CHIN PENG: M'SIA SHOULD STAND BY ITS DECISION - MAHATHIR

PUTRAJAYA, June 4 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad
said the Malaysian government should stand by its decision not to allow Chin
Peng to return to the country.

He said the government must understand the feelings of the people who would
not be happy if the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) leader was allowed to return.

"Obviously a lot of people are not happy, so why make other people unhappy?
If they are not happy, leave it there," he told reporters after attending the
"Nurturing the Minds of Future Leaders" Essay Contest 2008 prize giving ceremony
at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, here Wednesday.

He was commenting on calls to allow Chin Peng to return, which was initially
made by Penang Gerakan chairman Dr Teng Hock Nan, saying that he should be
allowed to return on humanitarian grounds as he was no longer a security threat,
and supported by several opposition leaders.

Asked whether other parties should not press the government to change the
decision, Dr Mahathir said the freedom of speech allowed people to say what they
liked but it was up to the government to decide.

On his opinion about the 45 per cent approval rating for Prime Minister
Najib Tun Razak, he said it was good.

A recent survey by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research showed that
45
per cent of voters from peninsular Malaysia were satisfied with the performance
of Najib. It also showed 53 per cent of Malay, 64 per cent of Indian and 24 per
cent of Chinese respondents said they were satisfied.

Asked about the formation of the National Economic Advisory Council, which
was announced by Najib last Wednesday, Dr Mahathir said "it's wonderful".

He also believed the council would be able to achieve its objective for
turning the country's economic status from medium income earner to high income
earner.

Earlier, his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, who is also the Multimedia
University Chancellor presented prizes to the winners.

-- BERNAMA