[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]
Date: 02 Sep 1999
Time: 01:33:07
Remote User: -
Ulasan
Kasihan dia. Sudah teruk sakitnya. Dia tidak mampu lagi jadi PM. Dia sudah tua. Dia sudah nyanyuk.
============================================================================================================================== PM disgusted by 'parrots of Western criticism'
By Wan Hamidi Hamid
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad expressed his disgust at Malaysians who do not have a mind of their own, except to parrot the criticism of Westerners against the country.
The Prime Minister, hitting out at those using the term "mega-projects", said the words came from certain foreign media.
"They do not have a mind of their own. Anything the foreigners say, like parrots, hanya pandai berkata-kata (they're only good at imitating).
"Mega, mega, crony, crony, transparency. Don't they ever think of anything on their own? Are Malaysians without the capacity to think on their own?
"Journalists, too . . . don't they think of coining their own words (instead of parroting the Western media)?" he told a press conference after opening the International Exhibition Week organised by the Construction Industry Development Board in Seri Kembangan near here yesterday.
Dr Mahathir said he did not like Malaysians talking about mega projects because every project in Malaysia was a mega project.
Giving the example of the private-sector project of Sunway Lagoon, he said it was a huge project but people never called it a mega project.
"The developer has built a whole new town, complete with an entertainment centre. It is a mega project. The developer spent billions of ringgit on it," he said.
The Prime Minister said that even a project of 18,000 houses by Land and General was a mega project.
"In Malaysia, we build whole towns . . . we don't build one house or one shophouse. That's the tradition in Malaysia . . . to build completely new towns. They are all mega projects and nobody complains.
"But when the Government comes up with a project similar to what the private sector is doing, with the potential for big profits for the Government, some idiots call it a mega project.
"And locals just pick it up," he said.
Earlier in his speech, Dr Mahathir said there were those who accused the Government of being extravagant in development projects.
He said they were the people who measured value by merely focusing on tangible benefits.
"But knowledge has an intangible value, yet it is real and surpasses most tangible economic values," he said.
He said the Government had done its part by setting the stage for the development of knowledge in the construction industry.
He added that it was up to construction industry players to seize the opportunities available, prise open overseas markets and develop a global competitive advantage.
Elaborating further, Dr Mahathir said he wanted local companies to be like their foreign counterparts, especially since Malaysians were able to supply local high-quality products to the construction industry.
He said that local companies should look forward not only to learn more new technologies but also to help the country reduce imports and ensure the strengthening of the economy.
The Prime Minister said the Government would continue to spend on the development of the construction industry but with some adjustments to the mechanism of spending.
He said that sometimes the money allocated was not spent on development due to bureaucratic procedures.
"It is important to spend the money allocated for construction by the Government," he added.