‘NAJIB WANTED TO SELL ALL OF MALAYSIA TO CHINA’: AHEAD OF KEY MEETING WITH XI, MAHATHIR SIGNALS THE END TO ‘CRONYISM’ & ‘KAUTIM’ CULTURE IN HIS NEW GOVT

BEIJING – The Barisan Nasional government’s policies were so accommodative to China that it essentially put Malaysia on sale to the Asian superpower, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad asserted today.

The prime minister’s remarks came on the eve of a series of talks tomorrow with China’s President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

The status of Chinese interests in Malaysian infrastructure projects arranged by former PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been in sharp focus during Dr Mahathir’s current trip to China.

However, Dr Mahathir has yet to comment directly on the fate of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) or other projects in Malaysia awarded to Chinese firms.

“The Malaysian market is very open. The last government wanted to sell the whole of Malaysia to China,” he told Malaysian businessmen at a lunch dialogue here today.

Prior to Dr Mahathir’s visit here, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng revealed dubious payment structures for the ECRL and two gas pipeline projects here that allowed the Chinese concessionaires’ payments to be decoupled from work delivered.

The pipeline projects, in particular, featured time-based payments that allowed the Chinese firms to draw down RM8.3 billion out of the project’s combined value of RM9.4 billion without performing any tangible development.

Dr Mahathir was previously reported as intending to seek China’s agreement to cancel at least three such projects due to these suspicious payment structures or suspend these until Malaysia needs or can afford them.

Added attention is also on the visit to gauge Malaysia’s future stance towards China.

Najib had been especially keen on fostering ties with China, while Dr Mahathir is seen as less accommodating due to his previous remarks on Malaysia’s engagement with Chinese firms. – MALAY MAIL

From Beijing, Dr M and co signal end to cronyism and ‘kautim’ culture

BEIJING – The message from the Malaysian government to businessmen is clear: No more cronyism and no more “kautim” (Cantonese for “all settled”) culture.Speaking to Malaysian businessmen assembled in Beijing, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad told them that simply winning over the prime minister was no longer any guarantee that their pitch will come to fruition.

“Nowadays you can’t talk to the PM, and the PM says ‘yes’ and the thing is done,” Dr Mahathir said.

“That is cronyism.”

Earlier, International Trade and Industry Minister Darrell Leiking also told businessmen to shun such abusive habits as using political connections in their favour.

“We should no longer practise old businesses [where] everything is easily kautim,” he said.

After returning as prime minister, Dr Mahathir said in an interview that he inherited a government rife with corrupt officials and practices, declaring most of the top echelon of the civil service to be tainted.

He also instituted a no-gift policy for his Cabinet members and their officials, limiting them to only accepting food and flowers as tokens.

Ministers were also made to declare their assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, as were Pakatan Harapan’s elected lawmakers.

The prime minister also repeatedly stressed the need for trustworthiness when addressing the country’s civil service, telling them that the fruits of corruption were not worth the price.

Malaysia remains mired in the 1MDB corruption scandal that is believed to have cost the country billions of ringgit and counting.

The country has charged former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak with money laundering, criminal breach of trust and abuse in relation to the transfer of RM42 million from a former 1MDB unit. – – Malay Mail

MALAY MAIL