[Korupsi ujud dan membiak dengan begitu sihat kerana Mahathir juga. Dia memilih dan memberi tugas kepada orang yang memang kontroversi. Walaupun Daim telah pergi, Ali Abul Hassan dipanggil semula pula. Mahathir hanya bertindak bila rakyat dan akarumbi Umno mula tidak senang dengan pembabitan dana awam untuk menyelamatkan kroni. Sepatutnya dia tidak melantik Daim sejak dulu lagi kerana semua orang tahu (pinjam kata Khalid Jafri) - takkan Mahathir yang sentiasa menjaga polis selama ini tidak tahu-menahu. Shahrir Samad menyetujui Mahathir sengaja melantik banjingan (crook) dalam kabinetnya.

Menurut Lim Kit Siang, Mahathir sepatutnya bertanggungjawab terhadap gejala jijik korupsi itu. Steven Gan berpendapat sikap Mahathir yang lembik dan lembab bertindak menyebabkan gejala korupsi semakin menular dan bernanah ketahap akar-umbi. Tiada jalan lain melainkan merombak sistem itu bersekali kerana semua sudah tercemar.

Bagi Dr Jomo pula adalah sukar untuk gejala itu dibanteras kerana ia sudah membiak di peringkat atasan parti. Lagipun kuasa menghukum terletak pada kuncu-kuncu pemimpin parti (seperti kes Khalil Yakob yang sudah sunyi sepi). Selagi ini tidak ditangani politik baru yang bersih tidak akan menjadi satu realiti. - Editor]

http://asia.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0107/27/i_ba.01.html

BIZ ASIA

Critics Wonder Whether Real Reform Can Happen in Malaysia Under Prime Minister Mohammed

Aired July 27, 2001 - 08:30:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DALTON TANONAKA, CNN ANCHOR: Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammed recently announced a drive to weed out corruption in government, but critics wonder whether real reform can happen under the leader of 20 years.

BIZASIA's Lisa Barron reports from Kuala Lumpur.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA BARRON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The crackdown left no doubts about the fact that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad means business. Money politics will no longer be tolerated, he announced, at his ruling party, Umno's, general assembly in June. Thus began Mahathir's campaign to clean up Umno's tarnished image and quiet a growing number of critics who accuse him of fostering corruption and cronyism.

LIM KIT SIANG, DEMOCRATIC ACTION PARTY: I think that's one of the biggest disasters, I will say, under Dr. Mahathir's administration. There's no doubt money politics is on a different scale altogether as compared to previous prime ministers administration. nobody says he's personally involved, but there's no doubt that he must bear responsibility for the greed, the clear magnitude of money politics and corruption.

BARRON: Three weeks before the assembly, Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin resigned. Political analysts say Mahathir masterminded the departure of his former protege, as part of his party clean-up. Daim is a close associate of two prominent tycoons whose companies benefited from recent controversial and expensive government rescue packages. Even Umno leaders say Daim's tenure was characterized by corruption.

SHAHRIR ABDUL SAMAD, UMNO SUPREME COUNCIL: A crook? Yes, that would be a possibility to put him into that, because I think he was aware of the scheme of things.

BARRON: Mr. Mahathir himself now holds the finance post. One of his administrations' first moves, the $1 billion government bid on July 23rd for infrastructure firm UEM. The government plans to wrest control of the Uem-Renong group from chairman Halim Faad, who had close ties to former Finance Minister Daim. The question now is: Will Mahathir's fiery words translate into action? Six senior members of the Umno Party have already been suspended, and nine more are before the party's disciplinary board. But many here believe the cleanup will fail to be a cure.

STEVEN GAN, MALAYSIAKINI.COM: Political will is not enough really. I think he has to have all the support from all the party members. But I think the situation in Umno is way beyond one person being too soft, because party politics has fallen off, gone beyond just a few key leaders. It's gone down to the grassroots and without the support of everyone. It's hard for Umno to tackle money politics. Some analysts say cronyism will not disappear unless Malaysia gets an overhaul.

JOMO KS, UNIVERSITY MALAYA: To move fundamentally against the whole system, it seems to me is very unlikely in that its become so central to the system of power that exists in this country. The regime has to be broken and a new type of politics and, in a sense, has to develop in its place.

BARRON: Still, analysts say if Mahathir believes a full-scale offensive is needed to boost support for his regime, expect even more measures against delinquents.

Lisa Barron, CNN, Kuala Lampur.

(END VIDEOTAPE)