Death penalty for "traitors and communists" and scamming cabbies.

[Matthew X]

http://smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/27/1030053055326.html
Minister to cabbies: you cheat, you die
August 27 2002
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's tourism minister has called for tourist-cheating 
taxi drivers to be shot dead, likening them to "traitors and communists", 
reports said today.
In an outburst against cabbies who are found to over-charge or mistreat 
their customers, Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said they were the "new enemies 
of our country, the same as communists" and should be shot.
"I am not joking. This is a serious matter. If they can be shot, all the 
better," he was quoted as saying by the Malay-language Berita Harian daily.
"I will suggest it to the other ministers (during cabinet meeting), but I 
don't know if they will accept it."
Abdul Kadir said his ministry would also call for lesser, but equally 
harsh, forms of punishment, including jailing and a lifetime suspension of 
the taxi license.
He was commenting on a report that some 70 per cent of cab drivers in the 
capital Kuala Lumpur were prone to taking advantage of tourists by not 
using standard meters or by taking long routes.
Malaysia's booming tourism industry has embarked on major promotional 
campaigns around Asia and the Middle East.
The government recorded a total of 12.8 million tourists in 2001, its 
highest ever and a 25 per cent increase year-on-year, despite experiencing 
a temporary drop in arrivals after the September 11 attacks.
Last year visitors spent a total of 24.2 billion ringgit ($A11.59 billion), 
39 per cent more than in 2000, ensuring that tourism remained Malaysia's 
second biggest foreign exchange earner, after the manufacturing sector.
END
The new au shadow minister for "community security" should dig this...he 
once chased and broke a cabbies arm in a disputed taxiride.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/2001/10/21/FFXO08BB0TC.html
He's been on TV babbling about Panopticons and smacking babies,and they 
call me a lunatic!