I MISS MAHATHIR

I'm truly glad Mahathir Mohamad, the moonbat former prime minister of Malaysia stepped down last year. So are credit-rating agencies, Fitch just upgraded the country citing its improved political climate and the new administration's anti-corruption drive and reform agenda.

Still, there's a reason that I'd briefly like that old twit back for a short stint... he could probably save me a few bucks on my next vacation.

Guess where I'm going in two weeks:

Malaysia Travel Alert Issued by U.S. Over Kidnapping Threat

Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert for its citizens visiting Malaysia's state of Sabah, saying there is a threat of kidnappings to tourists visiting coastal resorts.
``There are indications of planned additional kidnappings in eastern Sabah's coastal areas, especially at resorts frequented by foreigners,'' the State Department said in an e-mailed statement from Washington. ``Since 2000, there have been several kidnappings and incidents of piracy in this area.''
Malaysia has maintained a ``significant security presence in the region, the State Department said. Sabah has extensive open waters between the mainland and its offshore islands for kidnappers and pirates to operate, it said.
The Abu Sayyaf group, based in the southern Philippines, has been responsible for kidnappings from coastal resorts, including six Indonesian and Filipinos taken in October 2003. The U.S. said last week the threat of terrorism in the Philippines remains high, citing groups such as Abu Sayyaf.
Jemaah Islamiyah, a group linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist network, has cells operating throughout Southeast Asia, the State Department said in its statement.

The Abu Sayyaf typically kidnap people from beach resorts – and the State Department warning specifically mentions coastal areas. So, as I am planning on going up a mountain, I'm not the slightest bit worried about this.

However, if this story gets enough play I may even be able to get a few bucks knocked off my hotel bill.

With that, it's a shame Mahathir isn't still in office. After today's warning, that moonbat would have immediately overreacted and launched into a tirade that would ensure maximum news coverage of this, thereby ensuring a decline in tourist arrivals.

Abdulla Badawi will probably just say something diplomatic.