Mahathir against Gore

Mahathir against Gore

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Relations between Malaysia and the United States will be soured if an "uncouth" Al Gore wins Tuesday's presidential election, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said.

Mahathir, quoted by Saturday's Star newspaper, said he would be sorry if Gore wins.

"We know Al Gore -- he's the only man who can go to a country and tell the people to rise against the government in front of the government," Mahathir told reporters on Friday.

"This is bad manners to the extreme. We call it kurang ajar (uncouth). Al Gore needs to be taught some good manners.

"If he becomes president, I'm sorry. It would be payah sikit (a little difficult) for us to have good relations."

In 1988 Vice President Gore gave his backing to supporters of jailed ex-deputy president Anwar Ibrahim during the APEC summit in Kuala Lumpur attended by Mahathir and other leaders.