The argument is that Barisan Nasional wants to seek a
fresh mandate before it rides through the 
mounting uncertainties clouding 
the economy and the region.

The political strategy, the reasoning goes, is to get through the  polls before the country enters its  roughest economic period in 13  years.

The Prime Minister, who is on a 
nationwide tour to explain the economic crisis to the people, has  asked foreigners not to read too  much into the visits.

Last week, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the visits  were to explain the current problems to the
people directly.

Some people, he said, thought  that they
were not affected by the  economic
slowdown, including  those who were in
the rubber, oil  palm and cocoa
industries.

He said this was because the  prices of
the export crops had increased because of the depreciation of the
ringgit.

The visits have been dubbed Semarak II by political observers, in  reference to the mammoth gatherings a decade
ago.

The last elections were held in  April
1995 when the Barisan scored  a landslide
victory.

Two weeks ago, MCA president  Datuk Seri
Dr Ling Liong Sik met  the party's 104
elected representatives to brief them on preparations  for the general election.

Sending political temperatures  rising,
the party's MPs and assemblymen were ordered to set up  their election operations centres at  state level.

According to party sources, division leaders have been asked to oil  their campaign machinery.

The statements of Barisan secretary-general Datuk Mohamed Rahmat and Umno
secretary-general  Datuk Sabbaruddin Chik
on gearing up for the polls have added 
weight to such speculation.

Mohamed had urged the coalition  to
resolve all internal problems, especially divisive issues, to build  unity ahead of the next election.

In Kelantan, both the Barisan and  PAS
have held mock election campaigns to test their machinery.

In the case of politically-charged 
Sabah, the Barisan has held at least 
two dry runs.

Sabah must hold their elections  by
February next year  fuelling  talk that simultaneous state and  general elections would be held by  next year.

There are several factors that  one must
take into account when  speculating on
the polls.

Kuala Lumpur will host the Commonwealth Games next month, followed by the
tabling of the 1999  Budget in October,
when the Dewan Rakyat will meet until December.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit will take  place in November, which will see  one of the largest gatherings of  world leaders.

Besides security considerations,  such a
meeting requires the support staff from all ministries and  agencies 
which would make it  almost
impossible for polls to be  held around
that time.

All the ministers, many of whom  are
component party leaders,  would also be
involved one way or  another in the
summit.

The year-end possibility seems  remote if
we take into account all  these important
events.

There is also another argument  that an
early general election will  be held to
ensure that Umno politicians channel their energy towards  Barisan instead of party elections.

As in the past, campaigning for  party
posts has been conducted at  buka puasa
functions, leading to a  ban on such
practices.

The trend has always been to  hold the
general election first before the party polls to ensure its  strength.

For many, the pledge of support  for Dr
Mahathir by his deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Penang  is significant.

While he has repeatedly made  such
declarations, it was the first  time he
committed the state's 11  Umno divisions
to endorse Dr Mahathir for presidency.

Anwar's support should end  speculation
in the foreign press  about the
differences between the  two
leaders.

One foreign report even said that 
Barisan has boosted its electoral 
chances following the bitter railway dispute with Singapore.

The logic or lack of it from the  report
is that widespread patriotism generated from the dispute  would translate into votes.

As with many of these foreign  reports,
these journalists often  choose to
interview European diplomats for their observations.

It is strange that these journalists have never bothered to get the  reaction of Asian diplomats. After  all, they, too, watch the political
developments in Malaysia closely.

But political analysts can be sure  of
one thing  polls in Sabah will  have to be held by early next year.

Keen contests, many believe, are  expected
in many areas in the Sabah polls. The question now is  whether Barisan wants to hold the  Sabah polls first where competition  is tough or to hold both elections  together.

And as Mohamed told the nine  Sabah
Barisan parties last week:  Get ready for
state elections as if it  will be held
tomorrow. That's a  strong hint.

Last week, newspaper offices  were bombarded with telephone  calls from concerned members of  the public who wanted to know  whether there was any truth to talk  of impending riots.

The impact of the rumours was  so bad
that it prompted a colleague  in London
to call the office to  check.

By Friday afternoon, the rumours had grown to monstrous proportions: A riot
involving Indonesians had broken out in Chow Kit.

The source of such loose talk was  a chat
group of some Internet subscribers. A printout of the cyber  conversation was made and faxed  all over the place with total disregard for
the consequences.

The people involved in the chat  group
had obviously failed to realise that such Internet discussions  are followed widely.

The one big flaw in such Internet 
postings is that much of the information in cyberspace need not be  the truth and that senders take no  responsibility for what they write.

The same applies to the messages in soc.culture.malaysia and  sang kancil where many writers  express their views with no respect  for the facts.

Many of these supposedly educated Internet subscribers sometimes show scant
sensitivity for the  feelings of
others.

Slander and libel do not make a  person
courageous, neither is it  freedom of
expression.

On the same day, the capital was  abuzz
with rumours that Datuk Seri  Anwar
Ibrahim had resigned.

As the Deputy Prime Minister  pointed out
later in the day, there  was no basis to
rumours about his  imminent resignation
as Finance  Minister.

The rumours could have gained  credence
because on the same day  a regional
business daily had run a  front-page
story on the purported  differences
between Anwar and  Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamad.

The timing was most unfortunate, however.

These rumour-mongers, whether  they
realise it or not, do cause deleterious effects on the ringgit and  the stock market.

The talk that Anwar had scheduled a press conference at 4pm that  day was exploited by these irresponsible
elements to spread the  rumour that he
was announcing his  resignation.

Although the local media repeatedly told stock market dealers that  the press conference was on financial
matters, many chose to be  sceptical
because of its timing   near the market's
closing time.

It would help if the media offices  of
the various ministries state the  purpose
of their press conferences.

Knowing well the dicey position  of the
country's financial market, it  makes
sense to be clear about our 
intentions.

The police have rightly warned  rumour-mongers
that they will be  arrested if found
responsible.

The authorities and the media  should
refute rumours which appear on the Internet, and Internet users must be
prepared to face the  consequences if
they are irresponsible.

And Malaysians should learn to  be less
gullible. Sometimes, we  tend to believe
what we want to  believe.

Some of those who called The  Star would
not believe there was no  trouble. One
caller accused the media of covering up. Another said  that since nothing had been reported on TV,
there must be some truth  in what he had
heard.

Many of us choose to believe regular writers on the Internet. Even  when some of them have got their  facts wrong, their credibility in cyberspace
has amazingly not been  affected.

Like electronic viruses waiting to 
infect the personal computers of 
unwary users, half-truths and lies 
bide their time in cyberspace before pouncing on some gullible  surfer.

Because the local media is more 
responsible, it is perceived by 
some as docile and government controlled. As a result, it has suffered a
dent in its image among  those who hold
to the print-and-be damned approach as press freedom.

So, those hungry for dirt turn to  the
Internet which is uncensored  and
immediate.

The confusion over the recent rumours should make us all sit up and  think. We want unimpeded access  to everything because we insist  that we are mature enough.

But if we forget ourselves and  join the
herd, we would only rush  headlong to
self-destruction.

Let us not take for granted our  strong,
political leadership and our  tolerant
multi-racial society   more so in these
uncertain economic times.

The roller-coaster ride has just  begun.
More than ever, Malaysians  ought to
stick together and back  the Government
to overcome the  rough patches
ahead.

It came as no surprise that a proposal by Sarawak DAP
leader Sim  Kwang Yang to hold
roundtable  talks did not receive much
enthusiasm.

Sim had appealed to leaders of  the
fractious opposition party to  observe a
five-day ceasefire, saying emotions must cool down to discuss
reconciliation.

A peaceful end to the problem affecting the party was necessary to  face the general election with a  united front, he said.

The former Bandar Kuching MP  has good
reason to be worried. The  DAP has made
it into the front  pages of newspapers
for the wrong  reasons.

The ruckus in the party has been  a case
of durian runtuh or windfall  for the
party's political nemesis.

Durian-eating, as most Malaysians will testify, is more than just  a ritual. It's a passion.

There's no colour discrimination  
whether white or yellow, all is 
accepted. The rules are simple and 
the event certainly sounds better 
than any table talk.

Over the years, the Dewan Rakyat has made it a practice to hold  durian parties for Members of
Parliament.

Unlike other countries, where so called honourable members throw  punches at each other, our politicians are a
more mature lot.

During such durian parties, it is  common
to see government backbenchers and opposition MPs nodding in agreement and
putting their  fingers into the right
places.

The Malaysian press, which has  come
under fire from Opposition  Leader Lim
Kit Siang, would like to  see him and
self-declared independent MP Liew Ah Kim sitting together savouring a D24
durian.

Singaporean politicians should  perhaps
join in at durian parties.

They used to travel to Johor to  meet
their Malaysian counterparts  for such
informal functions. No  longer, it
seems.

They shouldn't put on airs. A durian feast where the air is thick  with the fruit's pungent smell will  certainly take that away.

Malaysian ports and the KL International Airport may not be attractive enough
for Singapore's  leaders but our durians
are a sure  magnet. As for the KTM land
controversy in Singapore, a durian  feast
could put things back on  track.

Foreign Ministry senior officials  from
both sides should seriously  consider
this diplomatic mechanism of negotiation.

There shouldn't be any udang di  sebalik
batu (suspicion) if the only  common
interest is the “red  prawn'' durian variety.

Last week, Deputy Transport  Minister
Datuk Wira Ali Rustam  threw a durian
party for the press,  the first for the
press this year  since the start of the
durian season.

Another durian king must be Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk
Seri Megat  Junid Megat Ayob who has
hosted  such gatherings for years.

It will be good if mat sallehs of  the
foreign media here are invited  to such
Malaysian get-togethers.  Beside having a
chance to get to  know local politicians
and reporters better, they may learn to really 
appreciate the country.

Sometimes, a sticky affair can be 
positive, just ask those who have 
been to durian parties.

The fact that the King of Fruits is  only
available in this region makes  it even
more unique. Those Asean  diplomats,
meeting in Manila now,  who cannot agree
on the question  of intervention should
immediately  hold a durian feast.

A durian party makes a lot of  sense. It
doesn't matter if it leaves  a bitter
taste. It's acceptable, even  welcomed,
as durian enthusiasts  will tell
you.

It may even help prick one's conscience.

The tabloid, known for its sensationalism, had used this
headline in reference to Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Datuk Sabbaruddin
Chik.

“Malaysian minister unrepentent even after Singapore points out fact,'' the
sub-head elaborated.

The newspaper had carried a full-page story on Sabbaruddin's statement that the
peninsula had been left out from the tour list for Rotary Club members.

Malaysians have reason to cry foul over the treatment of Malaysian news by the
Singapore media of late.

For reasons best known only to the government-controlled Singapore media,
reports on Malaysia have been consistently negative.

It's hard to dismiss these slants as isolated cases, let alone good
journalism.

Despite the open expressions of unhappiness by Malaysian leaders, the Singapore
media has chosen to continue its negative approach.

It's not that Malaysians are paranoid or sensitive. Neither is it because
Malaysian leaders have urged the local media to respond.

After all, it's the Malaysian media which has pointed out such negative reports
in the first place.

On Friday, the republic's Straits Times carried an article with the headline
“Media braces itself for KL's crackdown.''

The news item was about the resignation of Utusan Malaysia's editor-in-chief
Datuk Johan Jaaffar.

Admittedly, Johan's resignation has created a stir but it is certainly
preposterous to imagine Special Branch officers walking into editorial offices
demanding editors to step down.

In press jargon, the news item should best be spiked. The news item, filed by a
foreign news agency, had carried a statement from the New York-based Committee
to Protect Journalists.

The group had expressed fear that the resignation of Johan “after conflicts
with the Malaysian leadership may herald a press crackdown.''

There is, of course, no likelihood of such a crackdown. Editors, like all
employees, come and go.

Malaysian journalists, criticised for being docile, have suddenly become
critical and offensive overnight. Which is which?

We should also not ignore other aspects, besides journalism, in analysing the
resignation.

On the same day, the Singapore newspaper ran a story on the Commonwealth Games
titled “Computer woes top list 
Pre-games trials expose problems.''

Again, rather than rely on its KL-based correspondents, who should know the
situation better, the paper used a news agency report.

Such reports are a sequel to the numerous negative reporting since the opening
of the KL International Airport last month.

The Straits Times carried a full-page report on an e-mail sent by a reader
mocking the KLIA and drawing comparisons with Changi airport.

The reader, which sent a critical hour-by-hour observation of KLIA, ran down
Malaysia Airlines but praised the SIA counter.

We cannot deny that the opening of the airport had its share of flaws,
particularly the computer glitches, but let's not use the sledgehammer
treatment.

Malaysians, in particular, ought to realise that if they go overboard in their
criticism, we will end up becoming the biggest losers in the long-run.

Granted the stiff competition in the region, especially with Changi airport.
But let's not shoot ourselves in the foot, for it will be very difficult to
repair the damage.

Now that the KLIA is functioning well, the Singapore and other foreign media
which took delight in running it down should send their reporters to check if
they practise the principles of fair reporting.

Malaysians who have questioned the authorities over the foul-up on the first
day of KLIA's operations should also question why the foreign media has been
peculiarly silent now.

Or does it take a few rats scurrying around the KLIA for Malaysia to make it
into the pages of the foreign media?

We can expect more negative reporting from Singapore. One issue likely to crop
up will be the use of facilities at the Singapore port as Malaysia draws up
legislation to make it compulsory for cargo handlers to use the services of
local ports, particularly Port Klang.

A lot of money is involved. Over RM164bil worth of goods were sent by Malaysian
exporters through Singapore.

Not surprisingly, stories on Port Klang have been given prominence, including a
July 14 report headlined “Take back what's been stolen: Use Port
Klang.''

Interestingly, the Malaysian media chose to play down the report of two
students who contracted malaria at a Singapore resort. More than 185 cases of
malaria have been identified this year.

This is in contrast to the near-hysteria treatment by the Singapore media over
a bus accident at a hill resort in Malaysia a few years back.

There is only one way for Sabbaruddin Chik to handle such adverse reports  turn the other cheek on them.

The price of diamonds, according  to the poll, has dropped more than  half 
in places like New Delhi and 
Kuala Lumpur.

In Tokyo, the price of an 18-carat  gold
wedding band has fallen by  more than
77%.

That's not all. The cost of a wedding dress, tuxedo and limousine  rental, wedding cake and honeymoon suite at a
five-star hotel have  all plunged.

The poll may not be that accurate  since
it is measured against the 
greenback.

Most Asians have less money to  spend
these days because whatever  they have
saved is worth less.

Still, there is no doubt that the 
wedding package industry has become more competitive  which is 
good news for singles who believe 
in the institution of marriage.

But in Asia, the Year of the Tiger  isn't
exactly an auspicious time to  get
hitched. With the economic uncertainty, it makes sense for couples to postpone
wedding plans.

The only “comfort'' for Asians is  that
currency speculators have attacked other economies, including  that of Australia and South Africa.

Last month, the Australian media  blamed
George Soros' US$20bil  Soros Funds
Management and the  US$16bil US-based
Tiger Management as among the 100 major 
hedge funds, which control at least 
US$100bil, for attacking the Australian dollar.

And Australian leaders such as  Prime
Minister John Howard have  begun to sound
like Datuk Seri Dr  Mahathir
Mohamad.

While others have labelled these 
currency traders as “evil forces'', 
Howard described them as “poorly informed illiterates''.

Even the Australian media,  which had
blamed Dr Mahathir for  speaking up
against currency speculators last year, are beginning to  sound like the Malaysian press.

One Australian newspaper has  advised its
readers not to travel  overseas,
especially to the United  States and
Europe.

Ironically, these same newspapers had reported that incompetency, bad
management and corruption had allowed currency traders to move in and attack
the ringgit.

They even lampooned Dr Mahathir's idea that currency trading  must be regulated, adding that he  had made it worse by speaking up.

The Australian Broadcasting  Corporation
blamed him for the  currency depreciation
in a documentary, Dr Mahathir: The Wounded Tiger.

Some Malaysians, who regarded  the local
press as docile, began to  believe
everything they read in  Western
publications and on the Internet.

But as the Australian dollar continued to fall over the last 18  months, the Australian media have  changed their tune.

Even Merrill Lynch, which sold  off its
Australian dollars, has been  rapped with
warnings it may lose  future trading
opportunities with  the Australian
Reserve Bank, the  equivalent of Bank Negara.

Currency traders have hit back  at
Howard, saying he runs the risk  of
creating a credibility problem  and
appearing to be out of control.

The Sydney Morning Herald  quoted a
currency analyst as saying that Howard had “no serious  understanding of policy direction''.

The reality of the situation is that 
there has been retrenchment in the 
tourism industry as fewer Asians 
visit Australia.

Demand from Asia for base metals has dropped, resulting in declining prices of
aluminium, copper,  lead and zinc.

And, according to the Australian 
Financial Review, the Australian 
dollar is expected to slide to a record low of US$0.55 in the next
few  months.

Love-struck Australians are unlikely to heed the bad omens expected in the Year
of the Tiger.

According to the FEER poll, it's  cheaper
to marry in Sydney or Canberra these days 
that is, if you  hold the
greenback.

When exchanging vows, Australians shouldn't forget the familiar  ring in their media reports these  days.

Adding to the sparks, rebel Penang leaders have joined in
the  fray with fingers pointing to the
existence of a Knock Out Kit Siang 
(KOKs) campaign.

Some say KOKS can also stand  for Knock
Out Karpal Singh, the  party's deputy
chairman.

It's a strange campaign. No one  wants to
accept responsibility although it has gone on for years, according to the
party.

No one has been named although  several
people have been quietly 
implicated.

That has not stopped the central 
executive council (CEC) from ordering all state committees to hold  meetings to discuss the KOKS issue.

Feathers have been ruffled as a  result.
The dissidents in Penang,  former state
chief Teoh Teik Huat  and vice-chairman
Gooi Hock Seng,  are as red as a cock's
comb.

At a CEC meeting last week, they  insisted
that Karpal Singh name  names, according
to party sources.

The KOKS issue, however, seems  to be one
topic the DAP leadership  does not mind
talking about as it  seems to have
sidetracked the controversy involving the removal of  the three DAP stalwarts.

But before anyone could make  out what
KOKS is all about, there is  now another
campaign known as  Knock Out Dr Chen
(KODC).

According to national chairman  Dr Chen
Man Hin, certain members want to get rid of him, too.

The doctor who regularly takes  part in
marathons has so far outrun  and
outclassed all his detractors.  Some have
quit, with one defecting  to another
party.

To add to the confusion, Wee and  his
friends have expressed support  for Dr
Chen openly after criticising  the
chairman for insisting they  apologise to
the party for their actions.

Some party leaders said that  such
campaigns were started by  young turks in
the party who had a  hand in the Knock
Out Old Leaders  (KOOLS) campaign in the
last party elections.

According to those implicated in  KOKS,
the same upstarts who  started KOOLS have
suddenly  pledged undying loyalty to the
veterans.

KOOLS or not, staying cool isn't a 
virtue in the opposition party these 
days where magnanimity has become a rare commodity.

Newsmen reporting on the dissension have received angry calls  from party leaders, threatening to  end friendships.

Many DAP leaders seem to have  lost their
sense of humour. That is  understandable,
considering the  pressure they face  and the unwanted publicity in the
media.

It is made worse by the fact that  their
estranged relationship involves party loyalists with over 20  years' experience.

The party is in danger of seeing a 
generation of experienced leaders 
being left out in the cold.

But given the voting trend, especially in urban areas where the  Rocket symbol is chosen rather  than the personalities of candidates, the
current uproar is unlikely to have much impact on the general election.

The dispute will probably drag  on until
the party congress on Aug  22 when
elections are held.

The possibility of secretary-general Lim Kit Siang losing the tussle  seems remote and in all likelihood  most of the rebels will not win a  CEC seat.

The dissidents will have to convince the party grassroots that  their presence will provide check  and balance.

The ruckus in the party has also 
provided an avenue for some has beens to make a comeback  by 
pledging support for the leadership 
which they had abandoned at some 
point.

One state leader, who went on  holiday in
a neighbouring country  during the 1995
general election to  avoid campaigning,
has proclaimed  himself a dedicated
leader now.

A Youth leader who had called  for
reforms a few years back, insinuating that veteran leaders  should be ousted, is singing a different
tune.

As they say in politics, there are  no
permanent friends or permanent enemies.

For the DAP, it is time to stop behaving like fighting cocks in order  to fend off charges of No Action  Talk Only during the runup to the  general election.

In the run-up to this year's Umno  general assembly, the foreign media had
stated boldly in their stories that Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir  Mohamad should step down.

There appears to be a concerted  effort
by the foreign media. The  Asian Wall
Street Journal, in its  June 12 edition,
made the strongest  attack against the
Prime Minister.

Dr Mahathir, it claimed, “is psychologically incapable of making  the adjustments necessary to chart  a recovery.''

The Prime Minister, it said, “can  best
serve Malaysia and secure his  legacy by
announcing immediately  his intention to
retire in the near  future. Dr Mahathir
should resist  the classic delusion of
indispensability that afflicts so many presidents and premiers, the urge
to  stay on indefinitely.''

Amid calls by Umno Youth leaders for party reforms, these foreign
correspondents had interpreted it to mean that the battle lines  were drawn and that the time was  ripe for the final push.

First, Suharto in Indonesia, now  Dr
Mahathir in Malaysia. After all,  what
can be more gleeful than to  see the fall
of Asia's most outspoken leader against Western neo-colonialism.

As the drum beat against nepotism, cronyism and collusion became louder, the
Western press  took it as a signal that
the Umno  grassroots would take a
strong  stand against Dr Mahathir at
the  assembly.

They were wrong. Their expectations fell flat. They struggled in exasperation
to “jazz up'' their stories  to make
their copies more sensational.

A low-key speech by Dr Mahathir  was
reported around the globe as 
“anti-Western lashing'' and “Western attacks.''

All the foreign reports were padded with references to the May 13  riots. After nearly 30 years, they  still refuse to let it rest.

There are a few pointers these  foreign
correspondents can pick up  after the
Umno general assembly.

For a start, the ability to speak  and
understand Bahasa Malaysia  and a better
appreciation of the  Malay culture will
help them gain  an insight into the
spirit of Umno.

The “Malayness'' in Umno is evident, with its large rural membership. The
washing of dirty linen in  public or
membuka pekung didada  would be met with
much disapproval.

As in every Umno general assembly, the speeches are laced with  pantun and syair  tools widely 
used by delegates to put forth their 
views and criticisms to the leadership.

While pantun is effectively used  to deal
with sensitive and delicate  issues,
syair, if presented well, can  tug at the
heartstrings of the most 
obstinate.

Such presentation would bring  laughter
from the audience, breaking the monotony of the proceedings. Foreign
correspondents who  expected tension were
perplexed at  the gaiety.

This subtle style of criticism,  which
even those among the younger generation may not understand, has survived the years.

An appreciation of such subtlety  and a
better understanding of  Umno politics
would have made the  foreign newsmen
realise why the  call against cronyism,
nepotism  and collusion was met with so
much  resistance.

These issues are not alien to  Umno
members but the way they  were
highlighted goes against  Umno
culture.

Kronisme, nepotisme, reformasi  are
borrowed (Indonesian) words  and hardly
used in the Bahasa Malaysia vocabulary. The fact that  they were widely used during the  recent political turmoil in Indonesia sent
wrong signals to the Umno 
leadership.

Amid debate on these issues,  Wanita Umno
chief Datuk Dr Zaharah Sulaiman pointed out that  Umno members should not forget  the term hipokrit.

It will be difficult for those who  press
for reformation in Umno to  live up to
their ideals if they have  also gained
greatly from their political connections.

However, the Western press misread the sentiments of Umno members.

Following the resignation of Suharto, they began drawing parallels  between Malaysia and Indonesia  but ignored the many differences  between the two countries. The political,
economic and population  make-up of
Malaysia and Indonesia  are poles
apart.

Besides the bank credit squeeze  and low
share prices, there is no astronomical price rise in Malaysian  consumer items.

There has been some misforgivings against the leadership for the  economic crunch but none of the  “clenched fist'' resentment which  can generate into hatred.

As the Malay adage goes, tak  kenal maka
tak cinta. Perhaps the  foreign media
should get to know  us better
first.

At one point, there was speculation that the Universiti
Malaya history graduate, with first-class honours, might make a political
comeback. That seems remote now. His image has been dented, made worse  by his bad English.

Another politician, Datuk
Musa  Aman, was placed on good behaviour
bond by the magistrate's court  for
breach of Australian currency  laws in
April. Musa, the Sabah Foundation director, is also Sabah Umno treasurer.

Last
week, another Malaysian  politician got
into trouble. The  Member of Parliament
was threatened with a suit by a Perth casino 
over a gambling debt of A$2mil. The debt was incurred over a  five-day period in December 1994  and January 1995 while the politician was a
licensed junket operator.

The amount was small, of course,  going
by Malaysian standards at a  time when it
was thought the good  times would roll on
forever.

But from documents made available, it seems that the MP found  himself caught in this financial  predicament because his cash flow  has been seriously affected by the  economic downturn.

The press has been trying to  reach him,
even hounding his party  boss for
comments when they  failed to contact
him.

Australian newspapers, usually  sparing a
single column in their  dailies for minor
Malaysian politicians, have gleefully played up 
such stories.

Barely 24 hours after the news  broke,
the casino said the MP had  agreed to
settle the debt, and that a 
“significant down payment'' had 
been made. The man has agreed to 
pay the balance in one lump sum 
within a stipulated time.

This case is a civil matter between the casino and the politician.

Being a non-Muslim, there's  nothing to
stop him from throwing  a wager, big or
small. The casino's  debt collector,
impressively calling  itself the Asean
Protection Services, has cleverly used the press  to recover the money.

There is no criminal element involved here. But there is, of course,  the question of morality and
transparency.

And politicians are the most susceptible, being the loudest preacher of the two
issues.

For the press, there's certainly a 
story  what more a member of  parliament and a senior leader of a  party, too.

And like all political scandals,  minor
or otherwise, there's always  a yarn and
a joke these days.

There is this one about how a  jury
reached a verdict in a trial involving a politician who contravened currency
laws.

As the jury deliberated over the  case,
an elderly woman asked:  “What's the
case really about? After a week's hearing, I am still lost  and confused.''

A young man offered his assistance, saying it was a simple case  about a “big shot'' who brought into  Australia a lot of money but just  didn't tell the authorities.

The woman, whose families were  among the
early British settlers to  Australia,
replied: “Is that all? Why  are we
wasting our time, we should  just free
him, ain't we all convicts  before,
too?''

Then there is the one about another politician who was travelling  in a group to Canberra from Kuala  Lumpur.

He was given a disembarkation  form to
fill when the flight took off.  The
politician, known for his poor  grasp of
English, started filling the  form when
the plane touched down  in the Australian
capital.

He struggled with the details,  and his
colleagues who were leaving the plane asked in great annoyance why he had not
filled the form  earlier.

“But the form says clearly fill in 
capital,'' the exasperated politician 
replied.

Bad English got the same politician all tangled up another time. He  wanted to place a call to Australia  but didn't know the time difference.

So he dialled 108 for the international operator. The busy operator  told him: “Just a minute, sir.''

The politician then directed the 
operator: “In that case, I will call 
Australia now.''

All the reported inconveniences  which
our Malaysian politicians  have to put up
with are unlikely to  deter them from
visiting the place.

By the admission of one politician, Australia is a great place. The  weather is nice, the people are  easy-going and it's certainly a good  place to invest.

Still, they ought to realise that it  is
not the politically-correct thing  to do
at this time.

Malaysians, who have been told  to do
everything local, are unlikely  to be
forgiving nor amused when  they read
about high-flying politicians getting into all kinds of trouble.

The word now, of course, is when 
politicians travel Down Under, 
there is the fear of going down and 
under politically after that.

For many Malaysian men with  erectile dysfunction, it is, of  course, no laughing matter.

Like their brethren elsewhere  with
similar problems, they are  toasting over
the invention of the  remedy.

Aptly called wai kor  (great  brother) in Cantonese, Viagra has  been hailed by men all over the  world as the best invention this  century.

They can hardly be blamed for  their
frenziness. After all, they  have read
about the 70-year-old  American who
dumped his 61-year old lover after just two days on the  drug.

Revitalised and recharged, he  must have
decided to walk away in  search of
someone more exciting,  probably to make
up for his years  of deprivation.

Even former US presidential candidate Bob Dole admitted having  tried the drug after winning his  battle against prostate cancer.

In a recent television interview,  Dole
said “I wish I'd bought stock 
earlier.''

One newspaper reported that 60 
Malaysians had tested the drug and 
42 of the volunteers swore it was 
effective.

The 60, the report added, had taken part in clinical tests last year  when the manufacturer of the drug  was conducting tests in several  South-East Asian countries.

The uncomfirmed report, however, did not say who had testified to  the effectiveness of the drug  the 
men or their partners.

Another report said the little blue 
tablet was now available under the 
counter in Kelantan, especially 
along the border towns of Rantau 
Panjang and Pengkalan Kubor.

But there is reason to believe  that
these tablets are fakes, probably manufactured by small-town  quacks.

The Viagra pill, which is seemingly “safe'' 
with side-effects  ranging from a
headache to a  flushed face and “blue
vision'' purportedly caused by overuse 
is  being sold at between US$7
and  US$10.

Only the United States and Brazil  have
registered the drug, developed by the New York drug giant  Pfizer Inc.

Asked whether these pills had  been
smuggled into Malaysia,  Health Minister
Datuk Chua Jui  Meng said no official
report had  been received on the
matter.

“I have not set eyes yet on one  single
Viagra tablet although I've  heard so
much about it,'' he said.

The ministry is, in fact, investigating reports that the drug or its  imitation is being sold at between  RM30 and RM300 a pill.

Judging by the response from the  public,
news reports on the drug  certainly sell
newspapers.

For many Egyptian newspapers,  Viagra is
front-page material. Although banned in Egypt, the drug is  said to be easily available in Cairo.

It's the same in Malaysia. A colleague who wrote a satirical piece  on Viagra was swamped with calls  from desperate Malaysians who  wanted further information.

The drug has spawned many  jokes.

“Biar mati anak, jangan mati pucuk,'' said a Malay friend, playing  on the saying biar mati anak, jangan mati
adat.

Another joke tells of a Malaysian  who
was taking his first Viagra. In  his
haste, the excited chap found  the pill
stuck in his throat and immediately consulted his doctor.

The general practitoner, who did  not
even take a second look at his  patient, advised:
“Take lots of water, don't eat oily food, you just  have a stiff neck.''

Then there's the one about a  group of
pensioners who sat down  to grumble about
the country's economic woes and the water crisis.  Soon, Viagra became the topic of  conversation.

“My life is already hard enough.  I
don't need a Viagra,'' one of them  was
prompted to say.

Of sobre concern now is the  availability
of drug in Malaysia.  According to
industry sources, it  should be on sale
by the year's end.

There is no doubt that Viagra will  be a
gold mine for Pfizer. Its local  managing
director Razmi Rahmat  said he had lost
count on enquiries  received.

But no one is ready to say how  much
Malaysians would have to  fork out for
the drug, prompting  Chua to say “we would
rather have  no Viagra than to be
subjected to  (price)
exploitation.''

Urging Pfizer to be sensitive on 
pricing, he said the drug must be 
made affordable “because we are 
in an economic crisis.''

Malaysians who have been suffering from impotency for years  are unlikely to be as calm and rational as
Chua.

As the saying goes, man cannot  live on
bread and water alone. Economic crisis or not, certain things  must go on in life.

But Malaysians should not fuss  too much
over Viagra. We have had  tongkat ali for
years, and those who  have tried it say
it works.

It's still a Malaysian secret simply because we are not so good at  international marketing and promotions.
Perhaps Malaysians  should stick to
buying local products which can stand up to the test.

By then, the Malaysian officials and businessmen had
decided to sing the national anthem themselves.

The fiasco did not end there. As the Prime Minister spoke, a computer graphic
of Indonesia with its red-and-white flag appeared as backdrop.

After eight summits of the Group of 15, there is no doubt that the South is
still very much strangers to each other.

The G15 comprises Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Argentina,
Brazil, Chile, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and
Sri Lanka.

Government officials and businessmen may know Malaysia intimately but many
ordinary Egyptians still had problems pin-pointing our geographical location.
This, despite the fact that there are over 3,500 Malaysian students in Egypt,
mostly at the Al Azhar University in Cairo.

The Egyptian man-in-the-street who is aware of Malaysia is often surprised when
told that it has a multi-racial and multi-religious society.

For some Egyptians, the only contact they have of Malaysia are the students at
Al Azhar.

“You mean you have Buddhists and Christians in Malaysia?'' an Egyptian taxi
driver asked.

Taxi drivers may not be the best indicator of Egyptian perception but they are
the first contact for visitors.

In Khartoum, at the Chinese-built Friendship Hall, Chinese songs were played as
background music during the banquent for Dr Mahathir.

“We thought Malaysians would be more familiar with Chinese tunes. China is
near to Malaysia, after all. It's the closest thing we have on Asia,'' a
Sudanese official explained.

The next evening, during a dinner hosted by Sudanese businessmen for Dr
Mahathir at the same venue, seven Sudanese musicians entertained the crowd by
playing the pipa, guzheng and other instruments.

Welcome President Mahathir, some of the billboards in downtown Khartoum
errorneously read.

But no one can fault the Sudanese for not doing their best. They rolled out the
red carpet, and their hospitality was the best ever, agreed Malaysian officials
and journalists who often travelled with Dr Mahathir on overseas trips.

Protocol officers waited at Khartoum airport for the Malaysian journalists who
arrived at 4am, and ushered them to the VIP lounge where hot coffee was served
as their passports were stamped.

The incidents in Egypt and Sudan reinforce further the need for South-South
cooperation. Developing countries still have little knowledge of their
potential and how much they can gain from each other.

Many continue to rely on traditional trading partners  mostly in the West.

In 1995, 10 member countries of the G15 were among the top 50 leading exporters
and importers in world mechanise trade.

Collectively, member countries accounted for US$365.3bil or 10% of world
mechanise exports and US$372.6bil of imports.

G15 trade with the rest of the world has also showed strong growth. Between
1990 and 1995, exports grew by 68% which was 15% more than the world average,
according to a report.

Yet, trade exchange between member countries stood at 9% in 1990  a shocking fact which many G15 members did
not realise until revealed.

The problem is that developing countries are often perceived as suppliers of
raw materials to industrialised nations.

It is a myth which many developing countries themselves have accepted, mostly
due to ignorance, lack of information and bad publicity by Western news
agencies, which newspapers in the South rely on for international news.

So, it is an eye-opener for most businessmen from G15 nations whenever the parallel
business forum and exhibition are held.

Contacts are made, networking forged and deals are sealed. As many of these
businessmen travel to G15 meetings with their heads of government, their
credibility is strengthened.

The Malaysian-initiated bilateral payments arrangements with central banks
ensuring a proper system of payment between businessmen has seen trade
soared.

For Malaysia, trade with Latin American countries, for example, has increased
by 300%.

Many Egyptians and Sudanese are beginning to realise that besides palm oil,
Malaysia manufactures electronic goods.

The market is vast when we take into account the fact that G15 countries make
up 30% of the world's population.

In Cairo, Dr Mahathir opened the showroom for Perodua, which has been selling
like hot cakes  the first shipment was
sold out within a week.

While in a taxi in Cairo, the driver showed me three faded photographs taken in
London.

“See this? My girlfriend. Very pretty, ah? London very nice,'' he said, and
then switched countries.

“I know Malaysia. Very nice people. Very good. Tell me, where is Malaysia?
North, south, east, west? What countries next to Malaysia?''