May 21, 1999
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| May 21, 1999 | atimes.com | |
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| Southeast Asia Economy doing well: Mahathir KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Thursday that the Malaysian economy was doing well, judging from the performance of various economic indices in the country. They include those of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, external trade position and industrial production index. The Composite Index of the KLSE rose by more than 200 points in about two months to shoot past the 700-point level. ''From the indications of the indices, the economy seems to be doing quite well,'' he said when asked to comment on the current status of the Malaysian economy. Speaking to newsmen after announcing a minor cabinet reshuffle at his office, Mahathir also said that growth for the first quarter of this year was well within estimates. ''It is within our projected target and it will contribute to the one percent Gross Domestic Product growth forecast [for this year],'' he added. But he did not provide any specific figure for the first quarter. Two senior ministers - Mohamed Rahmat and Sabbaruddin Chik - were dropped from the cabinet and a new chief minister for the east coast state of Pahang appointed in the reshuffle, which had been expected. Pahang Chief Minister Khalil Yaakob replaces Mohamed as information minister. Senior Pahang Executive Councillor Adnan Yaakob has been named the new chief minister of Pahang. Khalil has also been appointed secretary-general of UMNO - the dominant party in the ruling national front - succeeding Sabbaruddin. Deputy Home Minister Kadir Sheikh Fadzir was promoted to take over from Sabbaruddin as culture, arts and tourism Minister. Pandikar Amin Mulia, president of the East Malaysia state of Sabah Barisan Nasional component party Akar, was named minister in the prime minister's department. Both he and Khalil will be sworn in as senators on May 24 to enable them to take up the appointments. Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Azmi Khalid took over from Kadir as deputy home minister, while Parliamentary Secretary to the Information Minister Shafie Apdal moved up as deputy minister to succeed Azmi. Mahathir in a news conference at his office said that the Malaysian king (yang di-pertuan agong) had consented to the appointment of the three ministers and that of Khalil and Pandikar Amin as senators. The appointment of ministers and deputy ministers will take effect on May 25 after they are sworn in before the yang di-pertuan agong. Mahathir said that Sabbaruddin had also resigned as UMNO secretary-general, to be replaced by Khalil, while Mohamed would remain as secretary-general of the Barisan Nasional. He said that the cabinet changes had been made following the resignation of Mohamed and Sabbaruddin, as well as Chong Kah Kiat, who relinquished his post as minister in the prime minister's department in February to contest the Sabah state election. Answering a question, he said: ''Perhaps we can regard these changes as a move to strengthen the government machinery." (Asia Pulse/Bernama) | |||||||||
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