11.   Dr Mahathir said if the Malaysian business community is not prepared to make even little sacrifices, then the country may have to resort to outside help.

12.   Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said Thursday he hoped his visit would lead Malaysian businesses to be more aggressive in seeking investment opportunities in Africa.

13.   Furthermore, he said, there should be minimal political intervention in the Malaysian business system.

14.   He invited the Malaysian business community to participate in the Poland-Southeast Asia Economic Forum to be held in Warsaw in September.

15.   He said another option is the oft-repeated invitation for Malaysian businesses to relocate or invest in labour-intensive industries in Pakistan.

16.   If that business were brought home to Malaysia, he said, Malaysian businesses would be paying fees and commissions to local financiers instead of foreigners.

17.   Iraqi Vice President Taha Yaseen Ramadan arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday for a four-day visit of meetings with top government officials and Malaysian business people.

18.   Mahathir also said Malaysian businesses would have to find ways to solve their own problems.

19.   Meanwhile, the Malaysian business world is steadily stepping up the use of IT.

20.   Malaysian businesses, however, have clamored for lower rates, saying the high cost of borrowing was choking growth.