Mahathir denounces 'racist' white leaders

Mahathir denounces 'racist' white leaders

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has denounced "racist" white leaders for querying the conviction of his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim on corruption charges, a newspaper reported on Monday.

"White leaders are racist leaders," Mahathir was quoted as saying by The Star, the country's top English-language daily.

"They made these comments based on their racist sentiments which deny the capabilities of non-white people to practice democracy and justice," he said. "Many of their ministers are involved in corruption."

Mahathir also reportedly singled out Britain and the United States for the deaths of black people there and Australia for the separation of aboriginal children from their parents in the past.

Anwar, fired by Mahathir in September last year, was sentenced to six years in jail on four corruption charges alleging he used his official position to suppress allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

Among "white" foreign leaders to question the trial were Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, and U.S. Vice President Al Gore.

But criticism also came from "non-white" quarters, including Philippine President Joseph Estrada and Canada's Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific Raymond Chan, an ethnic Chinese originally from Hong Kong.

The New Straits Times said Mahathir also denounced the opposition Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS) and the National Justice Party (Keadilan), set up by Anwar's wife Azizah, for their alleged involvement in recent street protests.

"Although PAS denies its involvement, we see its flags being carried. We also see the presence of what appears to be PAS supporters," he said.

"Keadilan may also deny involvement but it is firing the enthusiasm of the demonstrators and giving them the spirit to carry out these improper acts."

Police have reportedly detained 188 people on suspicion of holding assemblies since last week. On Saturday alone, police arrested 94 people -- about a third of them university and high- school students.

Mahathir was speaking at an exhibition of Kuwaiti carpets, his first formal engagement after spending 10 days in the national heart center with a lung infection, apparently picked up during his pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

The prime minister, who had a heart bypass operation in 1989, was discharged on April 12 and has since been recuperating.

The official Bernama news agency reported that the 73-year-old premier resumed his official duties on Monday and would chair a meeting of the National Economic Action Council.

Meanwhile, Bernama cited Education Minister Najib Tun Razak as saying on Monday that students taking part in recent street protests might have been paid, and that they "did not think of the consequences of their actions."

Najib said the students detained could be charged in court and suspended or expelled from their schools or institutions of higher learning. Reports said among those detained was a 15-year- old boy with a slingshot and a bag of marbles.

The New Straits Times in an editorial described as "drivel" allegations by Azizah on Sunday that protests had been "overblown and manipulated" to divert attention from her husband's verdict and to taint her public image.

"Firm and fair action is vital to end the savagery on the streets. The confrontational and provocative posturing of the protesters show they are hell-bent on submerging the federal capital into chaos," it said.

Protests have "caused great inconvenience to the public, sowed fear and smeared the country's image. Street violence should be condemned and stopped since unrestrained, it threatens to put the nation into a vortex of turmoil," it said.