Wain: Dr M caused country’s woes
By Lee Wei Lian
May 21, 2010

Wain autographs copies of his book during a reception May 20, 2010. — Picture by Jack Ooi

PETALING JAYA, May 21 — The author of a hot-selling political biography on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said many issues hampering Malaysia had come from the ex-prime minister’s tenure.

Former Asian Wall Street Journal editor, Barry Wain, whose book “Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in turbulent times”, sold 4,000 copies in just two weeks added that he does not see any broad changes being brought about by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“I argue that a lot of problems in Malaysia stem from Dr Mahathir’s rule,” said Wain in an interview yesterday, during a reception to celebrate the launch of the book. “Issues like corruption did stem from when he was in power. Lack of leadership, abuse of the NEP (New Economic Policy), problems that exist today.”

Wain, who was a Malaysia correspondent from 1977 to 1979 and has been in Asia for 38 years, said it was “quite obvious” that Malaysia has fallen behind other countries because of abuse of the controversial race-based NEP and that he was still waiting to see substantial reforms.

“I don’t see any broad changes at all,” said Wain of Najib, who is the country’s sixth prime minister and son of the second premier, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

Wain noted, however, that during the middle of Dr Mahathir’s tenure, Malaysia was one of the fastest-growing developing economies. And with 10 years of GDP growth above nine per cent, there was not a sense of concern at that time over where the country was heading under Dr Mahathir.

The reason why Malaysia was still lagging behind advanced Asian economies such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan even after all the rapid growth, according to Wain, was that the fast economic growth masked problems such as cronyism and the merging of politics with business.

“The great influx of cash hid that Malaysia was becoming uncompetitive,” he noted.

The book is a result of two-and-a-half years of research and interviews spread out over three years.

Wain also refuted reports that Dr Mahathir had seen a draft of the book before it went to print.

“That’s not the case,” said Wain. “I would never agree to an interview (with Dr Mahathir) if he imposed a condition to see the book before it goes to print.”

The book was launched in Asia in December last year but the Home Ministry only approved it for sale in Malaysia last month, which led to many Malaysians buying the book in Singapore or downloading pirated copies from the internet.

Due to the success of the book, another 5,000 copies are being printed for Malaysia and the book’s distributor, UBSD Distribution Sdn Bhd, expects sales to hit 10,000 by the end of the month, a high figure given the non-fiction nature of the book and its price.

“This is the first time that bookshops lined up at the warehouse to get the book,” said UBSD executive director Christopher Toh.

It is learnt that Malaysians had previously crossed the Causeway to Singapore to buy the book at bookshops in the island republic.

Dr M asks Kit Siang to make his day

Dr M threatens to sue Mkini, Kit Siang, Wain

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said he "reserved the right" to sue author Barry Wain, opposition leader Lim Kit Siang and online news daily Malaysiakini for defamation.

In the latest posting in his Chedet blog, Mahathir said he welcomed the suggestion by Lim who yesterday called for the government to set up a royal commission to probe whether the former strongman had 'burned' RM100 billion on corruption and grandiose projects during his 22-year reign.

"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.

However, Mahathir was quick to add that the royal commission should not be confined to his term as premier but also include his successor-turned-nemesis, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"It should include how RM270 billion of Petronas money paid during Abdullah's five-year term was spent, what projects were financed by this huge fund and the cost of all these projects," he said.

"It should include how much money was lost due to the cancellation of the crooked bridge (to Singapore) and the Johor Bahru to Padang Besar (double-track) railway."

In addition, he suggested the royal commission include the cost over-run in the construction of the multi-billion-ringgit Bakun hydroelectric dam project and to investigate the procedure how the contract for the second Penang Bridge was given out.

"Such a commission should not be made up of government nominees but should have as members impeccable people including foreigners and members of Transparency International," he said, apparently with his usual dose of sarcasm.

"I will cooperate fully with the commission," vowed Mahathir.

Release all gov't documents

Wain, who is the former managing editor of Asian Wall Street Journal, has estimated in his recently released book 'Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times' that Mahathir had squandered up to RM100 billion in his years as PM.

In his blog posting, Mahathir said Wain should provide "documentary proof" for his allegation.

At the same time, he suggested that the government reveal all the relevant documents.

"In order for the inquiry by the commission to be successful, the government must give the undertaking to give full access to the commission to all the documents and accounts of the government over the period 1981-2009," he said.

"There should be no cover-up of any kind."

Mahathir also called for Wain's book, said to be held up in Port Klang by the Customs Department, to be released.

"I am not in need of government protection," he stressed.

Chedet.com has expired

In 'Malaysian Maverick', Wain wrote that most of the scams, which included a government attempt to manipulate the international tin price and gambling by Bank Negara on global currency markets, occurred in the go-go years of the 1980s.

According to him, direct financial losses amounted to about RM50 billion. This doubled once the invisible costs, such as unrecorded write-offs, were taken into account.

However, some analysts have put the figure even higher.

Time magazine quoted Daniel Lian, a Southeast Asian economist at Morgan Stanley in Singapore, as saying that Malaysia might have lost "as much as US$100 billion" (RM340 billion) during the Mahathir years.

Meanwhile, Mahathir's blog could not be accessed later this afternoon.

Those who visit his blog are brought to a free domain name website CC.CO displaying the message that "www.chedet.co.cc has expired".

Apparently, the registration of the domain name of chedet.co.cc was not renewed since Dec 12.

However, Mahathir can easily renew the domain name of his blog for free by logging into CC.CO and clicking the renew button.

But a check at 10pm showed that Mahathir's blogsite has been restored.

Dr M asks Kit Siang to make his day

updates
Lim Kit Siang responds to Dr M via Tweeter. The following (in italics) are Kit's tweets from Tokyo done in the space of 18 mins. Who'd guess the two political rivals - one retired while the other more active than ever - would trade blows on cyberspace!

Am in Tokyo on private visit. Will give blog response 2Mahathir.
12/23/2009 09:49 PM

Mahathir wants Wain’s book 2b released forthwith. Who really believe Mahathir? Or is Najib or Hisham culprit blocking “Maverick M”’s release?
12/23/2009 09:45 PM

Why Mahathir don’t sue me now if I had libelled him calling for RCI into Barry Wain’s RM100 million allegation in his book Maverick M?
12/23/2009 09:39 PM

Why his suit conditional on outcome of RCI into Barry Wain’s allegation when M will do utmost 2block RCI though claiming support publicly?
12/23/2009 09:35 PM

Why Mahathir reserved right 2sue me 4stmt calling 4RCI into allegation in “Maverick Mahathir” RM100 mil wasted or burned in 22 yrs PMship?
12/23/2009 09:31 PM

Hello Mr Royal Commission of Inquiry Lim is it RM$100 million or is it RM$100 billion ??

And by the way will you aslo call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry on your buddy buddy in PKR what happened to the RM$50 billion forex lossess suffered by Bank Negara in 1998 when he was the Finance Minister cum Deputy Prime Minister ? And now Mr Opposition leader ?

And is this part of the RM$100 billion losses ?

Mr RCI can you explain ?