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Najib: Up to individual
to decide on boycott
by Timothy Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Tun Razak said yesterday the government
is leaving it to individual consumers to make their
own decision on whether to join the call by some
politicians and non-government organisations to
boycott US currency and goods in response to
Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip.
“It is an individual’s choice,” said Najib, after
officiating at the 3rd Islamic Economic Congress
at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.
“As a consumer, one has to make one’s own
decision. As a small nation, what can you do? We
can have demonstrations, make statements, but
they might not necessarily have any impact.”
On the call to boycott, Najib said today’s world
economy is “very complex and very intertwined”.
He said many local firms, including bumiputra
ones, are franchise holders of US products and com-
panies, and there was bound to be adverse effects.
Najib said while some might feel strongly about
the boycott because of Israel’s action in Gaza, and
by virtue of the US being a close ally of Israel, oth-
ers would merely see it as a “grey” area.
He said this in response to calls from various
parties and individuals, including former premier
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, that consumers must
boycott US products and currency.
Last Friday, thousands of Malaysians marched
along Jalan Ampang to the US embassy after Friday
prayers to protest the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
Posters and banners have been put up in the
city centre, calling for the boycott of US products.
However, local economists have described the
move as “shooting one’s own leg” as the local econ-
omy is dependant on US companies and products.
Besides employment opportunities, the local
economy, particularly the manufacturing sector,
depends substantially on the US economy, its
companies and products.
On another matter, Najib, who is also finance
minister, said the government is focused on market-
ing Islamic banking and financial products as well as
services to be more acceptable to non-Muslims.
Najib said the current global economic turmoil
is a golden opportunity for Islamic finance and
banking to showcase what it could offer, especially
its advantages and effectiveness.
In Ipoh, Perak MCA’s economic bureau wants all
politicians to stop calling for a boycott of US goods
which will affect the livelihood of small medium in-
dustries (SMI) and small medium enterprises (SME).
His sentiment was shared by Berjaya Corpora-
tion Berhad (BCorp) chairman and chief executive
officer Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, who said,
“all the American brands (in Malaysia) are owned by
local business people. Starbucks is owned by us. If
you boycott Starbucks, we will also be affected.”
Tan, who was speaking to the press after an
agreement signing ceremony between BCorp’s
wholly-owned subsidiary, Wangsa Tegap Sdn Bhd,
and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC for the
development of a luxury condominium project (full
report in page 18) in Kuala Lumpur, said this when
asked to comment on the campaign to boycott
American products.
Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election
Candidates’ personalities under scrutiny
KUALA TERENGGANU: Person-
ality certainly matters, and it may
just affect voting behaviour in the
Kuala Terengganu by-election.
As the campaign entered its
second phase, the personality of
candidates seems to have sur-
faced in most ceramah although
campaigners and speakers from
both sides were restrained in
making personal attacks.
However, as polling day
draws closer and the battle to
win the voters gets tougher, the
personalities of the candidates
are being scrutinised, with cam-
paigners beginning to highlight
their opponent’s weak points.
First on the “hit list” was Ba-
risan Nasional candidate Datuk
Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh
as he was perceived as being
less friendly due to his serious
demeanour.
In a small and close-knit
community such as in Kuala
Terengganu, personality does
play its part as the people
here are more comfortable
with someone with a friendlier
disposition.
Realising this, BN leaders
have openly urged the voters
here to choose the candidate
briefs
Review gas, electricity
rates, says Muhyiddin
KUALA LUMPUR: International
Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri
Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday
there is a need to review gas and
electricity rates for industries as oil
prices had fallen recently.
“This was requested by the
industries as gas and electricity are
the two main components of their
production cost,” he told reporters
after delivering a New Year message
to staff of his ministry here.
“We will take up the matter with
the relevant parties including Petro-
nas, Tenaga Nasional and the Ministry
of Energy, Water and Communica-
tions for deliberation,” he said.
Muhyiddin also disclosed that
there had been a previous discussion
on the issue with those concerned
but no decision was made as it was
held at a time when oil prices were
still high. “But now, it is obvious that
the rates needed to be reviewed, as
oil prices have fallen,” he said.
He said the industries had also
asked for a bigger supply of gas.
For the electricity sector, gas is still
a major primary energy input, consti-
tuting 68 % with 63.8 % of the installed
generating plants operating on gas.
theSun | TUESDAY JANUARY 13 2009
based on capabilities, and not
just looks.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the
some of us just don’t appear
friendly. Serious looks do not
mean that he cannot become
international trade and industry a good wakil rakyat.”
minister, who sometimes ap- However, Chinese voters do
pears to be serious and stern, not see looks as the deciding
said the voters should exercise factor.
wisdom in choosing their leader State MCA chairman Toh
so that their problems could be Chin Yaw said Wan Ahmad
highlighted at a higher level. Farid has a good relationship
“Normally, our people look with the Chinese.
at a person’s personality, his “We are more worried about
character, to the extent that national issues that would ef-
they ovelook other factors re- fect the voter sentiment.”
quired of a leader, such as his Toh said PAS candidate
capability to fulfil the people’s Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut would
needs, and his performance. need to convince the Chinese
These should be the main cri- community more, based on his
teria in choosing a leader. previous track record when the
“Wan Ahmad Farid, as peo- state was ruled by PAS from
ple say, doesn’t always smile, 1999 to 2004.
like I do, and sometimes we He claimed that when Mohd
are swayed by this factor, as Abdul Wahid was a state assem-
if it is more important than his blyman and a state exco, he had
capabilities. I’m confident Wan never visited the Chinese.
Farid has the capabilities.” “When he was first appoint-
For Gerakan president Tan ed as exco between 1999 and
Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, the issue 2004, nobody knew him. He was
of whether he has a friendly only known later. He is the per-
disposition or not, is not the son known to have introduced
point. the gender segregation in the
“Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid supermarket. He even talked
works hard and has helped about introducing sin tax for the
many people. Sometimes, non-Muslim.” – Bernama
Policemen
exercise
On the further liberalisation of their voting
the services sector, Muhyiddin said a
committee chaired by Deputy Prime
rights at the
Redang Hall
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak at the state
would hold its first meeting soon. contingent
He said some services in the sec- police
tor needed to be liberalised as the headquarters
country was losing billions of dollars in Kuala
in terms of investment flow by not Terengganu
opening up. – Bernama yesterday. A
total of 838
policemen and
‘Umno will never adopt 27 soldiers
extreme policies’ cast their
KUALA TERENGGANU: Deputy votes for
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib the Kuala
Abdul Razak gave his assurance Terengganu
that Umno would never adopt parliamentary
extreme policies which could harm by-election.
the community and race relations
in the country.
He said while one or two Umno
leaders might be issuing “wrong”
statements, this did not reflect the
general policies of Umno.
Najib said that Umno would
MIC division
always subscribe to a moderate treasurer
policy stand. killed by
“We will never implement poli-
cies that are extreme in this coun-
intruders
try. I give my assurance that Umno pg 4
will never adopt such policies in
this country.
“We will be fair to all communi-
ties and all races in this country,”
he said during his speech at the
dinner with Terengganu’s In-
dian community, here last night.
– Bernama