Mahathir lashes out at foreigners

Mahathir lashes out at foreigners

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): While exhorting Malaysians to cherish peace
and unity in his annual New Year's message, Malaysia's prime
minister once again lashed out against Western powers that he
said were out to destroy his nation.

"Their leaders, media, traders, international agencies, rating
agencies and banks will resort to whatever means to achieve the
objective," Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in a speech late
on Thursday.

He warned Malaysians to stay vigilant against enemies who were
out to recolonize the Southeast Asian nation, which gained its
independence from British rule in 1957.

The 73-year-old prime minister, Asia's longest-serving ruler,
did not name any country, but he hinted strongly at the United
States.

He said that while Malaysians were struggling to rejuvenate
the economy, foreign powers had taken advantage of their moment
of weakness to incite political chaos and riots.