ID :
113318
Thu, 03/25/2010 - 06:35
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/113318
The shortlink copeid
``NAJIB GIVING POLITICS A GOOD NAME,``SAYS JOHN MAJOR
HONG KONG, March 24 (Bernama) -- Najib Tun Razak's candour with
fund managers and his preseverance in selling Malaysia as an investment
destination during the recent Credit Suisse Asian investment conference here,
prompted a tribute from former British Prime Minister, Sir John Major.
Major, special adviser to Credit Suisse, praised Najib for being
honest and straightforward in expounding Malaysia's attributes while accepting
views over shortcomings of the capital market from top-notch fund managers.
"What is so refreshing about what the prime minister had to say is that, it
was straightforward, clearcut and honest," said Major, who on Tuesday moderated
a luncheon between Najib and about 100 regional fund managers.
Given the widely-held perception that politicians are far from being
honest, Major went on to say, "prime minister Najib is in very
great danger of giving politics a good name", to rapturous applause and laughter
from the audience at a dinner on Tuesday.
Major injected further doses of humour in commending Najib, when he
remarked, "he (Najib) really needs to be careful about this sort of thing (being
honest)".
"And in answering questions, he actually gave us answers...there was no
such thing as a soundbite," he said, to further laughter from those present.
"I am very contentious of soundbites. I was in politics for 40 years, on and
off, and during that time I heard only one worthwhile soundbite," he added.
He recalled an encounter with the late Russian President Boris Yeltsin
before a luncheon at the Kremlin.
He said he asked Yeltsin, "Can you tell me please in one word, what is the
state of Russia," and he replied "good."
"I was surprised as Russia was falling to pieces at that time. Then I said,
tell me in two words and he said, "not good".
"Therefore, you can begin to understand my affection for the refreshing
honesty and candour that we had from Najib.
"It is so rare and different from the modern experience or modern
perception of politicians," said Major.
-- BERNAMA
fund managers and his preseverance in selling Malaysia as an investment
destination during the recent Credit Suisse Asian investment conference here,
prompted a tribute from former British Prime Minister, Sir John Major.
Major, special adviser to Credit Suisse, praised Najib for being
honest and straightforward in expounding Malaysia's attributes while accepting
views over shortcomings of the capital market from top-notch fund managers.
"What is so refreshing about what the prime minister had to say is that, it
was straightforward, clearcut and honest," said Major, who on Tuesday moderated
a luncheon between Najib and about 100 regional fund managers.
Given the widely-held perception that politicians are far from being
honest, Major went on to say, "prime minister Najib is in very
great danger of giving politics a good name", to rapturous applause and laughter
from the audience at a dinner on Tuesday.
Major injected further doses of humour in commending Najib, when he
remarked, "he (Najib) really needs to be careful about this sort of thing (being
honest)".
"And in answering questions, he actually gave us answers...there was no
such thing as a soundbite," he said, to further laughter from those present.
"I am very contentious of soundbites. I was in politics for 40 years, on and
off, and during that time I heard only one worthwhile soundbite," he added.
He recalled an encounter with the late Russian President Boris Yeltsin
before a luncheon at the Kremlin.
He said he asked Yeltsin, "Can you tell me please in one word, what is the
state of Russia," and he replied "good."
"I was surprised as Russia was falling to pieces at that time. Then I said,
tell me in two words and he said, "not good".
"Therefore, you can begin to understand my affection for the refreshing
honesty and candour that we had from Najib.
"It is so rare and different from the modern experience or modern
perception of politicians," said Major.
-- BERNAMA
