have the authority to do so. But my view is Umno belongs to the people, and at the moment I have every right (to speak out). I have not breached anything in the constitution of Umno.

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Mohd Nazri REPLIES in a PRESS Conference

Datuk Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, denied that he was a "hatchet man" and challenged Dr Mahathir to an open debate and goaded Dr Mahathir to deny what he said are NOT TRUTHS

At a press conference in the Parliament lobby today, Mohd Nazri said: "No, the prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) did not call me or ask me to do this."

"This" was reference to Mohd Nazri's scathing remarks yesterday, in which he had told Mahathir to be a jantan (real man) and leave Umno, following the latter's severe criticism of the cabinet's recent handling of several issues.

He also said Mahathir was insincere in his love of the country and Umno, and that he was not speaking the truth.

At a function in Kuala Lumpur today, Mahathir brushed aside these remarks, calling Mohd Nazri a "hatchet man". He also claimed that attempts may be made to get people to dislike him in order to lead to his expulsion from Umno.

Reacting, Nazri retorted: "What else can he comment? When he can't rebut the substance, then (he chooses) to (take) a neutral line to say I am a hatchet man.

"(He should) Deny what I said. I don't care whether I am a hatchet man or not. Just say Nazri didn't speak the truth. I want to hear that," the minister told reporters.

Nazri said he was loyal to Mahathir and has had much respect for the ex-premier, who influenced him to join politics as a law student in the United Kingdom.

"I heard him (Mahathir) speake as the education minister then, as if he was a man with principles ... but I can't understand this man anymore," he said.

"I offered my resignation on his last day as prime minister as I couldn't bear seeing him leaving alone. (But) he rejected my resignation. Ask him."


Mohd Nazri warned the public not to treat Mahathir's actions lightly, claiming that these are now unpredictable.

On the claim that there is a plan to get people to dislike Mahathir, the minister said there is no attempt to demonise the ex-premier and that anything that has happened has been "self-inflicted".

"Why should we hate him?" he asked, adding that Mahathir should "cherish the good memories" that he used to have with the current leadership.

Nazri said he was unhappy with Mahathir describing cabinet ministers as "half-past-six", following the government's decision to scrap the half-bridge project with Singapore.

"My father spent a lot of money to send me to UK to study law, unlike him (Mahathir) who got a scholarship to do medicine. My father can't agree with him calling me 'half-past-six'."

Asked if he would meet with Mahathir, he said it was up to his ex-boss to contact him.

To a query, Nazri said he is willing to have an open debate with Mahathir on his spat with the government.
____

and from Bernama,
Johor Umno Leaders Caution Nazri Over Remarks Against Dr Mahathir
June 27, 2006 18:58 PM

JOHOR BAHARU, June 27 (Bernama) -- Several Johor Umno leaders Tuesday advised Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz not to issue statements against former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that can worsen the situation and split Umno.

They wanted Mohamed Nazri to show respect for the former prime minister and former Umno president though Dr Mahathir may have made a mistake by openly criticising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi recently on several issues.

Dr Mahathir's criticisms were on, among other things, the issuance of Approved Permits for car imports, the non-renewal of Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff's contract as Proton chief executive, the scrapping of the Johor half-bridge project, and the sale of motorcycle maker MV Agusta SpA for one euro.

Tebrau Umno Division chief Maulizan Bujang, who regarded Mohamed Nazri's statement as a personal opinion, said the differences in opinion between Dr Mahathir and Abdullah were a party matter that had to be resolved quickly by Umno.

"What are unnecessary now are statements that will worsen the situation. While we support the prime minister (Abdullah), let's not forget the deeds of Tun (Dr Mahathir). Such a view (by Nazri) does not bring any good," he told Bernama, here


And from Japan, following available from
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060627/kyodo/d8igfq1g0.html

Mahathir speaks of campaign to expel him from ruling party
Tuesday June 27, 5:39 PM

(Kyodo) _ Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who is on a warpath with the government, claimed Tuesday that there is a campaign to smear him and oust him from the ruling United Malays National Organization.

"I know that there is this process of demonizing me so that I will be hated by UMNO. At that stage, I think they will take action to expel me. At this moment, not yet," Mahathir told reporters.

He said as long as he is still popular with the party rank and file, the leadership dare not act against him.

Mahathir headed UMNO for 22 years until he handed over power to his hand-picked successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in October 2003 together with the premiership.

After two years, Mahathir expressed regret over his choice of Abdullah, whom he alleged had betrayed him by reversing many of his policies.

Since May, Mahathir has been stepping up his taunts against Abdullah.

Nazri Abdul Aziz, minister in the Prime Minister's Department whom Mahathir described as Abdullah's "hatchet man," has come to Abdullah's defense, declaring war on Mahathir and urging the 81-year old elder statesman to "be a man and leave the party."

"I don't plan to leave," Mahathir said, "I have not breached anything in the constitution of UMNO."

He questioned Abdullah's pledge of more openness and transparency.

"The only thing open and the only thing that you can do is when you condemn anybody who is criticizing the government," he said.

He also questioned Abdullah's economic skills, alleging that growth has slowed and the country's vision to achieve developed status by the year 2020 may not materialize.

"Malaysians are going abroad. They say there is no business in this country because things have slowed down," Mahathir said.

Mahathir, in his usual combative mood, stressed that he will not be cowed by the threats of expulsion.

"This is not going to stop me from criticizing. I have been expelled from UMNO before," he said. He was booted out of the party in the 1960s for his attacks against the government then.

Mahathir said he is duty-bound to speak out on the wrongdoings of the government and maintained that he has no intention of seeking a comeback.

Abdullah, who has so far chosen to stay above the fray, has finally broken his silence. In a press conference for local newspaper editors late Monday, he said he would not be distracted by the criticism against him. He said his focus is on implementing the projects laid out in the country's five-year economic plan.

"I have a job to do. It may not be sensational but there are a lot of things to do," The Star daily quoted him as saying.

For the full Bernama report on Chance Meeting with Dr Mahathir, read it at
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=205410
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