AP Interview: Anwar says he bears no malice toward Mahathir Eds:

AP Interview: Anwar says he bears no malice toward Mahathir Eds:
RECASTS with Anwar's comments on Mahathir[ With
BC-AS-GEN--Malaysia-Anwar-Thailand[ AP Photos[ By VIJAY JOSHI=
Associated Press Writer=
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -

Anwar 'bears no malice' toward Mahathir

Vijay Joshi
Associated Press/Kuala Lumpur

Anwar Ibrahim, jailed for alleged sodomy and fired as deputy
premier by his then boss Mahathir Mohamad, says he bears no
malice toward his mentor-turned foe, and paid tribute to the
former prime minister for making Malaysia an economic success.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, Anwar was
bitter about his downfall but said what hurt him most was the
sodomy charge that was overturned by a court in September,
allowing him to be a free man after six months in jail.

The interview was a rare occasion when Anwar has spoken in
such detail about Mahathir.

Anwar was also convicted of corruption following his bitter
row with Mahathir, and has served that sentence. The two men, who
shared a "father and son" relationship, have never met face to
face since Anwar was fired in 1998.

Asked how he would react if he were to see Mahathir now, Anwar
said: "I would invite him for tea. I have no malice against him.
I would still be objective enough to evaluate his rule both in
the positive way and negative way."

Anwar and Mahathir fell out in 1997 during the regional
economic crisis after the deputy prime minister became
increasingly vocal about alleged corruption in the Malaysian
government.

Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years before stepping
down on Oct. 31, 2003, is credited with making this tropical
backwater of tin mines and rubber plantations into an economic
powerhouse.

It is also acknowledged that Mahathir gave the country's
ethnic Malays, subjugated by British colonial rulers and
outsmarted by ethnic Chinese in business, the self confidence to
rise above poverty.

"He had the strong personal resolve to change the Malay
attitude and ensure that Malaysia is a successful country
economically. That I grant him," Anwar said.

He said Mahathir was "initially" committed to rid the country
of corruption, was against authoritarian policies, and wanted
parliament to not remain merely a rubber stamp.

That's why, Anwar said, Mahathir gave "me so much latitude" to
speak out against corruption. Even then he was careful and
circumspect in his comments. If not he would have been fired much
earlier, Anwar said.

But ultimately, the comments were perceived by Mahathir as
being personally directed against him, for which he paid the
price, Anwar said.

He denied that he was guilty of sodomy or corruption,
dismissing the charges as "pathetic" and akin to tactics used by
Stalin and Hitler.

GetAP 1.00 -- NOV 1, 2004 17:42:41