Mahathir hits out at West

Mahathir hits out at West

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad hit out at Western-style democracy yesterday, saying it led to economic decline.

High wages gave workers in the West a lifestyle comparable to that of the rich in developing countries, he said in a speech to a convention celebrating his United Malays National Organization's (UMNO) 50th anniversary.

But it also brought high unemployment and contributed to government debt through higher welfare payments, said Mahathir, a frequent critic of the West.

"While it is true that the unemployed in developed countries get more allowances than workers in a developing country, in a declining economy the government does not have enough funds to finance the increasing number of unemployed.

"Hence, the government's debt increases and the country's economy becomes weaker."

All democratic countries in the West "which are inclined toward Socialism" are suffering economic decline with high unemployment, he declared.

Malaysia's system of democracy is based on the British model, with a constitutional monarchy and a parliament.

UMNO is the dominant party in a multi-racial coalition government that has ruled Malaysia -- almost always with a two- thirds majority in parliament -- since independence from Britain in 1957.

Mahathir said Western-style democracy, with its frequent changes of government and the importance given to an opposition, had virtually turned into a religion.

"They come up with the slogan vox populi, vox Dei which is 'the majority's voice is God's voice'. But, believe it, democracy is not God's voice and is far from perfect," he said.

Its tyranny of the majority can victimize people as badly as a feudalistic or dictatorial system, he added.