Malaysia hints at lifting ban on British firms

Malaysia hints at lifting ban on British firms

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): The British press has stopped writing
negative stories about Malaysia and that could be good news for
British business, an official of the Southeast Asian nation said
yesterday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Abdullah Fadzil Che Wan dropped the
strongest suggestion yet that Malaysia would eventually lift a
ban on public contracts for British companies when he said the
lack of critical reports lately in the British media was "a good
beginning".

"If the British media continues to be responsible in their
reporting (about Malaysia), there may come a time when we will
consider lifting the ban," Fadzil was quoted as saying by the
national news agency, Bernama.

"If they (the British media) choose to do the thing we expect
them to do, we would reciprocate with the right things," he said.
"We are sensible, practical and pragmatic people."

Angered at British media reports that Anglo-Malaysian arms
deals were tainted with corruption, Malaysia barred British
companies from government contracts two months ago.

British businesses have estimated the potential losses from
the ban at four billion ringgit (US$1.5 billion) unless it is
lifted soon.

Defense Minister Najib Abdul Razak last week also said
Malaysia's bad press from its former colonial ruler appeared to
be on the wane.

The British high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur, Duncan Slater,
expressed similar sentiments on Monday, saying he hoped "things
would get back to normal soon" now that Malaysia was no longer in
the headlines.

But Fadzil said the government would decide to lift the ban
only when it was sure the British media had stopped writing
offending stories.

"It would be pointless if the government lifts the ban now,
and then the same thing happens again," he said.