World Bank is useless: Dr Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad described the World Bank as “useless”, saying today that it was politically motivated for putting out a report that pro-Bumiputera policies are stunting the country’s economy.

The former prime minister said the World Bank report was politically motivated as it wanted a change of prime minister.

“We have been critical of the World Bank since my time. We said that they were useless. They dislike us and want to have their good friend become prime minister”, seemingly referring to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a former chairman of its development committee.

The World Bank said on Thursday that more than one million Malaysians live abroad as policies favoring the Malays are holding back the economy, causing a brain drain and limiting foreign investment.

World Bank senior economist Philip Schellekens was quoted as saying that foreign investment could be five times the current levels if the country had Singapore’s talent base.

He said Malaysian migration was increasingly becoming a skill migration with one-third of the one million-strong Malaysian diaspora now consisting of the tertiary educated and expected the trend to continue.

World Bank is useless: Dr Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad described the World Bank as “useless”, saying today that it was politically motivated for putting out a report that pro-Bumiputera policies are stunting the country’s economy.

The former prime minister said the World Bank report was politically motivated as it wanted a change of prime minister.

“We have been critical of the World Bank since my time. We said that they were useless. They dislike us and want to have their good friend become prime minister”, seemingly referring to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a former chairman of its development committee.

The World Bank said on Thursday that more than one million Malaysians live abroad as policies favoring the Malays are holding back the economy, causing a brain drain and limiting foreign investment.

World Bank senior economist Philip Schellekens was quoted as saying that foreign investment could be five times the current levels if the country had Singapore’s talent base.

He said Malaysian migration was increasingly becoming a skill migration with one-third of the one million-strong Malaysian diasporas now consisting of the tertiary educated and expected the trend to continue.

Two-thirds in question but BN could wrest one or two states, says Dr M

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has predicted Barisan Nasional (BN) may win back one or two states from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the next general election because the “opposition is in shambles,” according to a Bloomberg report.

He said BN “may not get the two-thirds majority which would enable them to rule the country with a strong majority.”

He told Bloomberg in an interview here that BN “might be able to recover maybe one or two states.”

“At the moment his party is in a shambles,” Dr Mahathir was quoted by Bloomberg today as saying in reference to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s PKR.

Dr Mahathir’s remarks come amid intense speculation that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will call snap polls by the first quarter of next year.

Dr Mahathir: Chinese parents do no want their children to mix with other races

Former premier Dr Mahathir blamed the educationists for not wanting Chinese students to mix with Malay or Indian students.

Mahathir said that only Malaysia has the unique system of having different streams of education as other countries have only one stream despite having large migrant population. He cited United States, Canada and Australia as examples.

He also pointed out that even Switzerland, which has three official languages, has an education system which provides for students to learn all three languages in the same school.

“That is why I introduced the vision school (concept), which comprises three streams in one campus. That way, students of different races can at least meet each other,” he said.

However, he said that the system was rejected and that was the reason why Malaysians cannot achieve unity.

The question arises: Should particularities of the socio-historical and cultural background be taken into account while discussing the feasibility of national unity in Malaysia or otherwise?

Dr M : UMNO still relevant but must be wise and brave in taking "corrective measures"

Commenting on the future of Umno, the backbone of the BN, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the party was still relevant but its leaders and members must be wise and brave in taking "corrective measures".

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad

He said, Malaysians will not fare any better if the Opposition takes over the federal government from the Barisan Nasional.

According to him, most of the leaders from the Opposition were seen to be willing to change their stand just to gain popularity and support from the people.

Some of them were willing to declare as "halal" (permissible in Islam) what they used to say were "haram" (forbidden in Islam) simply to please former enemies who now had become partners in the Opposition's Pakatan coalition.

"I think things will only get worse. Their leaders are willing to make "halal" everything. Previously, PAS had said cooperation with non-Muslims would make one an infidel but now not only are they cooperating with non-Muslims, they are also saying it is okay to rear pigs, only that Muslims should not consume pork.”

"PAS quotes the Quran that pork is "haram" but that it did not say pigs cannot be reared. Going by this, it means we (Muslims) can rear pigs, can sell pork but not eat it. Just because they want the cooperation of some people, they are willing to compromise on their principles."

He said Malaysia could ill-afford leaders who were inconsistent in their stand just for the sake of gaining popularity.

"It is just the same with another leader who is a now a strong supporter of Hindraf (the banned Hindu Rights Action Force movement)."