Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he was 'unsure' whether public funds would be used in the restructuring of the debt-ridden Renong conglomerate but said that the government 'will never misuse the people's money'.

Speaking to reporters in Kota Baru, who asked on government plans to takeover Renong Bhd, Mahathir said, "I do not know yet. I am also waiting for the details as I do not know what is going to happen.

"Just wait and see. But we will never misuse the people's money," he said.

Mahathir, who is acting finance minister, has said the government was looking for a solution to Renong's RM13 billion financial woes, and did not discount the possibility of a government takeover.

Mahathir dismissed the suggestion that the restructuring had anything to do with former Finance minister Daim Zainuddin's departure from the Cabinet, saying, "The process (the Renong restructuring) actually began some time ago."

Mahathir also mildly ticked off reporters when asked whether highway tolls will be increased after the government acquires Renong's assets - based on the 'precedence' set by MAS which, upon a government buy-over, obtained approval to increase its fares.

"You guys predict all sorts of things that end up creating havoc in the stock market. Can't you all be a bit patient?" he said.

Immoral, ungrateful students

Earlier, the PM deplored the attitude of immoral and 'ungrateful' students, and expressed grief over the recent spate of fatal crime cases involving students.

"It is a very sad thing that a 17-year-old was raped and killed and also a six-year-old, and I read today that 12 students were killed because of certain crimes committed.

"The sad thing is that it usually involves Malays. And now there is Satan worship and the Black Metal [cult]," he said in his speech at the opening ceremony of an Information Technology (IT) Awareness Day programme at a school here.

"Where did they get the influence from, until they are willing to reject religion, and perform acts like tearing up the Quran? The sad thing is that these students come from religious schools. Where did we go wrong?

"These people are anti-culture, anti-religion, anti-tradition, anti-establishment where do they get these influences from? How did their resistance level become so low until they do whatever that is not permitted by their religion?" said the prime minister, who also took to task parents and teachers for failing in their duties.

He added that the only way to address these problems was not to hide them in the closet, but to bring them out in the open.

Internet misuse

The prime minister also expressed his unhappiness with Malays for not using the IT infrastructure and facilities provided by the government in a 'constructive' manner.

"Malays misuse the Internet by posting hate and malicious messages in sites like Mahazalim

, Mahafiraun, Mahadajal and what have you," he said.

"Do you see the Chinese doing a Maha-this and Maha-that in the websites that they operate?" he questioned.

"My name is Mahathir, not Mahafiraun or Mahazalim. It is not nice to call people names. Whatever I'm doing, I have the nation's best interest at heart," he said.

Mahathir also accused the Malays of being easily hooked by pornography.

"The Chinese sell porn for profit, and the Malays buy them. And the latter are then influenced by this to the extent of committing rape and murder. We need to honestly ask ourselves how we ended up in this state," he said.

He then rapped university students for being arrogant enough to dismiss the government's views and demand that the latter listened to them instead.

"There are groups of undergraduates who refuse to listen to whatever the government has to say. In their arrogance, they actually called upon the government to lend them its ears. [I say] to these people, if you are not interested in studying, then we will not build any more universities."

Teachers' role

According to Mahathir, both teachers and students should make full use of the opportunities brought about by the advent of the IT revolution in the country.

"A nation which is merely consuming or buying hi-tech equipment from more developed countries will end up being colonised, or unable to break free from the grip of poverty and oppression.

"The Industrial Revolution 200 years ago made things more affordable for the masses. However, the IT revolution now is much more bigger, and it demands that we have adequate knowledge of science, technology, software development, hardware manufacturing and so on.

"Are we going to equip ourselves so that we can join the ranks of the developed, or are we going to keep on buying stuff from others? If yes, then a lot of effort is needed from everybody," he said.

He added that the government endeavoured to provide the facilities and infrastructure to the people so that the nation can be competitive and not end up being pushed around by others.

"In this regard, teachers play an important role, especially Malay teachers. They must be willing to learn so that they can pass on the right knowledge to students.

"Teachers should be imparting the appropriate knowledge, and not something else. Students should be trained to be good citizens, rather than ending up with no knowledge or morality," he advised.

The prime minister met with Umno members from the Tumpat and Rantau Panjang Umno divisions during his one-day official visit to Kelantan.