Mahathir says he is 'relieved' by Anwar's support

Mahathir says he is 'relieved' by Anwar's support

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad said yesterday that he was "relieved" after hearing a
pledge of support at a party convention by his deputy and
appointed successor, Anwar Ibrahim.

"I feel relieved because of this confession due to his loyalty
to me not as Mahathir but as party president," Mahathir said in a
speech on the last day of the three-day general assembly of the
United Malays National Organization (UMNO).

In a speech earlier yesterday to the convention, Anwar denied
that he had any major differences with Mahathir and pledged
loyalty to the prime minister, who is also UMNO president.

"It is not true that there are principal differences in
running the country. I repeat again that all decisions are made
jointly," Anwar said. "I will support and be loyal to him," Anwar
said, calling Mahathir "my leader".

Mahathir and Anwar have at times appeared to differ over
issues, particularly in regard to economic policy, and there have
been periodic reports that Anwar disagreed with Mahathir and
wanted to challenge him for the party's top position.

Mahathir said he had heard such "stories", but in person Anwar
showed loyalty. "When I meet him, he's not like that, but when we
separate I hear the stories again," Mahathir said.

Mahathir yesterday released hundreds more names of companies
and people who have won government projects to thwart accusations
of nepotism and cronyism.

The names were on four lists covering companies and
shareholders who had received licenses to operate taxi companies
and bus services and names and shareholders of top Bumiputra
(indigenous races including Malays) construction contractors
registered with the government.

A third list gave names of those who had received share
allocations in publicly quoted companies as far back as 1983.
Companies listing on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange must
allocate 30 percent of their shares to Bumiputras.

A fourth showed the names of container-handling firms in the
country.

The premier on Saturday released the two lists, one containing
dozens of firms which had won privatized projects and another
with those who had received in-principle approval for government
jobs.

The premier said the documents were released to show the
government had always been transparent in its dealings and
denied accusations that only those with family links and close
association to leaders received lucrative projects and contracts.

"We provide the list to see who got the privatized projects,"
he told a news conference on the sidelines of UMNO's convention.

"There's literally hundreds of them, quite obviously they are
not close cronies, there's no way we can be intimate with them,"
he said on Saturday.

The issue became a hot topic after UMNO youth leader Ahmad
Zahid Hamidi jolted the party on Thursday by publicly denouncing
corruption and cronyism in its ranks, defying Mahathir's warning
that bringing up the issue could cause a party split.

UMNO's youth wing supported the speech but other party leaders
were cautious and wondered if the issue should be raised when the
country was facing a deepening economic crisis.

In the lists, Zahid's name was mentioned once, as one of four
majority shareholders in the redevelopment of a village in
capital Kuala Lumpur.

Mahathir's businessman son, Mirzan, was mentioned as key
shareholder of container handling firm, Konsortium Perkapalan
Bhd, a well-known fact. Another son, Mokhzani, holds shares in
THB Industries Bhd, also a well-known fact.