Badawi hits back on XXXX
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Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said his government's economic policy is not only about 'tax and spend' while leaving behind a debt burden to the future generations.
'I am not averse to spending. The Ninth Malaysia Plan proves that. But if my economic policy is only about tax and spend without any thought to structural changes, what will I leave behind for future generations?
'I don't want to leave behind a debt burden or contingent liabilities. I don't want us to succeed today so that the future can pick up the tab,' he said at the Kuala Lumpur Business Club Dinner last night.
The Prime Minister pointed out that while politicians wanted to be popular, popularity must not come ahead of doing the right thing.
full text from BT
http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,193248,00.html?
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Dr M makes direct attack on Abdullah
Possible proxy war in Umno as it holds its elections next year, say analysts
FORMER Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has launched yet another blistering attack on the administration of his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday in an escalating war of words over the scrapped bridge project to replace the Causeway linking Singapore.
Dr Mahathir: Has made his distaste plain since Mr Abdullah scrapped the proposed bridge
'That there should be any Malaysian leader willing to entertain this idea (to sell sand and), to destroy Malaysian seas to satisfy Singapore, speaks badly of his love of his country,' said Dr Mahathir in the first apparent direct attack on Mr Abdullah over the issue.
The latest fusillade, which was a response to remarks made by Malaysian ambassador-at-large Fuzi Abdul Razak on Monday, was delivered from London where Dr Mahathir is vacationing. Dr Mahathir - who issued the statement through an aide - described Mr Fuzi's remarks as 'rambling' and 'not convincing at all'.
Earlier this month, Malaysia terminated negotiations with Singapore on the proposal to jointly build a bridge to replace the Causeway.
As part of the deal, Singapore had wanted to buy sand from Malaysia and use its air space.
But Mr Abdullah's decision, which was backed by all his other Cabinet colleagues, has riled Dr Mahathir, who felt that Malaysia had the right to proceed with the project without Singapore's blessing.
In essence, the former premier argued: 'The proper thing to do if the Government wants to build the bridge would be to seek arbitration or refer to a court if Malaysia is uncertain as to the right of Singapore to impose new conditions unilaterally.'
Dr Mahathir also described the possibility of Singapore refusing to allow the half-bridge to be connected to its side of the Causeway (a scenario raised by Malaysia's Foreign Ministry) as 'sheer nonsense'.
The reason: The design allowed the proposed half-bridge to end on the Malaysian side of the Causeway.
'The only way Singapore can prevent traffic from the bridge from passing through from the Malaysian portion of the Causeway into the Singapore half is to put a barrier across the Causeway border.
'This would certainly constitute an unfriendly act,' Dr Mahathir argued.
'It would be Singapore cutting its nose to spite its face.
'The damage to Singapore businesses would be at least as bad as that which Malaysia may suffer.
'But in reality, Singapore needs Malaysia more than Malaysian needs Singapore. We have our ports and airports to replace Singapore ports, airports and other services,' he added.
Singapore has maintained that Malaysia has no sovereign right to replace the Causeway linking it to Singapore.
This is because any major work related to the Causeway, which also carries the pipelines supplying water to Singapore, will affect the two countries in a variety of areas of vital importance to both countries.
But in the spirit of good neighbourliness, Singapore was ready to consider a bridge if there was 'a balance of benefits' for Singapore.
It's still too early to gauge if Dr Mahathir's continued sniping can affect Mr Abdullah politically but it cannot be helping.
Dr Mahathir, 80, is still revered within the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), over which Mr Abdullah presides.
But no one expects him to make a political comeback following his retirement in 2003 after 22 years in office.
What worries political analysts and policymakers, however, is the prospect of a proxy war in the dominant political party, egged on by the former premier.
Dr Mahathir upped the ante last week by writing letters directly to Umno delegates all over the country, explaining his position on the bridge project.
That implied that the issue was getting political: Umno is scheduled to hold its elections next year and every position - including Mr Abdullah's - could be up for grabs.
Ever since Mr Abdullah scrapped the proposed bridge, Dr Mahathir's pet project, the former premier has made his distaste plain and in increasingly forceful language.
'It looks like open warfare now,' said one official. -
Dr M was known as Mr 10%
maybe his 10% gone because cynic bridge gone?