1. During my time as Prime Minister, both the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister were jointly responsible for national security.

2. At times I held the post of Defence Minister while the Deputy Prime Minister is the Home Minister responsible for the police. At times as Prime Minister when I decided to assume the Home Minister portfolio, the Deputy Prime Minister would be appointed Defence Minister. There were only on a few occasions when the situation demanded it, ordinary Ministers were appointed to the Defence portfolio. This is because the issue of national security is of great importance.

3. On Nov 20, 1985, I led a massive private sector delegation to China because I believed there were abundant trade opportunities with China which had then only opened up to external trade participation.

Continue reading NATIONAL SECURITY →

1. Semasa saya menjadi Perdana Menteri, masalah keselamatan Negara dipikul bersama oleh saya dan Timbalan Perdana Menteri.

2. Adakalanya saya memegang jawatan Menteri Pertahanan dan Timbalan Perdana Menteri memegang jawatan Menteri Dalam Negeri yang bertanggunjawab ke atas Polis. Adakalanya apabila saya tentukan saya sebagai Perdana Menteri akan mengambil tugas Menteri Dalam Negeri, maka Timbalan Perdana Menteri akan dilantik sebagai Menteri Pertahanan. Hanya beberapa kali apabila keadaan mendesak maka jawatan Menteri Pertahanan diberi kepada Menteri biasa. Amalan ini disebabkan soal keselamatan Negara begitu penting.

3. Pada 20 November 1985, saya mengepalai satu rombongan swasta yang amat besar kerana saya anggap terdapat banyak peluang dagangan dengan Negara Cina yang baru sahaja dibuka untuk penyertaan peniaga luar.

4. Saya tidak ingat yang Tun Musa datang berjumpa saya untuk saya tidak pergi ke Beijing tetapi beliau berada di lapangan terbang bersama dengan ramai orang yang ingin ucap selamat pemergian saya ke Cina. Di waktu itu pun saya tidak ingat yang Tun Musa menasihat supaya saya tidak pergi luar negeri.

5. Kejadian peristiwa Memali berlaku pada 19 November 1985, sehari sebelum saya terbang. Memanglah dalam operasi polis seperti ini kemalangan boleh berlaku. 4 anggota polis terbunuh dan 16 penjenayah. Ramai juga yang cedera.

Continue reading KESELAMATAN NEGARA →

1. Putrajaya is blooming. The trees along Persiaran Utara and Leboh Sentosa are like sakura trees, sometimes covered with pink and white flowers completely or with some leaves and more flowers.

2. It has never been like this. Perhaps it is because of the dry weather.

3. Unfortunately when it rains the flowers drop. But then the grounds under the trees are covered with pink and white petals, like snow.

4. It will not last long. But hurry to see Putrajaya in springtime.

1. During the time when I was leading the Government, I was accused by Western nations, in particular by the Western media of controlling the press. Since retirement I read a lot about the administration of Western countries. The censorship they practise on their press and publication is more stringent than anything we have seen here.

2. The American and Western media and publishers are totally forbidden to say anything unseemly about the Jews and in particular Israel. They may also not report about the unAmerican activities of the Jews in their own country.

3. I read a book on banking, on the setting up of the central banking system, on how the banks finance both sides in the wars of Europe, how they actually manipulate the politicians into going into meaningless wars so they can earn profits from lending the money they created out of thin air. They abuse the financial systems to such an extent that financial crises would plague the countries and even the world every now and again. And when they go bankrupt they force Government’s to borrow money from them to bail out their companies and banks. Continue reading CENSORSHIP →

1. The MCA has decided practically unanimously to rejoin the Government as members of the cabinet. This should be welcomed by Malaysians; not all of course, but a majority.

2. Many have criticized the role played by the MCA in the Malaysian Government. It is obvious that UMNO dominated the Government. But then UMNO has always been and even now is by far the biggest party in the BN coalition. Malay dominance in the political field is due to their numerical strength as voters and as elected members. It is an accepted fact, as much as Chinese dominance in the economic field is a reality we must accept.

3. In Malaysia up till now there cannot be one race dominating both the economic field as well as the political field. The best that can happen is a sharing of political and economic power with one race dominant in one field and another in the other.

4. But what cannot be denied is that the partnership between particularly UMNO and MCA, the second biggest party, kept this country stable and able to develop for over half a century. Even the blind and the deaf must admit the good performance of the country lead by UMNO representing the Malays, MCA representing the Chinese and MIC representing the Indians and later together with the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak.

5. Of course no one is fully satisfied. But in a partnership you cannot get 100% of what you think you are entitled to. UMNO, MCA and MIC and the other ethnic parties must accept the need to sacrifice some in order to gain some. If no one wants to sacrifice anything, there cannot be a partnership. In the end no one gets anything. The bickering and animosity will cause the country to be unstable and unable to develop. It is the inability to make some concessions and sacrifices that has led to what is happening in the countries of the Middle East.

Continue reading The MCA →

1. I am amused by the remarks of a Minister that the refusal by 17,000 people in Ipoh to accept the BRIM handout is a mark of their maturity.

2. Actually quite a few people said to me that BRIM is bribe especially when given just before elections. It is the same as giving people placards to raise when you pass. It does not really reflect their feelings or sentiments. Those feelings are better expressed through the votes they cast. Their voting is what reflects their maturity. Of course their feelings may be expressed more crudely.

3. Failure to understand public sentiments would be disastrous for politicians. Self-delusion is even worse.

4. BRIM is costly for a Government facing deficits and shouldering huge debts. At RM500/- per person for 7 million people it would cost the Government 3.5 billion Ringgit. Increase that to RM1,200/- the cost would be 8.4 billion Ringgit. That is a lot of money. Yet there is still a lot of very poor people in the country. Do we really need BRIM. Even without BRIM there was good support by the people. If they do not support it must be because they are not happy with something, maybe even with BRIM. Find out what they are not happy with and you will know what you should do.

5. I am a supporter of the Government. I worked hard to help the party in the last election. But I must admit that I disagree with quite a few things the government is doing.

6. I will not say more.