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.