No additional posts for Chinese party: Malaysia<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
\nMohamad said on Tuesday he would not increase the number of
\ncabinet posts held by an influential Chinese party whose
\npresident is quitting his government.<\/p>\n
Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik, who heads the Malaysian
\nChinese Association (MCA), the largest party in the ruling
\ncoalition after Mahathir's own, announced on Monday he was
\nleaving the cabinet after 14 years.<\/p>\n
Ling's surprise departure sent a shiver of political
\nuncertainty through Mahathir's ruling coalition -- which has
\nruled Malaysia since independence in 1957 -- and rattled
\nfinancial markets.<\/p>\n
Ling gave no reason, but politicians speculated his departure
\nstemmed from dissatisfaction in his party over the number of
\ncabinet posts it was given after performing well in general
\nelections last November.<\/p>\n
The poll saw ethnic Chinese voters loyal to the MCA help
\nMahathir's coalition weather an erosion of support within the
\nprime minister's United Malays National Organization, made up
\nmostly of Muslim Malays.<\/p>\n
Mahathir was asked if he would consider boosting the number of
\nposts the Chinese party holds in the government. It now holds
\nfour ministerial portfolios, including transport, and six junior
\nministerial posts.<\/p>\n
"As far as the numbers are concerned, we have given due
\nconsideration to the MCA," Mahathir told reporters in the
\ncapital. "I don't think we can just increase the numbers just
\nlike that without upsetting other parties."<\/p>\n
Asked to comment on Ling's party's contribution to the
\ngoverning coalition's victory last year, Mahathir said:
\n"Today one does well, the next day one does not do so well. As
\nyou can see, when the MCA did not do well, we did not reduce
\ntheir representation. It's very bad to try and respond to a
\ncertain situation without thinking of the future."<\/p>\n
MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek and three other party leaders
\nmet Mahathir on Tuesday and urged the prime minister to persuade
\nLing not to leave. Lim did not say how Mahathir reacted.
\nBut Ling said on Tuesday his decision was final.<\/p>\n
"When it is time to go, the time has come for you to go," the
\nofficial Bernama news agency quoted him as saying.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said he would study Ling's recommendation that MCA
\nvice president Chan Kong Choy succeed him as transport minister.
\nBut the prime minister said the post was not meant to be filled
\npermanently by the MCA, one of 14 parties in the ruling Barisan
\nNasional coalition.<\/p>\n
"We have to make an assessment of who is qualified to hold the
\npost," he said.<\/p>\n
Asked if Ling's departure would trigger a broad cabinet
\nreshuffle, Mahathir said: "At least we will have to fill in the
\nvacant spot. We have to make some adjustments. Maybe one who has
\nmore experience will take the post."<\/p>\n
In another development, Mahathir warned Asian and African
\nnations on Tuesday that their interests are threatened by rich
\nnations "ganging up" and by the rise of the "new capitalists."<\/p>\n
The 74-year-old premier said developing nations must work
\ntogether to ensure they do not suffer from the world's push for
\ngreater globalization and liberalization.<\/p>\n
"Alone, we can do practically nothing to help ourselves," he
\nsaid. "But if we act together, we may yet be able to influence
\nthe processes which affect us."<\/p>\n
Mahathir, who has long accused Western nations of using free
\nmarkets and globalization to quash competition from growing Third
\nWorld economies, said Asia and Africa should form "smart
\npartnerships" to boost mutual trade and services.<\/p>\n
"As you will have noted, the rich countries of the North are
\nganging up while their corporations are merging to form huge
\nspecialized companies," he said.<\/p>\n
Opening the Third Asia-Africa Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir
\nalso warned of the "new capitalists," who are backed by powerful
\ngovernments.<\/p>",
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