In a speech probably written by his favourite ghost-writer, Dr Mahathir pulled out all the right
code words to seek support from the US foreign policy establishment, while cleverly asserting
that the BN does not solicit foreign support, only to counter allegedly distorted reporting. Of
course, the many reports and statements supporting or favourable to the BN and its policies
do not count as "distorted reporting" although Malaysians well have reason to doubt quite a
bit of the fulsome praise they have been seeing.

He was speaking Tuesday to the very influential Council on Foreign Relations whose 3,400
members include nearly all current and former senior U.S. government officials who deal with
international matters; renowned scholars; and leaders of business, media, human rights,
humanitarian, and other nongovernmental groups. The council is a close-knit circle, indicated
by the fact that new members are chosen by existing council members.

Knowing the image of Islam -- and the influence of Samuel Huntington -- within US foreign
policy circles, Dr Mahathir described the opposition as "a loose coalition of parties dominated
by a deviationist Islamic PAS", while describing the Barisan Nasional, that is, himself, as
"modernist, progressive, tolerant, liberal, tried and tested stable coalition with a spectacular
track record". All of these words tug at the right levers.

More, seeking to further frighten the foreign policy crowd, he alleged that KeAdilan and the
others were nothing, and that "PAS is the party which has most skilfully exploited the
situation and gained the greatest strength".

The lie behind this allegation -- meant to frighten both the US foreign policy crowd as well as
Malaysians -- is clear to all from the people arrested recently and from the wanted list. The
recent demonstrations are not a result of PAS exploitation, nor was the crowd there because
of a call from PAS. That is actually what is of greatest concern to the BN, for if it were PAS
alone, they know well how to handle it, having great experience gathered over the years. It
is the new development that they neither understand nor know how to deal with.

Further tugging at the heart-strings of Americans, he quoted Abraham Lincoln to allude to
both the May 13 riots and sought to equate it to current demonstrations: "There is no
grievance that is a fit object for redress by mob law," he quoted, and said those words were
as meaningful as ever, particularly to the young people of Malaysia today. Of course, he
neglected to mention his own role in the lead-up to May 13 and in the aftermath.

To cement it all, he appealed to the audience, "Please understand that whilst in Malaysia
there are corporations that can take on the world, whilst there are hordes of Malaysians who
are eager to be in the vanguard of IT and multimedia age, there are also quite a number who
believe that television sets should be thrown into the river because they are an instrument of
Satan." This is a lie, if it is meant to apply to the vast majority of Barisan Alternatif or even
PAS supporters.

His deputy minister Ibrahim Ali will be the first to lament the countless number of websites --
some with full multimedia -- operated by Barisan Alternatif supporters, the numerous mailing
lists, and the creative use of IT and the Internet to counter the stranglehold that the BN has
on the print and broadcast media. PAS runs a number of websites, including one for Harakah.
It is not the BN that has taken to IT like fish to water. And if there are any TV sets being
thrown into the river, it is out of disgust at the lies and filth they spew, including the
Mahathir soap opera with characters who have fallen out of favour conveniently omitted, in
classic totalitarian fashion.

It is a fact that Internet subscription has skyrocketed. Subscriptions to Astro and Mega-TV
have also increased as Barisan Alternatif supporters desperately seek alternative sources of
information and inputs.

Finally, he attempted to claim for himself and the BN the mantel of democracy and liberalism,
conveniently forgetting all the many occasions on which he has castigated both, seeking to
replace them with his so-called 'Asian' version. He claimed that the BN government not only
tolerates dissent but also welcomes it for the right to dissent is the heart of democracy. This
is a claim to be set against the BN's claims that the opposition has no right to any air time or
coverage on national TV, to the number of occasions on which the leader of the
parliamentary opposition has appeared on national TV, to the lies and fabrications published
in the BN-owned and controlled media.

Then, in true and tested fashion, he made reference demonstrations and sought to equate
them with racial violence, pointing to "the tragic events among our brothers in neighbouring
Indonesia", knowing very well how the US foreign policy establishment had been a major
supporter of Suharto.

Yet, the very party that is seeking to stoke the embers of racialism into a fire is the BN itself.
Two recent incidents: first, there was the mischievous suggestion by MCA-linked persons
that the electoral demands of the Chinese associations include one for a Chinese deputy
prime minister; second, the fanning of Malay-Muslim sentiments with allegations that
non-Muslims have defiled the National Mosque.

The truth is never has the opposition in the country been as multi-racial, as open, as
directed to universal values of justice and fair-play as the present.

Let it be clear to all Malaysians who is playing to the foreign gallery.

Wait for the Barisan Alternatif's manifesto for clear evidence of the lies and distortions of Dr
Mahathir and the BN.
 

Too Daim Much?

For some time now there have been rumours of some differences between Dr Mahathir and
Daim over the details of bail-outs, aka corporate restructuring.

The Singapore Business Times has picked up some of these rumours and published the
following snippet in its Tuesday edition of "On the Grapevine":

"Too Daim powerful? THE Malaysian market is rife with rumours that Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad may promote former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah to counter the
powerful First Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin. Mr Daim is now seen to be wielding
tremendous power in the restructuring of the corporate and banking landscapes, or so the
talk goes. But as with all rumours, take the grain and leave the chaff. Keep the change."