Mahathir denounces 'racist' white leaders<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
\nhas denounced \"racist\" white leaders for querying the conviction
\nof his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim on corruption charges, a
\nnewspaper reported on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"White leaders are racist leaders,\" Mahathir was quoted as
\nsaying by The Star, the country's top English-language daily.<\/p>\n
\"They made these comments based on their racist sentiments
\nwhich deny the capabilities of non-white people to practice
\ndemocracy and justice,\" he said. \"Many of their ministers are
\ninvolved in corruption.\"<\/p>\n
Mahathir also reportedly singled out Britain and the United
\nStates for the deaths of black people there and Australia for the
\nseparation of aboriginal children from their parents in the past.<\/p>\n
Anwar, fired by Mahathir in September last year, was sentenced
\nto six years in jail on four corruption charges alleging he used
\nhis official position to suppress allegations of sexual
\nmisconduct against him.<\/p>\n
Among \"white\" foreign leaders to question the trial were
\nAustralian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, British Foreign
\nSecretary Robin Cook, Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy,
\nand U.S. Vice President Al Gore.<\/p>\n
But criticism also came from \"non-white\" quarters, including
\nPhilippine President Joseph Estrada and Canada's Secretary of
\nState for Asia-Pacific Raymond Chan, an ethnic Chinese originally
\nfrom Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
The New Straits Times said Mahathir also denounced the
\nopposition Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS) and the National Justice
\nParty (Keadilan), set up by Anwar's wife Azizah, for their
\nalleged involvement in recent street protests.<\/p>\n
\"Although PAS denies its involvement, we see its flags being
\ncarried. We also see the presence of what appears to be PAS
\nsupporters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Keadilan may also deny involvement but it is firing the
\nenthusiasm of the demonstrators and giving them the spirit to
\ncarry out these improper acts.\"<\/p>\n
Police have reportedly detained 188 people on suspicion of
\nholding assemblies since last week. On Saturday alone, police
\narrested 94 people -- about a third of them university and high-
\nschool students.<\/p>\n
Mahathir was speaking at an exhibition of Kuwaiti carpets, his
\nfirst formal engagement after spending 10 days in the national
\nheart center with a lung infection, apparently picked up during
\nhis pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
The prime minister, who had a heart bypass operation in 1989,
\nwas discharged on April 12 and has since been recuperating.<\/p>\n
The official Bernama news agency reported that the 73-year-old
\npremier resumed his official duties on Monday and would chair a
\nmeeting of the National Economic Action Council.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bernama cited Education Minister Najib Tun Razak as
\nsaying on Monday that students taking part in recent street
\nprotests might have been paid, and that they \"did not think of
\nthe consequences of their actions.\"<\/p>\n
Najib said the students detained could be charged in court and
\nsuspended or expelled from their schools or institutions of
\nhigher learning. Reports said among those detained was a 15-year-
\nold boy with a slingshot and a bag of marbles.<\/p>\n
The New Straits Times in an editorial described as \"drivel\"
\nallegations by Azizah on Sunday that protests had been \"overblown
\nand manipulated\" to divert attention from her husband's verdict
\nand to taint her public image.<\/p>\n
\"Firm and fair action is vital to end the savagery on the
\nstreets. The confrontational and provocative posturing of the
\nprotesters show they are hell-bent on submerging the federal
\ncapital into chaos,\" it said.<\/p>\n
Protests have \"caused great inconvenience to the public, sowed
\nfear and smeared the country's image. Street violence should be
\ncondemned and stopped since unrestrained, it threatens to put the
\nnation into a vortex of turmoil,\" it said.<\/p>",
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