'They can sack me, I don't care'
Malaysiakini.com
May 31, 2008
Andrew Ong 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he would prefer to be fired from his advisory positions in government bodies than to vacate the posts.
MCPX

mahathir satria talk 310508 worried“If they say ‘get out’, I’d get out. No problem... vacating the post is an option I like to keep. But I prefer if they kick me out,” he told a press conference today.

Currently, Mahathir is an advisor to oil and gas giant Petronas, national carmaker Proton, the Langkawi Development Authority and the Tioman Island Development Authority.

“If they want to take away (all) this, they are welcomed... I’m not dependent on that; Not even if they give me RM15,000 a month and make a hue and cry about it. I didn’t ask for it in the first place,” he said.

Journalist had asked Mahathir about his positions held because he was no longer a member of Umno since May 21. His son Mokhzani had followed suit and was asked by Youth and Sports Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to step down as Sepang International Circuit chairperson.

Mahathir said that the advisory positions held by him had nothing to do with him being an Umno member, as the government had a policy of giving retired prime ministers jobs.

mahathir satria talk 310508 pcHe said that past Umno presidents such as Hussien Onn, who did not join Umno Baru in 1987, were never stripped of their jobs.

Mahathir was speaking to reporters after speaking at the “Suntikan Semangat Satria (Injecting the Warrior’s Spirit)” forum organised by Minda Melayu Kreatif, Kelab Cinta Amanah Melayu and Arena PJS 14 in Petaling Jaya.

Batu Puteh decision

During the forum, when responding to a question from the floor, Mahathir joined the chorus of mainly opposition voices in lambasting the government’s performance in the International Court of Justice hearing on the dispute over Pulau Batu Puteh with Singapore.

“We were hoping that the government would send a effective delegation. Singapore sent their chief justice and a lawyer who used to work with the United Nations. We only sent our Attorney-General, who is not very famous.

pulau batu puteh putih judgement 230508“(The court) made a decision that baffles me. If we scrutinise the verdict, it is strange that Pulau Batu Puteh was awarded to Singapore, because (Middle Rocks) that is further south from Batu Puteh, was awarded to us.

“Our people were not good at arguing (the case). They did not deny that the letter that was written by a Johor official, who admitted that Batu Puteh was not ours, they (the Malaysian legal team) did not question the official’s authority in issuing the letter,

“The letter was written by an official before independence to a British officer in Singapore. Our official was probably not independent and was advised by the British to verify that Batu Puteh was not ours,

“This is what happened when we sent people (to the International Court of Justice) who are not good in such matters,” he said.  

The 12 - 4 decision by the world court was based on a letter written in 1953 by the state secretary of Johor to the Singapore government which states that Johor does not stake claim over Pedra Branca, which Pulau Batu Puteh is otherwise known.

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