Donors urged to respect rights

Donors urged to respect rights

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim
said yesterday that foreign donors helping countries in distress
should respect the rights of citizens to determine their own
future, Bernama news agency reported.

"While we can accept views that are reasonable, the citizens'
right to self-determination has to be respected," he was quoted
as telling reporters, echoing recent remarks about Indonesia by
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

"Let there be no such thought, a new form of colonialism, that
seeks to determine the form of leadership or who should take over
national leadership or what systems a country should adopt,"
Anwar reportedly said.

"I don't think the people should suffer just because we want
to bow down to the donors' demands," the finance minister added.