Malaysia’s Mahathir: good news for China, not so much for the US
Economic plan, check; action plan on Najib Razak, check; making nice with coalition parties, check. Foreign policy ... hmm
It’s been a week since Mahathir Mohamad took office as Prime Minister of Malaysia, for the second time.
And the 92-year-old has already moved with the aplomb expected of an ex-strongman – he ruled Malaysia with an iron fist from 1981 to 2003 – to assert control over all levers of government.
On the economic front, his one-time right hand man Daim Zainuddin, 80, is helming a “Council of Eminent Persons”, which just days after being appointed last week, has come up with a plan to scrap the unpopular goods and services tax (GST) by June 1 – a top campaign pledge of the victorious Pakatan Harapan alliance.
Police have been searching properties linked to the former leader, seizing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of foreign currency, luxury handbags and jewellery.