Mahathir flays Malays, West, gays

Mahathir flays Malays, West, gays

Jasbant Singh, Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called his country's ethnic Malay Muslims greedy, impatient and lazy, and urged them to return to Islam's true teachings. He also lashed out against Western values and media.

The comments were in the text of a speech released on Saturday ahead of celebrations on Sunday marking the 46th anniversary of Malaysia's independence from Britain. It was Mahahir's final Independence Day speech as prime minister, as he is set to step down in November after more than 22 years in power.

Mahathir said ethnic Malays -- who make up 60 percent of the population -- hold only a 19 percent stake in the country's economy despite government affirmative action policies aimed at giving them a 30 percent share.

"Why has this happened?" Mahathir asked. "It is due to impatience, a habit of taking the easy way out, and greed."

Mahathir said Malays continue to lag economically because many of them have chosen to make quick profits by selling off government projects which had been awarded to them.

Mahathir has presided over the country's transformation from an economic backwater to one of Asia's richest countries, but has often lamented that the Malays depend too much on government handouts.

Mahathir's speech warned Malays to return to Islam's "true teachings," saying success comes from hard work and determination and "cannot be attained through prayers alone."

Mahathir said deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein failed to adhere to Islam -- and ended up losing his country.

"Saddam's government was cruel and had oppressed its people until they hated him and were not willing to sacrifice their lives to defend him," Mahathir said.

"Saddam was the cause of his own defeat because he did not follow the teachings of Islam."

Mahathir also lashed out at Western influences, blaming Malaysia's rising crime rate on excessive sex and violence in foreign movies.

He said moral values were rapidly declining in the West, where "religious leaders were openly involved in gay relationships".

Western countries "are very angry -- especially, their reporters, many of whom are homosexuals- - when we take legal action against such practices," Mahathir said.

In Malaysia, sexual acts between persons of the same gender are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and flogging.

The leader, known for his frequent criticisms of Western values, said Western ideas on democracy and human rights were not suitable for Malaysia, and that his people "should not be ashamed just because we are not as liberal or as free as them".