Castro 'close to heaven'

Castro 'close to heaven'

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Cuban President Fidel Castro went sightseeing Saturday on the second day of his visit to Malaysia, touring the world's tallest buildings and declaring he feels "closer to heaven."

Castro waxed enthusiastic about his host Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and some of the veteran leader's mega-projects.

"He's an excellent leader," the Cuban leader told reporters after touring the 452-meter Petronas Twin Towers.

"He is very friendly and he has great ideas. These twin towers and the new city Putrajaya were conceived by him. I think that's a marvel, the new city of Putrajaya."

As for the twin towers, he said, "I was closer to heaven here."