Mahathir says he'd like to 'terminate' journalists

Mahathir says he'd like to 'terminate' journalists

Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia's combative leader took aim -- with an imaginary gun --
at the media on Friday, saying he'd like to "terminate" them a la
Arnold Schwarzenegger for eroding moral values by promoting sex
and violence.

At a news conference, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
pantomimed lining up reporters in his "sights" and made machine
gun sounds.

"Worldwide there is an increase in crime, and it is because
there is a breakdown in moral values," Mahathir said, complaining
that pornography was freely available on the Internet and video
discs sold illegally in Malaysia.

"We have been showing all the violent movies - Terminator 1,
Terminator 2, Terminator 3, Mahathir added, referring to
Hollywood blockbusters starring Schwarzenegger.

"I would like to terminate all of you also," he said, aiming
an imaginary machine gun at reporters and making a "rat-a-tat"
sound. "Finish," he said, drawing laughter from the journalists.

Mahathir, 77, has led this Muslim-majority country in
Southeast Asia for almost 22 years. He's been an outspoken critic
of the international media, globalization and what he sees as the
degrading influence of some Western values on Islamic countries.

The leader's feisty comments on international finance,
terrorism, U.S. foreign policy, religion and many other topics
have sometimes soured diplomatic relations with Western countries
and made foreign investors uneasy.

But the unapologetic Mahathir sees himself as speaking out for
the developing world in the face of Western dominance. This year,
he became the chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement of 116 mostly
poorer countries.

On Friday, Mahathir also lambasted modern fictional works.
"Old stories like 'Wuthering Heights', they are very good, very
educational," he said. "But now, without sex, without murder,
there is no thrill."

Mahathir was speaking on the sidelines of his United Malays
National Organization's general assembly, the last he will attend
as the party's leader before retiring in October.

In a speech on Thursday to open the meeting, Mahathir accused
Western countries - Europe, the United States, Australia and New
Zealand - of introducing globalization "to facilitate their
control of the world economy."