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.