National day sees Mahathir scolding, joking

National day sees Mahathir scolding, joking

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Veteran Asian leader Mahathir Mohamad
marked Malaysia's independence day on Friday by scolding his
people in poetry, joking about Japan's economy and sermonizing on
Islam.

Shooting from the lip in vintage style, Prime Minister
Mahathir:
-- Berated ethnic-Malays for becoming "too laid back" because of
his affirmative action program, but denied that it was his fault.
-- Said Japan adopted his "Look East" economic policy, but
unfortunately saw the United States and got into serious
difficulties.
-- Accused Islamic militants of plotting to topple his 20-year-
old government.

Mahathir, Asia's longest-serving elected leader, was speaking
at a series of functions leading up to the 44th anniversary on
Friday of Malaysia's independence from Britain.

His poem, which has been set to music and will be sung by
local star Safura in public on Sunday, says Malays failed to
learn from 450 years of colonialism, though quite what the
lessons were is lost in poetic fancy.

But he was more specific about the failings of Malays at a
luncheon Thursday, when he was asked about his policy giving them
and other indigenous peoples privileges over ethnic-Chinese and
Indian citizens.

"They did not see anything that is threatening at all. As a
result, some people seem to be too laid back and not willing to
make any effort.

"It is not really my mistake, and I thought it is a good
thing, but the response was not in the way we set it out," said
Mahathir, who recently labeled Malay men "lazy".

At the same function, he said his "Look East" economic policy
also seemed like a good idea at first, because it enabled
Malaysia to develop its economy using the Japanese model.

"Of course today Japan is not doing well because it decided to
Look East (as well): when it looked east it saw the United
States.

"Now Japan is seriously trying to re-invent itself and try to
produce the kind of structure that does not suit its culture."

Mahathir, a regular scourge of Western ways, said that while
Malaysia continued to Look East it now did so to try to avoid
repeating Japan's mistakes.

Taking off his flippant luncheon hat, the prime minister
donned a well-worn political sniper's helmet for an address to
the nation and took a few shots at the main opposition party.

He said Islamic extremists were using religion to ignite
hatred of the government and setting up militant wings to seize
power, despite the fact that Malaysia was already seen by many
Muslims a model Islamic nation.

"Spurred by a desire to create an Islamic state of their
dream", extremists "want to kill, terrorize and seek the
assistance of foreign fanatics," he said.

Although he did not name the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), it
was the obvious target.

PAS wants to create a more rigid Islamic state in Malaysia,
and has been linked by the government to a "Malaysian Mujahideen
Group" blamed for a spate of crimes including the bombing of a
church and an Indian temple.

Ten alleged members of the group, including seven members of
PAS, have been held under the draconian Internal Security Act,
which allows detention without trial.

PAS gained dramatically increased support in 1999 elections
and accuses the government of labeling its members militant
extremists to curb the party's appeal among ethnic Malays.

Malays, who are mostly Muslim, make up more than half of
Malaysia's 23 million population, while ethnic Chinese account
for 25 percent and Indians about seven percent.

Mahathir said his government had given all Malaysians the
opportunity to prosper, adding: "Those who deny this fact are an
ungrateful lot."