Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today slammed the mainstream media for its coverage concerning several issues which he said attempted to arouse the people's emotions.

"We hope such publicity would be filtered more wisely," Mahathir told a press conference after chairing the Umno Supreme Council meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

As examples, the premier cited the reports on the increase in petrol prices and toll rates, as well as the media coverage of four people remanded yesterday to facilitate investigations into misappropriation of RM36.5 million fund for the hardcore poor in Kelantan and Terengganu.

Mahathir said the four, including former secretay-general of rural development ministry and the ministry's current secretary-general, had not been proven guilty but the way the news was reported, it would appear they were criminals.

"This is not fair to the people concerned bcause it embarasses these people," he added.

Meanwhile, the premier said the party had discussed at the meeting the fate of Umno supreme council member and former rural development minister Annuar Musa who is also implicated in the funds scandal.

Mahathir said the party would make a decision after police have completed their investigations.

"At this point of time it is not fair to make a decision on a person who has not been convicted yet. We don't want to make a person guilty before he is charged or found guilty," he said.

PBS re-entry

In an unrelated development, Mahathir said the party seriously discussed about Parti Bersatu Sabah's re-entry into Barisan Nasional and concluded that the unification would strengthen BN in the next general elections.

He said he would bring up the issue at BN's meeting after Hari Raya.

In November, PBS had applied to rejoin the BN coalition which it quit on the eve of the 1990 general elections.

Following this, Mahathir said the matter would have to be brought up at the BN supreme council meeting before a decision can be made.