[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]
Date: 05 Aug 1999
Time: 05:20:56
Remote User: -
PM: There is no witch hunt
KUALA LUMPUR: Cases of prominent corporate figures being charged for fraud is not a witch hunt against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's supporters, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.
"Are you suggesting that (Datuk) Tony Tiah (Thee Kian) is linked to Datuk Seri Anwar? I think he is a friend of mine," he told reporters after launching the National Economic Consultative Council II yesterday.
The Prime Minister was asked to comment on views that the Government was all out to flush out individuals supposedly close to Anwar.
Asked whether he knew if more prominent corporate figures would be charged for fraud, he said:
"I suppose that is their (relevant authorities) job. They don't have to report to me even though there is a case," he said, asking: "By the way who was the prominent corporate person charged?"
Asked to comment on the 4% plunge in the share market on Tuesday, he said countries within the region had also experienced a dip in their bourses.
On whether the sharp fall was due to mergers of banks in the country, he replied:
"When they want to sell they have every excuse, and when they want to buy too. I really don't understand the market.
"I told them long ago not to push up the share prices too high. It's not good. It (the prices) should reflect the performance of the companies."
On whether he expected to see a massive outflow of funds on Sept 1 when the the levy on the repatriation of foreign capital expires, Dr Mahathir said the country had enough foreign reserves to survive the net outflow.
"The ringgit is not worth anything outside the country. We have been having a net inflow, net outflow won't do any harm."
Dr Mahathir also said that he would leave for Siberia on Aug 15 and after that to China for three days.
On indications of the Gross Domestic Product performance in the second quarter, he said: "It is definitely going to be a plus and not minus, maybe between 2% and 3% (growth), I think."