The interesting part of his itineraries on his last day here was an hour meeting with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
It's amazing that Xi, one of the most powerful person on this planet at the moment deemed it necessary to find time to have a talk with an old man who had retired a decade ago and even at the height of his career had only led a small developing country which many may consider as to be of little significance compared to China.
I guess Xi being a smart guy appreciates the thinking of Dr Mahathir and wanted to learn a trick or two from him. That despite a lot of ethnic Chinese here calling the old man a racist and an oppressive former leader who had turned them into second class citizens with the highest per capita income among ethnic groups in the country.
Here is the report by Bernama of that meeting between Xi and Dr Mahathir :
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has proposed that Malaysia and China set up a business and trade association to serve as platform to further boost the bilateral relationships of the two countries.
Making the proposal to China's President Xi Jinping during a meeting here today, the former prime minister proposed that the association be called the 'Cheng Ho Multi-cultural and Friendship Association'.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting at a hotel here, Dr Mahathir said the idea for the association was also to remember the Ming Dynasty seafarer Admiral Cheng Ho's contributions to the Malaysia-China relationship.
"He (Xi) is very supportive of that proposal," he said, adding that he hoped the association could be set up soon.
Xi ended his three-day state visit to Malaysia today.
Dr Mahathir noted that Xi had also voiced concern over the shipping congestion issue at the Straits of Melaka.
"We need to reduce the number of ships passing through the Straits by building a pipeline in the north to take the oil and other products across the Peninsular without having to go around the Peninsular.
"So, he (Xi) will consider this because he thinks this is a good idea and he will see what he can do to support it," he added.
Other issues discussed in the hour-long meeting included intensifying trade volume between both countries, said Dr Mahathir.
"We like to see more Chinese investments in Malaysia. At the moment, Malaysia's investment in China is more than Chinese investments in Malaysia," he added.
Dr Mahathir had also invited Xi to encourage more Chinese to invest in the Rubber City and the Automotive Components City, to be built at Kota Putra, situated at the Malaysia-Thai border.
So, Xi thinks Dr Mahathir's idea to build a pipeline across the north part of the Peninsular to reduce shipping congestion in the Straits of Malacca is good and will do what he can to make it a reality.
The idea is good for China as they need to transport oil coming from especially the Middle East to its rapidly developing regions as fast as they can. Currently tankers have to endure the traffic jam at the Straits of Malacca which is slowing down things for quite a bit.
As it is with the Chinese, once they had set their mind on something, they will do it.
The pipeline, if it becomes a reality, will then be running across from Perlis or Kedah to Kelantan or Terengganu. It will be an economic boon for those states.
Well, not bad coming from an 88-year-old guy many accused as being senile.
annie...... abt the pipeline.... have you heard abt the kra canal that jointly developed by china,myanmar and thai government??
ReplyDeleteso the pipeline idea ,...i think it's a Mahathir concern abt the lose of investment that Malaysia might will face in the future as the Kra canal kickstart soon..
zul
pipeline transfers oil faster than tankers going through narrow canal, which will be congested too
Deletewah...hari ni Annie jadi oil & gas expert pulak !
Deletemalaysia or singapork?think deeply man...
DeleteI doubt the Kra canal will become reality. Thailand will be divided and may further fuel security issues in the southern states.
Deleteits faster, cheaper and easily managed.it also mean that the vessels from mid east will only travel up to kedah and the vessel from china will fetch it from ktan. its a very doable plan and will benefit from the savings.
Deleteali
zul.. even if kra canal becomes a reality.. it will not hinder investment. However it will affect Singapore position as an entreport.. with the canal.. ships from west heading east and vice versa will bypass Singapore. Likewise, Tanjung Pelepas port will face the same fate
DeleteActually it's a joint develop between Myanmar and Thailand government at Special Economic Zone in Dawei southern Myanmar ... sorry.....
Deletewe cant underestimate the will of Myan/Thai government to compete with Singapore and Malaysia port.... as this project was emerge sometime in 2007, this time Government should expedite the feasibility research and deliver as soon as possible
z
Nice retort! Yeap, the chinese in china are more practical. More importantly they are not a chauvinistic lot since they have none of the insecurity bedevilling their counterparts in this country.
DeleteSo what if he is concern? You make it sound as if thats a bad thing. Bottom-line, the suggestion is made in the the interest of the country. Such projects as Annie pointed out would be an economic boon for the States involved, as well as the country. Bagus la tu.
DeleteBetter than going to foreign states and portray the country as being dangerous, crime ridden when the whole purpose of visit was to attract investments. Think.
Bapa Mahathir tu keling macam Muniandy suami Hannah Yeoh. Jadi Mahathir tu Keling bukan Melayu. Kalau ikut perlembagaan pun Melayu itu budaya dan bahasa Melayu. Tapi Mahathir hapuskan Bahasa Melayu dari Sains dan Matematik dan dia dengar Pava roti bukan M Nasir. Jadi jauh panggang dari api ini Smart Keling bukan Smart Melayu.
DeleteOrang Cina memang suka Keling ni sebab dia yang memberi lesen dan subsidi gula kepada Kuok sampai jadi orang terkaya di Malaysia jauh meninggalkan Raja-Raja Melayu atau orang Kaya Melayu di Tanah Melayu.
Janganlah jadi penulis upahan annie. Rezeki ada di mana-mana bukan saja dari keling di NST.
Memang Mahathir ini smart sebab itu ahli UMNO dan orang Melayu adalah pengemis di negeri sendiri selepas 22 tahun sedangkan Mukhriz, Mokhzani, Mirzan adalah lanun-lanun yang menjadi bilionair. Bertaubatlah Annie jangan hendak menipu orang Melayu dan membantu keling Kerala ini mencuri dari khazanah orang Melayu. Apa-apa projek dengan orang Cina seperti Yeoh Tion Lay melibatkan saham untuk anak dia seperti IPP di mana keuntungan adalah di jamin 10 bilion setahun!.
Mahathir without doubt, is the best leader in Malaysia. To commenter above, Mahathir's father is half Malay and half Indian whilst hid mother is a Malay. Therefore, he is more Malay (3/4) than Indian (1/4).
DeleteYour accusation about his corruption, do you have any proofs to back up? Or you get it from Anwar's arsehole or Nik Aziz's air Jampi!
Annie
DeleteAll I can say puki mak lu lah. You are one typical half chinese girl with a fork toungue..hehe
Tun Dr. M, although almost 90, sure can do the thinking by himself. He does not need CON-sultant though.
ReplyDeleteI bet President Xi Jinping does not only talk for 1 hour with Dr.M, about trade. Knowing about 'the look east policy' and his stance on aggression of the west, they must have talk about how to contain US from flexing their muscle in South China Seas. In fact, a few month ago, the Chinese have made a landing exercise on a large Island off, Kuching, with our blessing?
A 'surprise' visit by the President of China's at a time when that highly anticipated visit by Obama, which was just cancelled?
RD.
China, Thailand & Myanmar are already in strategic partnership to make Genting Kra canal happen. Logically the canal would cut days off tanker travel-time and avoid the Malacca straits bottleneck and security risks! Genting Kra canal will be usable for all type of cargoes, not just O&G products.
ReplyDeleteSo, having tanker ships offloading oil in Kedah, pipe that oil overland uphill downhill and then downloading oil again in Kelantan are just not economical. That's why the project has problems raising funds from banks.
As for big foreign investors coming in, well all those anti-Syiah attacks are also upsetting the Iranians through their oil company that was initially positive on the project. What more Mukhriz's going ultra on his anti-Syiah actions in his Kedah state, which is supposed to be the terminus for the oil offloading in this grand plan... Haha
~ Kluang girl
It's amazing how the Melayus get up every morning finding a new away to pat themselves on the back. Makes me want to laugh.
ReplyDeleteThis little shit article places no where near the context of geopolitical implication of China's investment around the third world countries. Malaysia is in the same league as Nigeria as far as Xi is concerned.
You should stick to the subjects of UMNO, Ibrahim Ali and Ketuanan Melayu. This one is out of your depth.
Anon 11:54,
DeleteYour above comment is akin with a person whose brain is full of shit like prawns. You must be an RBA! Bodoh tapi sombong just like your Tokong!
anon 19:47... the truth is always hurt, now please go back to your shit hole and remain there and continue with your bodoh cum sombong attitude.
DeleteTua Pek Kong
There is no need to shout profanities when someone doesnt agree with what is spinned by Bernama. There has been countless Sino-Malaysia trade organisations. We even have a former MCA president-reject appointed ambassador with ministerial status to China. Why add another one, that too named after Cheng Ho. Thus has always been mahathirs style-putting style and rhetoric before substance. The Chinese premier (as other world leaders) will always make it a point to visit at least one surviving PM. rather than meet PakLah, Wisma Putera put in Mahathir on the itinerary, most likely at mahathir's insistence. Why? because he sees RM in having a hand at arranging any mega construction project (the oil pipeline connecting across the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia). and PM Xi needs Mahathir to help in pushing Najib to award the project to Chinese construction companies.The project starts in Kedah (where Mukhriz is MB-how very convenient) and runs across Southern Thailand. It would of course bypass Kelantan. Because mahathir just hates Kelantan developing (withholding the oil royalty remember?). Thailand likes the proposal because it would help them make the Patani rebels easy targets for the Thai army to flush out.
Deletesri hartamas
sri hartamas,
Deletevery creative theory, except this part : PM Xi needs Mahathir to help in pushing Najib to award the project to Chinese construction companies.
Xi, as I pointed out in the posting is one of the most powerful leaders of the world now. He doesn't need an old retired man from a small country to push anything for him. He may like to hear the old man's views though. I think that's the only reason why he had that meeting with Dr Mahathir. Thank you.
Dear Annie.
DeleteMahathir is widely known to be critical of any US foreign policy. Do you know which country President Xi goes to visit, immediately after becoming President? Yes, Russia. Then only, the US.
Tun Dr.M is against TPPA, too. He has also suggested that China should be involve in the trade talks. If Anwar Ibrahim can meet Najib in New York, in secrecy over a 'unity gomen', why can't a retired old man meet publicly, the most powerful of the world?
RD.
Did the PERKASA manage to pass the message to take back the Chinese that they ask to balik Cina?
ReplyDeletePerkasa will act again calling for the Chinese to balik cina after Xi Jinping left Kuala Lumpur.
DeleteAnon 12:40 & 16:41.
DeleteDon't spread lies like Tian Chua and Tony Pua..
PERKASA have never threathen or ask that Chinese Malaysian to balik China.
Or you are still wishing or you are yearning homesick on behalf of your great ancestors to balik kampong, yourselves? Balik kampung for a visit, only as a tourist.
RD.
Dear RBA,
DeleteIf PERKASA really DID tell the cainis to go back, they would have told you guys to go back to ostolia/britain - isn't that your 'real' homecountry?
What can I say , leaders from outside have high regards of Tun Dr Mahathir of his capability bringing Malaysia to presents state , but local Chinese and their leaders find Mahathir is a stumbling block to achieve their golds which Chin Peng cannot achieve in his lifetime .
ReplyDeletebecause leader from outside hasn't tasted Dr.Madey ISA medicine, whereas the local leaders, particularly from the opposition have tasted Dr.Madey prescribe ISA medicine.
DeleteDr. Madey ISA medicine is no gula-gula okay.
Anon 16:31,
DeleteWhy to you like to visit Annie's blog? Malaysiakini, FMT and other oppo online portals and blogs do not interest you anymore as they are full of lies? If you are a Malay, go read Harakah lah. Buat apa menyebuk disini!
Excuse me anon 19:53, the Malays like to read Majalah Mastika and not harakah.
DeleteAnnie,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it is a question of intelligence but rather a question of necessity.
Mahatir is only going up to the Chinese President with a begging bowl in his hands hoping that China will invest a few more billion $$ in Malaysia.
There is really not much China needs from Malaysia other than the convenience factor of shorter shipping times, farming land, etc.
We have to buy from China, we have to invest in production facilities in China. They have Malaysia in a cleft stick.
Malaysia could have stood proud and stood tall but instead, Malaysia has abused it's good fortune from the petroleum bounty with excesses and corruption.
But then, we all know that all those excesses and corruption over the last 50-odd years have solely being the fault of the Malaysian Chinese because every single bumiputera empowerment program has failed abysmally.
The blatant courtship of Xi by Mahatir is embarrassing for me as a Malaysian.
Pls don't get me start on the Admiral Cheng Ho association either. That is just another bout of Mahatir's kowtowing to Chinese military might.
Actually, I suspect that Mahatir probably used the right pronunciation and spelling during his talks with Xi - Admiral Zheng He.
On the other hand, maybe Xi was being polite and enthusiastic because he had no idea who this "Admiral Cheng Ho" that Mahatir was talking about.
Did you know that China claims territory in Malaysian waters? The Malaysian Navy has no balls to chase out the Chinese Navy and Malaysian sea vessels are obliged to leave the area when ordered to do so by Chinese Navy boats. The Malaysian Navy does not even turn up to defend those Malaysian sea vessels. Go ask your high-powered bloggers friends if this is true.
But let's blame the Malaysian Chinese for this problem as well, ok? I am sure some "smart Melayu man" can think of something. It's a lot easier than defending Malaysian sovereignty.
Until we decide to work together as Malaysians, until we admit that the "Great Malaysian Bumiputera Experiment" has not worked, until we admit that we have a racist component in our lives which we want to eliminate, we will continue to see the likes of Mahatir, Najib, et al, kowtowing and grovelling on their knees to countries like China.
"Great. Now we're letting our stepbrother mainland Commies to come in" - a Chinese Malaysian
DeleteAnon,
Deleteplease note that the meeting between Xi and Dr Mahathir was at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, not in Beijing. That means Dr Mahathir didn't go begging to the Chinese capital. It's Xi who came to KL and in the process included the meeting with Dr Mahathir in his itineraries. Anyway, as I had pointed out in the posting Dr Mahathir is just an old man who last hold the PM position more than 10 years ago. He got nothing to beg for from Xi. As for the rest of what you wrote here, well, you are entitled to your opinion. Thank you.
anon 13:50, your comment very informative. By the way, please excuse Annie coz she only good at presenting her shallow view on UMNO and malaysian chinese all the time.
Deletesudahlah annie, selama ni UMNO selalu kurang ajar dan bully sama orang2 cina, tapi apabila jumpa taikoh cina dari oversea, berlagak pulak macam pengecut dengan senyuman kambing.
DeleteREF: "Great. Now we're letting our stepbrother mainland Commies to come in" - a Chinese Malaysian"
DeleteOh Chinese Malaysian are you one of those exceptions to the rule? One of those who don't idolize Chin Peng the local killer commie? You know, sometimes one can't help feeling that beside Mr. Shen Yee Aun and his fellow intellectuals, the majority of the Chinese Malaysians are steeped in shallow post-Maoist apologetics while being immersed deeply in global consumerist economics ......
The State of the Global Confucian Dialogue:
Prof. Francis Fukuyama in discussion with Prof. Tu Wei Ming at Stanford University:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=LP3RjmvyMOs
Kung Tze said: "Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it. Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star."
Do not equate Msian Chinese with Mainland Chinese la.. In China 100% in the armed forces are Chinese all ready to fight and protect its nation. Lu olang sini mayak lembek, how many % of you people here masuk ATM or PDRM to help protect the security of this Nation.
DeleteLu sini kerja kebas wang aje.. Perang mulut mayak gagah, sue sana sini your expertise. Protect nation elek, only know how to protect your own pockets only la.. Shame if you think you are any where near the standards of Chinese from Mainland China..
Anon 13:50's comment is bullshit.
DeleteIt comes from a racist who is anti-Malays and anti-establishment, trying to ridicule the government.
China has never claim other island in Malaysian waters except those in the Spratly Islands, of which Malaysian Navy have occupied seven of the reefs. . I am sure he is talking about that beach landing exercise, carried-out on the Island off, Kuching Sarawak.
RD.
RD a.k.a Anonymous7 October 2013 00:01,
DeleteYes, I stand accuse of being a racist just like Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Nordin. :(
Here's a joke - I don't like Malay men but I absolutely love and adore Malay women. Am I still a racist?
I still struggle with the part of me which is racist because I realise that that it is wrong to be racist but I must speak as a Malaysian who believes he has identified a flaw in how things are being done in Malaysia.
We have been helping the bumiputeras and helping the bumiputeras and helping the bumiputeras and yet only a small percentage are getting fabulously wealthy, while many are still dirt poor.
And yet, we want to keep repeating the same experiment? And yet, we keep blaming the non-bumis even when they have been clearly excluded from the equation?
RD, even a young uneducated Melayu satay seller in my kampung can smell a rat. He didn't have hard evidence, he didn't have the ability to analyse economic data. He only knows he has to eke a miserable existence selling satay by the roadside until late at night.
Do you know how small he made me feel when he told me to my face that he did not blame me for his predicament? A young uneducated Melayu showing me that he understood my problems as well as his own?
I tried hard to support his satay business but there is only one of me and he left my kampung soon after that :(
Anti-establishment? Hm, I don't like UMNO/BN because I see the corruption which abounds. If that makes me anti-establishment, that's ok.
You should know that my grandfather and my father have supported UMNO/BN since about 1945 until about 1995(?).
I am sorry if you think that the Spratly Islands are the only Malaysian territory claimed by China. Pls do some more reading to familiarise yourself with the expansionist policies of China in the South China Sea.
No, I was not discussing the beach landing exercise.
But you probably don't believe me, so let me suggest you get yourself a boat and go cruising around the South China Sea near where you believe is Malaysian sovereign territory and see what happens.
apasal cina beng yg makan babi tu annie label dia smart? babi tu kan bodoh, orang yg makan babi tu lagi bodoh.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, engkau ni memang hipokrit lah, cakap tak serupa bikin. Xi Jinping tu seorang komunis dan taukeh besar komunis china. Masa chin ping mati dulu bukan mainnya Annie keji mengeji sama chin peng tapi hari ni pulak gi jilat punggong si komunis Xi Jinping. Takkan annie nak pura-pura buat tak tahu yg chin peng tu pon terima arahan dan bantuan dari kominis china utk serang malaysia.
ReplyDeleteUMNO and Madey pon sama,depan cakap komunis jahat tapi belakang bersabat tangan, makan dan yum seng bersama dgn si komunis.
Melayu di tipu UMNO lagi !!
Anon,
DeleteChina ended their support for the armed struggles of the Communist Party of Malaya in 1973 after Tun Razak's visit to Beijing. Both countries develop diplomatic ties that year. So, I think it's ok to be friendly with the Chinese government despite its communist ideology. BTW, I have made a few friends among members of the Chinese Communist Party and they are quite decent fellas. They definitely have no intention of toppling the Malaysian government and disposing our democratic system like what was intended by Chin Peng and the gang. Thank you
Annie Jangan tipu.China still support CPM struggle until the peace treaty signed in 1989. By only know a few communist friends from China sudah kata communist china bagus, apalah makcik ni. Janganlah tulis yg bukan2 kalau annie has no idea about chinese communist and malaya communist.
DeleteUMNO also have the intention of toppling the current Selangor state gomen and also disposing the democratic system run by PR in the state, so are you Annie going to label UMNO a bad communist party ?
DeleteWitty and well said, bravo Annie! Dear sore losers of the so called king makers aka Pakatan Rip off gangs, keep on drooling. The Malays are opening their eyes thanks to you over confident pricks.
DeleteAnnie, in one of your previous posts about "10 things you dislike about the Malays and Chinese" didn't the 10 things apply equally to all Chinese seeing as their cultural DNA and behaviors are the same. this is the impression I got from the comments that followed.
DeleteSo isn't it a bit hypocritical to start spinning positive things about Xi?
I'm not trying to be nasty, i'm just trying to explain why generalizations about people based on race/ethnicity are not logical.
Annie,
DeleteYou are right, the Chinese Communist Party has no desire to topple nor depose the Malaysian Government.
Many Malaysians do not realise this but the Chinese Communist Party is even more corrupt than UMNO/BN.
The Chinese Communist Party will simply just buy the whole lot of them and all those UMNO/BN politicians will be working for the Chinese Communist Party.
Just wait and watch. Major projects are already including Chinese partners who are closely aligned to the CCP - e.g. Kuantan.
And look, now Mahatir and his begging bowl is trying to interest the Chinese in that oil pipeline thru Kedah.
You call that smart thinking when Malaysia has the money to do it ourselves? It's just that the money is being wasted and stolen that we have to get others to come in and take a share of a strategically important national asset. Do you seriously think the Chinese Communist Party does not know this?
BTW, I know Xi came to KL and please don't be naive to think he came to pay homage to Mahatir. Xi came to see what else he can buy up.
OK, I am sorry for seeming so harsh with you because you are a person I genuinely like. You write from your heart without any pretensions of being a hotshot "dot every i, cross every t" blogger, and I greatly admire such courage from someone who considers herself a normal everyday Malaysian.
I don't like your politics though :)
why you cynic .... must every goodwill gesture be passed through your realpoliticking bird brain?
Deleteto the guy above: china's communism today is NOTHING like old malaya communism. it is now like russia, a hybrid of socialism and capitalism, breeding a state-based capitalistic machine. much more efficient than america's model. something by the way i think ASEAN should adopt, if we ever get our act together.
DeleteWow ... the malaysian chinese ... kihkihkih. Hasut bro .. hasut .. thats all that you sepets are good at.
ReplyDeleteGood that Malaysia is forging stronger ties with China. Due to Malaysia's geographical importance, we need to be neutral and forge political & economic ties with our neighbours. Hopefully Chinese companies looking to expand overseas will consider investing in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteTo those earlier commenters who loves to quote history and whatnots... running down your own country by bad-mouthing your leaders and government. Come on... you're Malaysians la! Not only that, you guys are a disgrace to Malaysians! Imagine if reader from China reading your comments. What did they teach you in school?
Come on la. President Xi thinks people like Lim Guan Eng are "rednecks" or "kera kampung". China is happy to be rid of these kind of sneaky parasites from their country.
ReplyDeleteBanyak olang cina sini cikap melayu tongang turbalikya..!
ReplyDelete