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.