Speculation has been rife since last year that snap elections will be called. Never mind the fact that the Barisan Nasional Government's full term only ends in mid-1999.

These political speculators also seem to ignore the fact that the economic slowdown needs the attention of the national leadership more than anything else. An expensive state election is hardly its priority.

Yong, who took over as Chief Minister in 1996, vowed to change the political culture of the state after he was sworn in.

He then described the state as "the wild, wild east of Malaysian politics."

Almost two years later, little has changed. The state's political landscape has continued to be turbulent.

In a state where political allegiance means nothing, there were several defections among assemblymen to the opposition PBS last year.

Recently, Yong found himself under fire when fellow Barisan Nasional leaders from Umno and Gerakan questioned him over the state's purchase of North Borneo Timbers (NBT) shares.

Warisan Harta, of which Yong is chairman, had allegedly paid RM31.50 per share on Dec 23 in a transaction for three million shares.

Predictably, Yong has reacted bitterly to these attacks, first brought up by the PBS. "They have already convicted me," he said.

This came shortly after his deputy, Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh, tendered his resignation on Dec 13.

Although Ghapur did not reveal his reasons for quitting as the state Umno deputy chairman, it was widely speculated that he was in disagreement with certain state Umno leaders.

Ghapur has since withdrawn his resignation after a meeting with Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Politicking is expected to intensify when the Umno division elections are held between March 12 and 29. Sparks are expected to fly in some Sabah divisions where the contest is likely to be keen.

The state politics has always been emotional; with its rich resources and vastness, the stakes are high.

Sabah sends 200 delegates to the Umno general assembly — the largest chunk of votes at the national-level party polls.

It remains to be seen what other issues would crop up during the division meetings, particularly among certain groups which continue to have reservations over the rotation system.

After Yong, the Kadazans will have their representative as chief minister.

The two Kadazan-based parties are the Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah headed by Datuk Joseph Kurup and the Parti Demokratik Sabah led by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.

Kurup has two assemblymen while Dompok has 13 state representatives. Kurup is tipped to be Yong's replacement as he is also a Deputy Chief Minister.

He was among the earliest Kadazan leaders to quit PBS to form a party under the Barisan after the 1994 state elections, where the PBS first won 25 seats and Barisan 23.

His detractors have, however, questioned the logic of Kurup as a chief minister, saying he could not possibly run the state as he lacks political clout.

But the state Barisan has completed three election dry-runs, indicating that it is gearing itself for elections.

Yong has continuously maintained that such trials are necessary because the state has the largest number of Barisan component parties and needs proper co-ordination.

Should snap elections be held, it will be the first time the state Barisan, comprising nine component parties, is putting itself to the test.

Before it does that, Barisan component leaders in Sabah must fully understand the concept of power-sharing.

No single party, on its own, is able to command the votes of Sabahans of various ethnic and religious backgrounds. The Chief Minister represents all Sabahans and not any single race.

Much more than that, Sabah politicians must realise that election promises must be kept if they wish to face the voters with dignity in the next round.

The political fickleness of Sabah politicians is already well-known but it is time they grow up because the electorate is more educated and knowledgable.

They should stop taking the electorate for granted.

With all the predicted doom and  gloom in the media, laughter has  become a scarce item these days   very much like sugar, one might  say.

It's going to be more difficult to  lift the holiday spirit. But the Malaysian sense of humour, no matter  how controlled, must remain an essential item for all of us to get  through the tough times.

So, it was a welcome change  when I received several festive  wishes with rib-tickling messages  from friends in the banking and  stock-broking sectors  those  hardest hit by the economic slowdown.

Here's a compilation of their new  year resolutions which if followed,  say these financial experts, will  help us survive the depressing  year.

Visit more friends this year   just in case they need to borrow  money. And confine visiting hours  to lunch and dinner time.

Make loud attempts to pay the  bill at restaurants but make it  equally long to take out your wallet  from your pocket. That, they insist,  is prudent financial management  and upholds the Asian value of  sharing.

Go for lunch with your bosses, if  you can. In following another important Asian tradition of “giving  face,'' especially to your superiors,  let them pick up the tab.

Keep sending flowers to loved  ones during special occasions. Loyalty, after all, must be appreciated  if your spouse is standing by you  during economic hardship. However, it will be hibiscus this time instead of roses.

“Hibiscus, being the national  flower, deserves a more prominent  role now. It's also available free in  many places,'' they note.

Despite what the politicians tell  you about not buying fashion apparel with unpronounceable Italian  or French names, it's okay to buy  such items as long as the names are  spelt the Malaysian way.

“Versagie, Armanee or Teg Hevey'' branded items are made by  100% Malaysian-owned stores in  Petaling Street. Besides being politically-correct in this climate of  austerity, we are helping the small  and medium-size businesses which  are still waiting for transfer of  technology from foreigners.

Spend your vacation at home to  stop the outflow of the ringgit. If  you must go to a neighbouring  country, the advice is “don't fly, it  can be dangerous.''

Cut down on transport cost. Follow the example of those neighbours who come often to our country  take a boat.

If you must travel overseas,  make sure it's a company trip. Of  course, make sure the accounts department provide you with enough  greenback. And check the exchange rate when you return unused US dollars  a small profit in  forex trading will be additional income.

Prepare yourself for a new job, is  another resolution by my financial  wizard friends who confessed to  losing a bundle in the stock market.

“But never, never give up your  existing job. Wait to be retrenched  and use your payments wisely. Go  into the food business, it's all cash.  Remember, you can owe your suppliers,'' they advised.

Eat local food. The nasi bungkus  and chap fun, which the Malaysian  yuppies had dumped for more  Western choices, deserve a resurgence.

It's chic  not cheap  to take  your girlfriend to the back lane of  Jalan Tun Perak for a plate of  prawn mee in true Malaysian ambience: the warm tropical night, the  stars above, the stream of passing  vehicles.

Finally, why drink Perrier water  when the mineral water from Taiping is as good. Even the distilled  water from Sentul is fine as long as  it is clean.

Like all new year resolutions, it  is always difficult keeping them.  But under the present circumstances, it looks like we don't have  much of a choice.

By the way, are you ready for  lunch?

In Red Corner,  Richard Gere plays an entertainment lawyer who is thrown into solitary confinement and denied his  legal rights after being set up.  In Seven Years in Tibet, Brad Pitt  plays a German mountaineer who  gets close to the Dalai Lama during  his sojourn in Lhasa.

A third movie, Kundun, from  Walt Disney, is about the flight of  the Dalai Lama to India after the  Chinese occupation of Tibet.

All these movies have a powerful  message  China is evil, its human  rights record stinks and it deserves  a good wallop.  Whatever the merits of the case,  film-makers have reduced the political complexities surrounding  these sensitive issues into a few  hours of simplistic movie fantasy.  The three movies were released  when President Jiang Zemin visited Washington for his summit with  President Bill Clinton recently.  At the same time, Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng was glorified  and accorded the questionable title  of the Father of Chinese Democracy.

Although considered more of an  embarrassment than a hero in China, Newsweek named him Asian of  the Year in its latest edition.  For the majority of Americans  who have never set foot in China,  such images created by the media  can only be the truth.

The American perception of democracy has always been the holding of elections, the right of an individual and the freedom of expression  civil liberties being the sum  total of human rights.

Never mind if Russia has been  reduced to a beggar state today so  long as the people can choose their  leaders. From the long bread queue  of yesterday, Russians have found  that there is nothing to line up for  today.

With the strong but subtle American propaganda at work, it is almost impossible to impress upon  ordinary Americans that there has  been substantial improvements in  different categories of human  rights in many parts of Asia, especially China.  Human rights is not just about  civil and political rights. There has  to be a broader and more comprehensive view which includes economic, social and cultural rights.  It is no good telling a nation of 1.2  billion people that civil rights, in a  strictly Western sense, comes first  before their next meal. It can't be  denied that China's ability to feed  its people is an achievement.

It is no good being the world's  biggest democracy when the government continuously collapses,  wrecking political and socio-economic stability.

China certainly doesn't deserve  the bashing from Tinseltown. Over  the last 10 years, it has opened up  tremendously, allowing its people  to travel overseas in large numbers.

It has even tolerated religious  practices, which would have been  unthinkable during the Mao era.  Capitalism has almost become a  way of life in China and the pursuit  of private wealth is encouraged.  The continued expansion of its  economy and the creation of a  broader middle class will gradually  lead to more demands for certain  civil and political rights.

They will begin to appreciate the  importance of freedom of expression, an independent media and  public accountability.  Many Americans, including those  with good intentions, fail to appreciate the fact that human rights is  linked to economic rights.  China's achievements, unfortunately, have been overlooked by  Hollywood movie-makers who only  see a celluloid and imaginative  view of its politics.  Governing the world's biggest  country is no easy job  one which  James Bond, Indiana Jones and Superman put together will not be  able to handle.

Falling sick can be an expensive affair these days, more so if you do not have medical insurance coverage or if your company is not picking up the tab. Last week, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged private hospitals to reduce their charges and discounts for Malaysians. He also proposed that doctors and medical specialists take salary cuts to bring down costs and lessen the burden on patients, especially the poorer ones. Media organisations which wanted to carry a response from hospitals found what they had expected none of the private hospitals were willing to respond to the  Prime Minister's statement. The reason is simple. Private hospitals have become big businesses with many looking and acting like five-star hotels.  Motivated only by profit, kindness and care take a back seat as many in the medical profession become more and more business minded. Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Milton Lum, an outspoken personality, did respond to Dr Mahathir's statement by urging hospitals to reassess their operations and salary structure but clarified that doctors' fees were only a fraction of the total bill. Dr Lum is right. Malaysians who sought treatment in private hospitals have been slapped with charges, many seemingly unreasonable, which they cannot comprehend. Last week, an angry reader complained that her 73-year-old grandmother was admitted into a Kuala Lumpur hospital for constipation. The total charge for her four-day stay came up to over RM2,700. The reader said she requested an itemised bill but was denied at first.

After much argument, she said, the hospital agreed to itemise the  bill but warned that should the process take a long time and went beyond the 2pm checkout time, the hospital would impose another  day's room charges. The hefty bill came mainly from  charges covering ward procedure, instruments, laboratory use, ECG  monitoring, radiology and surgical applications. And the patient was treated by two doctors, there were consultation fees from both.  Discounts were finally given after much fuss, but how many Malaysians would bother to complain  to the hospital or write in to the press to correct injustices? A reporter who tried to contact the hospital concerned for its side of the story was warned in typical big-bully fashion that it would not hesitate to file a legal suit against this newspaper if the hospital's name was printed. Newspapers have received similar grievances from readers regularly, including patients being  asked to pay a deposit when they  needed treatment urgently. Malaysians, of course, understand that private hospitals are capital-intensive business ventures with expensive imported equipment and drugs. With the opening of many private  hospitals, attractive salaries have to be offered to recruit experienced medical and non-medical staff. Specialists deserve their big salaries because medical education,  particularly at post-graduate level, is costly and they ought to get the  returns from their investment. While the services offered in private hospitals may not necessarily be good these days, their facilities are still more comfortable, cleaner and orderly than that of government hospitals. Some private hospitals have also set up nursing schools, complementing the role of the Government in producing more qualified nurses. The availability of a TV set, telephone, an attached washroom, an air-conditioner, carpet flooring and even a menu in your room are the frills, which make your stay in a hospital more pleasant but also more expensive. Private hospitals must not forget  their social responsibility to Malaysians, the majority of whom are  wage-earners. There is a need to come up with more meaningful packages to reduce medical fees, and for better government scrutiny and supervision.  Malaysians, as consumers, have a right to more information, especially for what they are paying for. We should not simply allow market forces to take over. The people  have a right to reasonable healthcare, whether government or private-run. Private medical care is a recession-proof business. We still fall sick during hard times, and it can be more painful on seeing the bill  for treatment. Those who run private hospitals should realise that to succumb to greed is a more serious and hard to-cure disease.

One speaker, in giving a broad  picture of the economic scenario, summed up the events leading to  the currency and stock market situation in two words  Soros dan boros, referring to the attacks against the ringgit by American financier George Soros. Boros is the Bahasa Malaysia term for wastage and extravagance. Apparently, the speaker was talking about the lack of prudent management among some decision makers, both in the public and private sectors. Although our fundamentals have been strong, we cannot deny the  fact that excessive credit growth, uncontrolled consumerism and insufficient food production were among our economic excessiveness. Too much of anything is bad. Malaysians will certainly back the leadership's call to reduce the salaries of top executives in the public and private sectors. The move will trim away the fat and make us sharper and more competitive. The decision to cut the salaries of ministers, their deputies and parliamentary secretaries by 3% to 10% may not be much but it is an important gesture. It is a signal to other sectors that financial sacrifice is necessary in order to deal with the problems realistically. The move has led to state governments taking a similar cut. The private sector, too, has been told to reduce unreasonable salaries paid to top and middle-rung executives as part of its contribution  to the country's austerity drive.

Malaysians would have by now realised the magnitude of our economic problems. The trickle-down effect has been felt; our cost of living has gone up. There is, however, no necessity for some of our leaders to make  statements which may be news grabbing but have no impact nor relevance in solving our situation. Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk  Abu Hassan Omar ordered a stop to snacks, presumably goreng pisang, and drinks during meetings  and  no more lunches and dinners at official functions. Penang state executive councillor Datuk Dr Kang Chin Seng has made a similar statement, saying  Penang exco members may no longer buy lunch for their guests. His intentions may be good but  few Malaysians will buy that. Malaysians want to see a realistic, consistent and transparent approach in the handling of our economy. They do not want to hear questionable proposals. State governments can earn more goodwill and respect if they  postpone the renovation or construction of official residences of senior state leaders, which runs  into millions of ringgit. Terengganu assemblymen, in an obvious artificial display of press publicity, decided to have nasi bungkus for lunch last week. Earlier, the Tampin district council, in a bizarre move, decided  to switch off its street lamps from  1am to 5am to cut costs, disregarding road safety and other consequences. Such statements, unfortunately,  present themselves as comic relief  in our tough times. We should not send wrong signals to foreign investors, who have  already lumped South-East Asian countries (having different financial situations) into one basket. Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have repeatedly said we do not need a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. The last thing we want is to give an impression to foreigners that we are on  the verge of bankruptcy.

There is a need to be thrifty, to cut down on our consumption and,  perhaps, even our sugar intake. But Malaysians can still afford a few cups of coffee, lunch at a restaurant and, certainly, street lights. As the participants at the workshop ended their meeting, they adjourned to the hotel's restaurant for a buffet lunch. Despite its huge spread of food, almost all the dishes contained chicken, a controlled item which costs more now but is still the cheapest meat. One company executive said, in between mouthfuls of food, he had  decided to postpone the renovation to his house because there would not be any increment and bonus. Let's all not be penny wise, pound foolish. The man-in-the-street who  has been told to eat less can only stomach so much.

The company sought an insertion  in the diary section of newspapers.  In other words, while the company  was charging participants, including human resources managers, it  wanted free advertisement at the  same time.

The timing of both statements   which were not used by the mainstream newspapers  is questionable.

The union is making demands  when most companies have become  poorer as a result of the stock market plunge. Operations cost has  shot up because of the depreciation  of the ringgit.

At a time when most companies  have talked about downsizing  an  euphemism for retrenchment   unions are unlikely to have much  bargaining clout.

Although the manufacturing and  plantation sectors are still labour intensive, many Malaysian companies have put a freeze on recruitment, preparing themselves for the  economic uncertainties of the coming months.

The last thing a company wants  is to commit itself to more spending, if unjustified.

A cursory look at most newspapers' recruitment advertisement  section, which has become smaller   would give an indication of the  situation.

Such is the predicament of the  average Malaysian wage-earner.

Workers have been told to expect  lower increments, less overtime  and even retrenchment if the economic situation continues to slide.

While most workers are likely to  be reasonable, there will be cases  of rogue employers who will take  advantage of the present economic  climate to instil unnecessary fear  among their workers.

It is here that the leadership, the  press, the employers and unions  have to play a responsible role by  disseminating the right information to create a climate of confidence without being unrealistic at  the same time.

The political leadership would  have to implement more confidence-boosting measures.

Statements from leaders would  have to be consistent because contradictory stands would only send  the wrong signals to jittery investors and confuse everyone.

Political rhetoric would have to  take a back seat for now  the priority is to nurse the economy back  to health.

While they are answerable to the  various interest groups under their  respective ministries, our leaders  should remind themselves that  their commitment is to the average  Ahmad, Ah Beng and Muthu.

The press must play a pivotal  role by separating fact from rumour, especially concerning the  share market.

The fact that some of the vicious  rumours have been proven wrong  again and again has not stopped  even the well-informed from being  duped. Local stock market pundits  are sometimes ridiculously gullible.

For the wage-earner, it is time to  be thrifty and realise that no one is  certain of what's coming.

With 1998 just weeks ahead, it's  best that Malaysians remind themselves of the need to cut costs, increase savings and ensure a steady  income. Hold on to your job, forget  about job-hopping.

If you have just moved into a new  house, make minimum renovation.  Forget about spending RM20,000  for a modern kitchen if you hardly  cook or only use the “wet area'' at  the back, like many middle-class  families do.

Go easy on the air-conditioner,  the hot shower, telephone calls,  credit-card purchases and other  non-essential items.

Rethink your plan to spend  Christmas and Gongxi Raya holidays abroad. Even if the package  tour is affordable, the currency exchange alone will set you back.

Ask yourself whether you really  need a vacation in the first place. If  you must, holiday locally. If you  consider our local hotel rates too  costly, then put up with relatives  and friends.

If you have to eat out, go for value for money. Hawker fare is still  cheaper than restaurant spread  and fast food.

Car-pooling was something Malaysians, especially those in the  Klang Valley, used to sneer at. Perhaps it's time to put it into practice.

It's not just the petrol consumption; think about the wear and tear  on your vehicle and the maintenance bill. Do you really need to  buy a car, now that the loan interest rate is 10%?

Avoid spending. Save.

Take advantage of the high interest rates offered by banks. Shop  around for a good conservative local bank and save in fixed deposits.

Foreign banks should not profit  by default at a time when we need  to support our own financial institutions.

These things we do will help us  get over the rough part of our journey. We have to slow down our  driving, by projecting a lower  growth rate of 5%, but we will still  reach our destination.

One MP said that a coffeeshop owner had approached him for help after having lost a bundle in the stock market.

“I told him there was nothing I could do. He was not the only one hit by the depressed stock market. I, myself, have been affected.

“He clarified that he wasn't asking me to bail him out financially but to mediate with his tai yee loong (loan shark) to stop him from being beaten up after defaulting on his loan payments,'' the MP said.

The other MP spoke of how one of his constituents had complained about the increasing high cost of living in Johor, saying politicians should know what they are talking about.

“The retired clerk, who lives on his pension, said it's fine for leaders to talk about economic policies and other bigger things but they should not forget how much basic items cost now.

“He gave me an earful, asking me to tell the higher-ups in Kuala Lumpur that the small people from Johor have been buying local products for years.

“He also insisted I bring up continuously in Parliament the high cost of living in our state.''

For Johoreans, the weak ringgit has been both a boon and bane. The state already has a reputation for being the most expensive one in the country.

The prices of many household necessities, such as fish and vegetables, in Johor markets are higher than in other states.

That, however, has not stopped many Singaporeans from shopping in the state and pushing prices up further.

It's a Catch 22 situation. The presence of Singaporeans in the state has contributed substantially to the Johor economy.

The high exchange rate and the demand for goods from these islanders have led to undue profiteering by Johorean traders.

This scenario has been going on for years. It's an old story except that this time, things have become more complicated and emotional because of the currency situation.

The Johor Government, for example, talks about launching a retail sales campaign to woo Singaporeans to shop there. At the same time, the Government has to grapple with local resentment towards Singaporeans buying essential  items.

One hears of civil servants earning RM1,000 having to hold two jobs to make ends meet. After office hours, they moonlight as taxi drivers, security guards, part-time hotel staff and even pub singers.

At the pasar malam, these civil servants are also prevalent; they either conduct their own business or help their spouses or family members sell ulam, traditional medicine or plastic goods.

These efforts, though seemingly menial, are done to earn the extra buck which can help ease the tight financial situation.

Housing is a pressing problem in the state, particularly for the middle-class who do not qualify for low-cost housing but are too poor to  buy houses costing RM100,000 and above.

Singaporeans cross the Causeway daily for almost everything, from buying groceries to burial lots in Kulai.

Shopowners prefer dealing with cash-rich Singaporeans who buy in quantity and spend freely.

Many Johoreans also cross the link each day to work in Singapore, earning the kind of salaries they cannot find in Malaysia.

A sizeable number of Johoreans send their children to schools in  Singapore, even at primary level, taking advantage of the quality  educational facilities in the republic.

Singaporeans and Johoreans have this love-hate relationship. The economy aside, when diplomatic ties turn prickly at times, Malaysians down south feel it the most.

Johoreans have better access to Singapore media coverage about Malaysia. They question why Malaysian leaders are sometimes not accorded the same respect and sensitivity given by the Malaysian media to their Singaporean counterparts.

There is much at stake for both sides. Almost everything is inter linked and sometimes, as neighbours, we take things for granted and forget the larger picture.

The need to treat issues delicately needs to be re-emphasised, especially during the present rough economic patch which both countries are experiencing together.

But not everybody is frowning in Johor. There is a price war among  traders selling pirated CD-ROMs and VCDs.

“Not everything is expensive in Johor. We sell CD-ROMs and VCDs between RM5 and RM8 each. It's probably the cheapest in Malaysia,'' said one shopkeeper.

It was already near closing time but one shopping complex in Jalan  Harimau Tarum was still packed with Johorean and Singaporean bargain-hunters.

At Senai, about 40km from Johor Baru, the oil-palm growers are smiling. The commodity has enjoyed a price increase in ringgit terms against the backdrop of a depreciating ringgit, with an increase of between RM1,700 and RM1,800 per tonne.

Their hopes are high because the sentiment is that palm oil should be  traded at RM2,000 a tonne in the international market.

Despite the gloom generally prevailing among Malaysians who have taken a beating with the currency and stock market problems, one can still detect energy and enthusiasm in Johor.

Over a drink at a hotel in Taman Century, a remisier who had been  suspended from trading was still in a mood to talk about certain attractive counters.

“Look at those counters dealing in commodities. If you have the money, go in now, don't regret later,'' he advised.

That was not all. As Dr Mahathir  spoke, a foreign TV reporter appeared before his camera, using  the on-going summit as a backdrop,  to say that the G-15 had little substance to work on.

It was the first day of the summit  but that did not stop the western  reporter, based in Singapore, from  passing off a prejudicial comment  as fact.

Completely ignored was the huge  amount of intra G-15 trade that had  been generated as a result of the  grouping.

The western press, which loves  to lecture the rest of the world on  objectivity, impartiality, fairness  and freedom of speech, seems to  have forgotten such ethics, preparing to sacrifice all these values to  suit its prejudices.

Accuracy is no longer of paramount importance, in the case of  many western reporters based in  the region, with opinions and comments passed off as news and analysis.

The hardest cut for these news  agencies over the past week has  been the chorus of support from  many countries for Dr Mahathir's  call to regulate currency trading.

Dr Mahathir has again become  the subject of their tirade simply  because he has been proven right.

The Fortune financial magazine,  in its Nov 24 issue, spared no  punches against Dr Mahathir, criticising Malaysia for not adopting  sufficient reforms in its economy.

But the saddest blow comes from  Bangkok's Nation, which has a sizeable number of expatriate journalists, including many former backpackers, who found themselves  stranded in Thailand and in need of  a job after running out of money.

Their only talent is their ability  to string a sentence correctly in a  country where it is difficult to find  reporters who can write proper English.

Last month, the newspaper said  in an editorial that it was time for  Dr Mahathir to go because he had  outlived his usefulness.

The same newspaper wrote another editorial on Nov 8 running  down the Malaysian media, saying  it was “long known for their selective publication of news  distort  views'' as it continued paddling the  same tired arguments against the  Malaysian economy.

It is incredulous that this paper,  which is said  to have ordered a pay  cut for its staff because of deep  financial problem, has seen it fit to  lecture the Malaysian media and  how Malaysia should run its economy.

The newspaper has also ignored  the fact that it was Thailand's economic crisis that sparked off the  region's economic woes.

It might be a good idea that this  newspaper should make sure that  its reports are written and edited  by locals. It is sad that the Nation,  which has earned a reputation for  good journalism, is prepared to  forego its respectability to try to be  a pseudo-western news outfit.

For the employers of many western agencies, their correspondents  are incapable of writing misleading  news reports because “native reporters'' are supposed to be sycophantic, apologetic and fearful.

In the tradition of Tarzan and  George of the Jungle, white is right  and might. They are supposed to  know better than the locals. After  all, they can even decide when the  Malaysian Prime Minister should  resign.

In all fairness, there are many  credible western journalists, who  sometimes have better access to  contacts than their local counterparts, but unfortunately they are  dictated by their employers who  have their own agenda and motives.

The current diplomatic tiff with  the 34 US Congressmen has given  these western agency reporters  plenty to write about.

Last week, Reuters sent out an  incredulous report about an unknown group called the Malaysian  Moslem (the agency's spelling for  Muslim) Martyrs' Movement and  had claimed responsibility for a  threat to kill four Americans in Malaysia.

Quoting an unnamed diplomat,  the report added: “This may not be  a serious threat but we have to take  it seriously.''

If it's not a serious threat, why  take it seriously?

Earlier, there was another report  on the alleged death threats to  Americans living in Malaysia. The  damaging part was that Malaysia  was lumped together with Karachi  in the news report.

The purported gag on the media  by Malaysian authorities has not  stopped the flow of foreign correspondents, many with little reporting experience, to Kuala Lumpur.

The blue skies which Malaysians  have enjoyed for the past weeks  doesn't seem to be newsworthy.

Foreign journalists, instead, continuously make long-distance calls  to Malaysian editors seeking their  views on the “worsening haze problem.''

When told that the haze is gone  and is probably in Australia now,  one could detect disbelief on the  part of these foreigners.

Dr Mahathir is said to be anti Semitic but the western media does  not seem to be interested to report  the fact that it was Dr Mahathir  who risked his political career by  bringing in the Israeli cricket  team.

Admittedly, Malaysian leaders  and opinion makers realise that  they need the foreign press to put  their views across to the international audience, but they need to be  cautious.

Malaysian leaders have become  front-cover material, at least for  the Asian editions, because these  international magazines realise the  importance of the Asian market.

But it's time to be tough. The Malaysian Government should take  the western media to court for distortion of facts, let them pay a  heavy price for their misinformation, insist on clarifications and  corrections and even restrict the  sales of their publications here   they should learn to respect the  hand that feeds them.

Another report grumbled that it was not hard-hitting enough and  that more should have been done to address the current account deficit.

It is really a no win situation. Without doubt most people, including Malaysians, have expected the  Budget to be a tougher one but a “slash and burn'' approach would not have helped.

The aim of the Budget is to restore confidence and, hopefully, to  bring back the good times for Malaysians. It is a good mix of measures, aim at cutting away the fats. It is supposed to be a cure, not a  burial.

The signal  is Malaysians will be  thrifty and we will  be careful in  our spending. Known for his habit of introducing new Bahasa Malaysia words,  sometimes tongue-twisting ones, in his Budget speeches, Anwar decided to stick to plain language this time.There were no frills and certainly no need to attach a glossary to  his speech to explain the use of certain words.

His message was clear: The time has come for Malaysians to exercise prudence.

The Budget, he said, might not be well received by everyone because  it did not contain any “goodies'' and some segments of society might  even feel bitter about strong measures to control the growth in credit and imports. “Consider what is  bitter as medicine,'' he said.Though tough measures had been  predicted, the Budget can be described as a “right dosage''.

The bright points include a cut in the corporate tax which will help  companies reeling from the shock of the stock market losses and a reduction in petroleum tax. Foreign investors,analysts and the media got to hear what they  wanted  measures to curb the  deficit such as corporate tax exemption for exporters, lower duties  on crude oil exports, higher duties  on imports of heavy machinery, consumer durables, construction materials and cars.

The ordinary travellers who use  up only a few pages of their passports will feel the pinch of the sharp increase in fees for international and restricted passports, aimed at reducing the number of Malaysians travelling abroad.

An introduction in exit tax for Malaysians would, perhaps, be  more appropriate since the target should be the frequent travellers.

For the many Proton-driving Malaysians, they will welcome the  hike in import duty on completely  built up and completely knocked  down vehicles as it will control excessive credit and discourage  spending.

Malaysians now no longer see the car as a mere form of transport but  a status symbol to  flaunt their new found wealth. However,for Sabahans and Sarawakians, who need to use four-wheel drive vehicles for real reasons, the new tax will be a  hard pinch.One surprise omission is the imposition of “sin tax''" on cigarettes, liquor and gaming.

On the part of the Government,Anwar came out clearly with a list  of mega projects, worth RM66bil,which had been deferred.

The annual economic report accompanying the Budget forecasts  gross domestic product growing by 7% next year, down from an estimated 8% this year and 8.6% last year.

It maybe a damper for Malaysians used to high growth rates for  many years but many countries,including those in the West with massive unemployment,  would never  dream of such growth rate.

“It's like driving a Mercedes Benz for years and now we have to  drive a Proton Perdana.It's still a good car but we just have to get  used to it,'' said one businessman.

“And as you drive your Proton, to cut down cost, you are criticised by  some outsider who cannot even afford a car in his country. That  about sums up our economy.''

For the business sector, there should not be any reason to be too  unhappy, considering the Budget incentives.All this while, businessmen have been having it so good because of a pro-business and strong political leadership.Through privatisation,some have become super rich, enjoying  the kind of prominence and status they will never get elsewhere.

Now that some money was lost in  the stock market and currency attacks, they should stand by the leadership.They should not forget where  they were ten years back. Some were bankrupts and some had no records to show, let alone shout  about. A few have become rich simply  because they seem to have the  right political connections. But the years of wealth have made some  arrogant and a little too sensitive.

Now that the Budget has been tabled, Malaysians from all walks of  life should wake up with a clear  head and set their priorities right that is to restore the country's economy.

Malaysia, he argued, was in big trouble. The political leadership was in a mess and the people were upset.

He said there was no evidence to show that American financier George Soros was behind the attack on the ringgit.

It was the same with Thailand and the Philippines. However, he reserved some good remarks for Indonesia.

Going by his standards, Malaysia was a lousy place to invest but that did not stop him from trying to sell his articles to Malaysians.

Over the past one month, Malaysia and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad have become the favourite bashing boys of the foreign media.

One regional financial newspaper painted Kuala Lumpur as a place under siege, where bankers and analysts lived in fear of being detained by police.

“They worry about being grabbed by the security police, and some comtemplate catching a plane and bailing out of the country,'' the Asian Wall Street Journal reported on Sept 22.

One American fund manager, the paper said, sat nervously in a plane  taking off from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok.

Asked what was troubling him, he replied: “I'll tell you when we're 10 minutes out of KL.''

Such exaggerated reporting, with pre-determined tone of pessimism and negativity, seems to have become the order of the day for almost all international magazines over the last month.

The Sept 22 cover of Newsweek had the headline Trouble for Tigers: How Asia's Economies Lost Their Bite.

Asia, it said, had stumbled and the East Asia miracle had finally hit the wall.

Business Week went a step further, putting Malaysia's Mahathir on the cover and alleging there was serious flaws in the management.

Time treated Soros almost like a saint, putting him on its cover and  praising him for “spending millions to save the world and getting blamed for wrecking Asia's currencies.''

The pattern has been the same. Call it paranoia if you want, but it  suspiciously smacks of a concerted effort.

Besides walloping Dr Mahathir's handling of the economy, casting aside what he has achieved over the past decade and more, the foreign media has also tried to drive a wedge between the Prime Minister and his deputy.

There is almost a refusal to acknowledge that Dr Mahathir has repeatedly said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is his designated successor.

Efforts by Anwar in expanding and clarifying any point raised by Dr Mahathir are often taken out of context and his statements edited to sound as if there is a contradiction between the two leaders.

We should read more than one news report to get the full picture these days. But not everyone has the avenue to do so. That's when the damage sets in.

Even reputable international magazines have been guilty of sensationalism. To jazz up their stories, they throw to the wind the cardinal principle of balanced reporting.

Malaysian media, which has adopted straight-forward reporting, has been accused of being “sycophantic.''

The country is certainly going through tough times. To overcome the difficulties, we are on an austerity drive, trimming the fat, cutting down on luxury, reviewing and tightening macro-economic policies.

This is not the first time we have been told that East Asians are not  getting their act right.

We are not being xenophobic but these are the same “experts'' who wrote “analyses'' predicting the doom of Hong Kong after 1997. The Chinese Government has proven them wrong.

It was the same with Mexico after its peso crisis in 1994 but instead the Mexican economy grew by 5.1% last year and is expected to grow by 6% this year.

There is renewed confidence and vibrance in South America over the past one year.

East Asia, which has seen stunning double-digit growth, is now taking a breather. Even tigers need a rest.

But we will learn from this experience. Known for our determination, we will regain our pose and confidence.

What the western press has failed to mention is that Malaysia's property market has remained intact and that political stability, high savings, skills, competitive exports and a willingness to adopt a more prudent economic management are some of the country's assets.

Malaysia also has competent, credible and strong financial institutions. There are no lay-offs or closure of factories because of the attacks on the currency and stock markets.

We have said that we will delay mega projects to deal more effectively with the current account deficit. We will live within our means.

Malaysia will learn to cope with globalisation and financial liberalisation. If we wish to talk about economic basics, the fundamentals are all there.

Our companies, especially those listed in the stock market, may make less money this year but they are still profitable.

Soros was wrong when he claimed that his criticism of Dr Mahathir would not be reported in Malaysia.

Magazines and financial newspapers which have been critical of Malaysia are on sale in the streets. So are books written by Soros himself.

But it's time for foreign reporters writing about Malaysia to adopt a more realistic and objective view. They shouldn't just talk to the same  Malaysian critics for the same predictable quotes to suit their editors.

They must be objective in their reporting.