PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has challenged author ofMalaysian Maverick: Mahathir in Turbulent Times to provide documented proof that he had burnt RM100bil during his tenure as prime minister. Dr Mahathir said he reserved his right to sue author Barry Wain, who is with Singapore think-tank Southeast Asian studies, for libel. He said the country would have been in deep financial trouble if it had lost such a hefty sum, adding that the government had honoured its financial commitments even during slow economic growth. Highlighting three instances that cost Malaysia a fortune, Dr Mahathir had stressed in his blog that the quantum of losses could not have exceeded RM10bil. He attributed the losses to London Metal Exchange ruling that its tin speculators need not honour contract to sell tin as they did not physically have the produce; to Bank Negara’s trading of foreign currencies, and to Bank Bumiputra’s losses in Hong Kong. “Altogether I don’t think the amount lost added up to RM10bil even,” said Dr Mahathir. Dr Mahathir also pointed out that during his 22-year tenure as the prime minister, Petronas had paid the government RM126bil. Whereas during Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s five-year tenure, Petronas had paid RM270bil as it enjoyed unprecedented profits due to high oil price. The former premier also welcomed DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang’s proposal to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to set up a royal commission to ascertain if he had burnt RM100bil on grandiose projects and on corruption. Dr Mahathir said the commission should comprise foreigners and representatives from Transparency International, and that it should also investigate Abdullah’s regime to ascertain which projects were financed using Petronas funds and the costs involved. The commission should also investigate the amount of losses due to the cancellation of the crooked bridge and Johor Baru-Padang Besar railway projects, he added. Dr Mahathir said the proposed commission should be given full access to government documents and accounts for the period between 1981 and 2009, adding there should be no cover up. “Depending upon the result of the commission, I reserve the right to sue Barry Wain, Lim Kit Siang and Malaysiakini.com for libel for a sum to be disclosed later,” he said. Dr Mahathir also said that Wain would not criticise Singapore leaders as his colleagues who had written such stuff had lost in the defamation suits filed against them.Published: Friday December 25, 2009 MYT 2:12:00 PM
Updated: Friday December 25, 2009 MYT 6:43:32 PMDr M dares Barry Wain to prove allegations
By SIRA HABIBU
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Dr M calls for proof on allegations by Barry Wain taken from theSTAROnline
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Malaysian Transexual Marries in the UK, and now worries for her safety - Taken from TheStar online
LONDON: Malaysian transsexual Mohammed Fazdil Min Bahari is afraid to return home due to the negative reactions over her marriage to a Briton. She has received a lot of negative e-mails and comments from people, some even accusing her of insulting the Malaysian government. Mohammed Fazdil or Fatine, said she felt frustrated that people did not understand she had come to the United Kingdom because she wanted to be with the man she loved. She added that she could not do that in Malaysia and people in the country seemed to be taking a religious point of view over the matter. “I am so frightened to go back. I am worried for my safety,” she said in response to what she claimed was the inaccurate portrayal of their love story by a Malay tabloid which caused the negative reactions. Speaking up for the first time after The Sun newspaper in London broke the story, Fatine said she did not know what to do as her family had already disowned her. “I’ve spent hours on the phone asking for forgiveness. I love them but I can’t change what has happened,” said the 36-year-old makeup artist. Fatine said it was a shame that the article had twisted their story as it was never their intention to insult the Malay community. “They also put my father’s name in it, which was unnecessary and my mother is now afraid to leave the house,” she added. Fatine also said that she understood that the Malays were very traditional and that “people like me aren’t acceptable”, but she hoped things would cool down eventually. Fatine, who married Ian Young in a civil partnership in May, faces deportation back to Malaysia after her Leave to Remain visa was rejected by the Home Office over an “incorrect” photograph. A second application with a passport photograph with a white background as required, instead of blue, was submitted for reconsideration but it was also thrown out in October. The pair has just submitted their third application for a Right to Family Life under the Human Rights Act in Britain. On Monday, Immigration director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman said the department might take action against Fatine when she returned home as it viewed problems like overstaying seriously. Young, 30, however, maintained that Fatine’s application was still being processed by the UK Border Agency and she should not be classified as an overstayer. “All we want is to be married, happy and living together. “The only way we can do this is over here in the UK,” said Young, who runs a property maintenance company. He said the article also made it sound like they were trying to make a mockery of Muslim laws, which was never their intention. “As a result of the way we have been portrayed, I now feel that we would be in more danger than ever if we were to try and live in Malay-sia,” he added.Thursday December 3, 2009
Transsexual worries for safety after negative reactions to ‘marriage’
By CHOI TUCK WO
Controversial ‘marriage’: Mohammed Fazdil or Fatine and Young posing for a photo after they were married in a civil partnership in the UK last May.
