APPOINTMENT WILL ENABLE DR M TO STATE VIEWS DIRECTLY TO CABINET

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- The proposal to appoint Dr Mahathir
Mohamad as a senior minister, if accepted, will enable the former Malaysian
prime minister to state his views directly to the cabinet, Deputy Housing and
Local Government Minister Lajim Ukin said.

"I believe the people will support this, except of course the opposition,"
he told reporters Wednesday.

He was asked to comment on the call by Rubber Industry Smallholders
Development Authority (RISDA) chairman Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik on Tuesday that
Prime Minister Najib Razak consider appointing Dr Mahathir as a senior minister
in the cabinet.

Abdul Rahim said that although retired, Dr Mahathir was still an influential
figure and had been receiving invitation to talk at many international forum.

Lajim said it was up to the prime minister to consider the proposal.

Dr Mahathir, who led Malaysia for 22 years until his retirement in October
2003, is now penning his thoughts through his hugely popular blog at
http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/.
-- BERNAMA