Embassy death threats reveal growing anti-American fervour

The US Embassy's revelation that it has received death threats has failed to quell a growing anti-American fervour in the country.

The embassy reported on Thursday that it had received two calls threatening harm to American citizens in Malaysia. One caller specifically threatened to kill four Americans.

While some analysts saw a possible link with the killing of four Americans in Karachi in a terrorist ambush, the threats came amid mounting Malaysian anger over a US Congressman's call for the resignation of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and a threat of US sanctions against Malaysia's national oil company.

The embassy said it was taking the death threats seriously, but Dr Mahathir brushed aside fears that Americans would be harmed, while appearing to accept that Malaysians were behind the calls.

'It is only an expression of anger of the people in Malaysia,' he said. 'We are not violent people and will not do something like that.' Anti-Western feeling, directed mainly against Americans, has been rising since Dr Mahathir first blamed US financier George Soros and other money market operators in the West for the region's financial turmoil.

In a speech in Kuala Lumpur yesterday urging Malaysians to cut spending on imported goods, Dr Mahathir called on consumer associations to explain to the people how foreign currency speculators had caused the Malaysian dollar to depreciate and disrupt the development of Malaysia.