It is obvious that Najib is answering to some of the negative reactions from his people and clarifying the treatment Malaysia had given to the old man. He appears to respect the latter and the old man had probably also given Najib his views and findings from the visits that he had made?
MM Lee was not "over-welcomed" during M'sia visit: Najib
PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA: Malaysia did not accord Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew more than he deserved during his visit here, the prime minister said.
Datuk Seri Najib Razak said MM Lee had not been "over-welcomed" in his eight-day tour of the country earlier this month.
He said he believed that MM Lee had no intention of interfering in Malaysia's internal affairs when the latter made statements on issues such as the development of certain areas.
"I don't think he wanted to interfere. I think he knows that any suggestion that he is trying to interfere would be counter-productive.
"His visit was a fact-finding tour of the situation in Malaysia and we allowed it," he said when asked about Lee's visit after opening the Seventh Heads of Mission Conference and Fourth Honorary Consuls Meeting here yesterday.
Asked if Lee had crossed the line when he suggested that Penang's development was behind Perak's, Najib said: "In all, he wants to see Malaysia succeed, a stable Malaysia. That is most important (to MM Lee).
"How he does it, it is the man's style and I think we have to recognise every person as being different."
Lee had audiences with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak, and also met Najib, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, during the visit which began on June 9.
The states he visited were Negri Sembilan, Perak, Penang, Kelantan and Pahang.
Asked about the controversies surrounding the courses organised by the National Civics Bureau, he said: "Everyone must fall in line. In other words the 1Malaysia concept must be the guiding principle for all government departments."
He also expressed concern over the closure of two schools in the Klang Valley after several students tested positive for influenza A (H1N1).
"I hope the measures announced by the deputy prime minister will bear fruit.
"I hope everyone extends their cooperation as these steps were taken to prevent the spread of the disease, which is easily transmitted.
"We must adhere to the advice of the health authorities to ensure the matter does not get out of hand."
The schools were closed following local transmissions of the H1N1 flu there.
On the key performance index for ministers and their ministries, Najib said although there had been minor glitches, the government was on track to evaluate them by November.
Najib said the KPI was a method to measure performance and that such a measurement would be positive for the country.
"With the KPI, we can step up our performance and achieve the results we want to see, particularly in areas of interest to the rakyat.
"Although there would not be an immediate consequence of the KPIs, ministers understand that they have to perform."
-The News Straits Times
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20090623-150283.html