THE MALAYSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, did not mince his words: the CIA director, Mr George Tenet, lied. Malaysia is not part of Pakistan's Dr A.Q. Khan's Islamic nuclear transfer of technology. The company he accused, Scomi Precision Engineering Sdn Bhd (SCOPE), did not know the parts it made for a Dubai-based Sri Lankan businessman, Mr B.S.A. Tahir, could be used for nuclear weapons. SCOPE opened its doors to journalists to prove Mr Tenet lied. It is all above board, you understand. Mr Tahir, signed a long term contract for centrifuge parts. To fulfill it, SCOPE built a factory in Shah Alam in 2001; it is a simple business transaction. It claims it did not inquire what it is used for. Is it as simple as that? SCOMI is in oil and gas exploration. It knows - at least it should - the centrigue is used in oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, nuclear technology. Yet it claims it did not want to know what it would be used for. To prove it, it brought local and foreign reporters to inspect it. The New York Times reporter was so convinced of it that it cleared SCOPE and blamed Mr Tenet. After all, the officials were so helpful. How could such nice people do something as nasty as to be part of a black market in nuclear technology?

But only UMNO leaders rose in unison against the Business Week "threat". Many believe the Mahathir attack was a smokescreen to ferret those UMNO leaders not loyal enough to he who leaves high office in less than six weeks. Few wanted or dared to. The UMNO Youth chief, Dato' Hishamuddin Hussein, "lambasted" the magazine for its "irresponsibility". What it did is unacceptable, he said, and it has a hidden agenda. Besides, the western media do not respect Third World views and are "bold enough to blackmail our Prime Minister". The foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, added his irrelevance: "It does not speak well of the media world or journalism, which is supposed to represent objectivity and professionalism." Was he, perchance, also referring here to the local media and journalism?

I submit Singapore was wrong to come up with the booklet, "Water Talks? If only it could". And wrong for Malaysia to react as she did. But speaking off the cuff, especially when a cabinet minister does not know what he talks of, is a peculiar Malaysian speciality. Dr Mahathir was right to protest at this release of confidential official documents to paint Malaysia in a bad light. But the foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, was idiotic to suggest Malaysia would reply with a booklet of its own. What would that serve? But the fat is on the fire. Neither Singapore nor Malaysia could retract or back down. With this distinct frightening realisation that no solution is possible under the present leaders, whose links date back to their university days. How then could it be possible when the new leaders take over, as they must within five years, in both countries, with the only underlying aim is to undercut the leaders in the other.

The Malaysian Police, as a rule, act highhandedly, and what happens does not surprise Malaysians. What happened in the Palm Court condominium is how they would raid against illegal immigrants. It is a law unto themselves, and few dare question them when they come highhandedly. It is only the home ministry who insists that the police do their work according to the law. But this is cold comfort to those caught for no rhyme or reason. New Delhi, rightly, did not look at it the same way. The Malaysian high commssioner was summoned to the Indian foreign ministry for an explanation. The Malaysian acting prime minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also home minister, wants to know what happened. The foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, said: "The police acted on complaints of people without documents and they were picked up because of that. The police were performing their duties. We will investigate it." But the Indian high commissioner in Malaysia, Mrs Veena Sikri is livid. "This issue has not been handled well. Why were'nt their documents checked at the Palm Court condominium itself?"

Malaysia understands the Chinese far better than Singapore understands the Malay. This bears on bilateral ties to give the edge to Malaysia every time. When the Malaysian government misreads this, Singapore takes advantage until the Malaysians bring this back to its favour. The Malays are consummate politicians and diplomats, which you would not fail to notice when you look at a Dr Mahathir or Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim or Dato' Nik Aziz though not at a Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, the result not of an expensive education overseas but from a long history of treachery and intrigue in Malay feudal life through the centuries. The Chinese have such a tradition, but not in its diaspora, which came to the region as farmers, workers and others who escaped from grinding poverty and deprivation in China and who with education and intellect demand to be heard. But the roughness of the these intellectuals shows through when they confront one of the old school. In Malaysia, China, Europe or India.

The foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, who should be setting the tone of the NAM Summit, is busy praising motor car dealers for "donating" some luxury cars to ferry some NAM leaders in return for heavy tax breaks. The government believes it must pay market price or more for such luxury items. And allow UMNOPutra business men to make a large profit by selling the cars after the conference. All the cars carry special NAM number plates, and if the past is any guide would be disposed at firesale prices to those in government and business who needs to tell the world they are liquid as they are driven in their new cars to the bankruptcy courts.

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