Transport Minister Dr Ling Liong Sik, irked at being asked certain questions by malaysiakini , threatened that its reporter may have to leave the room where he (Ling) was conducting a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Malaysiakini first asked Ling if the number of Proton models produced was in fact too little to make an impact in the international market, as recently stated by Ministry of International Trade and Industry parliamentary secretary Fu Ah Kiow in the Nov 21 sitting of Parliament ([#1]Proton gagal bersaing: MITI[/#], Nov 21).

"Today is on the exhibition, not on Parliament, you should ask me this in Parliament, if you can't then, I would have to ask you to leave," Ling replied. He had earlier officiated the opening of the 11-day Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2000 at the Putra World Trade Centre.

Fu had said that the local car industry failed to compete those of other countries because Proton's production costs are still too high, and that it requires an additional output of 120,000 units a year to the current 230,000 units in order to achieve economies of scale.

'Motor show day'

When malaysiakini next asked Ling to comment on the recent Chinese media blackout of former MCA deputy president Lee Siok Yew's speech on the Vision School project on Monday night, Ling replied that all questions should concentrate on the motor show ([#1]Former MCA deputy chief apologises[/#], Nov 21).

"No, no, this is motor show day, I don't like to confuse the issues, today is motor show day," he stressed.

Lee, who was also deputy education minister from 1964 to 1969, had apologised to the Chinese community for MCA's support of the government's move in the 1960s to convert Chinese secondary schools to national-type Schools which effectively changed the medium of instruction in these schools from Chinese to Malay.

Malaysiakini also reported on Thursday that the Lunas by-election had apparently impacted on the Chinese press, which received further "advice" from the Home Affairs Ministry to downplay controversial issues such as the Vision School project. [[#]Chinese press gets more 'advice' from ministry[/#], Nov 23]

MCA, headed by Ling, has been caught in a tough position explaining the rationale of the Vision School, which has been vehemently opposed by the influential Chinese education group, Dong Jiao Zong, and the Chinese community.

'Not wise to comment'

When asked by a reporter on the selling of MAS shares by Naluri (owned by Tajuddin Ramli), Ling said that the matter had not been finalised yet.

"Once the whole thing has been finalised, we will let you know. At this point in time, I don't think it is wise to comment," Ling said.

When told by another reporter that the sale (of Naluri's bloc of some 29 percent of MAS shares) had been agreed in principle by the Cabinet, he repeated, "At this point in time, I don't think it is wise to comment."

Asked when a comment is forthcoming, he offered the same reply: "At this point in time, I don't think it is wise to comment".

'Back on track'

Meanwhile, in his keynote speech, Ling declared that the participation of so many companies in the automotive industry in the motor show was a good indication that the economy was back on track.

"The motoring industry in Malaysia was severely affected during the recent economic slowdown in Malaysia during the period 1997 to 1998.

"Today's motor show with tremendous industry-wide participation is a clear reflection of the buoyancy of our economy and the healthy recovery of our automotive sector," he said.