DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang today rebuked National Economic Action Council executive director Mustapha Mohamed over his "unpersuasive" letter to the Economist magazine to rebut the alleged errors in a recent survey o­n Malaysia.

Lim said Mustapha's rebuttal was "so skimpy that it is totally unpersuasive" to justify the frenzied attack against the London-based magazine.

"Mustapha's reply is a disservice to Umno, the government and the nation, as it must have made everyone wonder as to the justification and rationality for all the furore and frenzy over the Economist , when it was nothing more than a storm in a tea-cup," he said in a statement.

The magazine in its May 8 edition had carried a letter from Mustapha, o­n behalf of the government, pointing out several 'errors' in a series of articles published by the magazine in its April 5 edition.

In an editor's note at the bottom of the letter, the magazine apologised for making a factual error o­n the quota-based education system, but stood by its reports o­n other issues.

Justify frenzy

The articles, based o­n a survey conducted o­n Malaysia, drew flak from politicians, especially Umno leaders, for comments which inferred that Malaysians were eagerly waiting for the retirement of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and that under his premiership, the country o­nly enjoyed a qualified success.

Following a barrage of criticism - initiated by Umno vice-president and Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak - the government finally decided that it will write a letter providing a "point-by-point rebuttal" to the magazine. Mustapha was then tasked to do this.

However, Lim said Mustapha's "point-by-point rebuttal" was disappointing as it was o­nly a five-paragraph letter which tried to correct four 'factual' errors.

Lim also questioned if the letter fully commensurate the level of criticism that came from government leaders over the articles.

The veteran politician suggested that Najib - as the person who started the ball rolling - should be assigned to write a more substantive and credible rebuttal so that he can "justify all the frenzy which he had initiated".