ANWAR WANTS M.NASIR CONTROVERSY RESOLVED

taken from BERNAMA 24 Jun 1996

 KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants the controversy involving singer-composer M.Nasir resolved as soon as possible.

 He said he had asked Information Minister Datuk Mohamed Rahmat to take steps to resolve the matter before Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad's return from his vacation overseas on Thursday.

 Prolonging the M. Nasir controversy would not benefit anyone and the best way to resolve it was to hear from the artiste himself so that a fair decision could be made, he said in his office, here, today.

 He hoped that the incident would serve as a lesson to the artistes in the country to avoid behaviour that could tarnish their image because they had their own influence and following.

 Earlier, M.Nasir met Information Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Zawawi Mahmuddin to discuss an alleged remark by the artiste belittling the Prime Minister which led to a ban on his songs and films by RTM.

 Zawawi said he was instructed to look into the case but it is left to the minister to decide whether or not to review the ban on M. Nasir's works.

 Asked whether he believed the decision to be made by the ministry would please all the parties concerned, he said: "It is difficult for me to speculate. My duty was to meet M. Nasir and then report to the minister."

 Regarding the way the investigation was carried out into the allegation against the artiste, he said the ministry has its own ways of checking to find out whether M. Nasir spoke the truth or otherwise.

 The ministry banned the airing of M. Nasir's works on official radio and television two weeks ago after a newspaper alleged he belittled the Prime Minister at a rehearsal for a poetry recitation in April.

 Meanwhile, M. Nasir declined to comment on his meeting with Zawawi. --BERNAMA