Dr M: CEP’s services still needed
They think they have come to an end, but I haven’t decided, says PM
KUALA LUMPUR: The Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) will not be dissolved as its services are still needed, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
“They think that they have come to an end, but I haven’t decided.
“I never said it is 100 days,” he said after launching Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur yesterday. It is one of the region’s first private cardiac and vascular specialist hospitals.
Dr Mahathir, however, said he was uncertain how long the CEP would remain to assist the Government.
“I don’t know (how long CEP will remain). I think until we solve all the problems. I myself cannot do that kind of work,” he added.
There was talk that the CEP will be disbanded on the 100th day of Pakatan Harapan taking over the Government. The CEP was formed on May 12 by Dr Mahathir to act as an adviser on economic, financial and other matters.
On Jho Low’s private jet, Dr Mahathir said Malaysia would strive to prove that the private aircraft owned by the businessman was bought with money stolen from the country.
He said it was important this was addressed first before the Bombar- dier Global 5000 jet, now in Singapore, is brought to the country.
The time frame for the return of the jet is not important, he added.
“The thing is that he cannot take it back. If he (Jho Low) stole from Malaysia, then it belongs to us, just like the boat (Equanimity),” he said.
The private jet, along with the Equanimity superyacht, is part of assets that the US Department of Justice is seeking to seize over its probe into a global conspiracy to launder funds related to 1MDB.
On his four-day trip to China beginning today, Dr Mahathir said he was going there to strengthen ties between the two countries.
He is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang.
“China is the first country that I should have visited, but other problems prevented me from going to China much earlier,” he said.
Dr Mahathir is returning to China once again as Prime Minister after a 17-year gap.
Meanwhile, Economics Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, who was with Dr Mahathir, said he will meet Singapore’s Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan in Putrajaya to discuss the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project.
He added that he had a “good and productive” meeting with Khaw in Singapore last week.
“I presented the position taken by the Malaysian Cabinet about the HSR and I am glad that the minister is taking note of our new position,” he added.