appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday lashed out at Europeans, saying Malaysians must defeat the greed and ambition of the resurgent Anglo-Saxon culture.

In an emotionally charged speech - his last to the Malay party he has led for 22 years - Dr Mahathir, 77, who steps down in October, broke down and wept at the opening of the annual assembly of his United Malays National Organisation.

'This is the last time that I will speak before you ... I thank you all ... all the people of Malaysia,' he said as he broke into tears.

He thanked party members and asked for forgiveness during a wide-ranging address lasting 80 minutes that also went into detail on methods of refuse incineration.

However, the prime minister - who has previously had choice words for financier George Soros, Jews and the US-led war on Iraq - reserved the best of his criticisms  to attack the bangsa Europah, or the European race, for greed, violence and hedonism.

About 12,000 members, packed inside and outside the cavernous Putra World Trade Centre, listened to Dr Mahathir in silence.

He opened his speech with an apology to his many European friends, saying they would be offended by what he was about to say.

He directed his attack specifically at  countries with majority populations of Anglo-Saxon descent, such as the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

He praised Europeans for their cleverness and bravery and insatiable curiosity, but said they were violent, greedy and coveted other people's land.

He said they were still trying to conquer the world - with arms and with concepts such as free trade and globalisation. If the Malays lost this contest, they would be forced to accept European values, which he said were hedonism, unlimited quest for pleasure and satisfaction of base desires such as homosexuality. 'If they win, Asian values will not exist any more,' he said.

Dr Mahathir, who supported the American war on terror and has had more than 60 people arrested for alleged links to the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist network, has been cautioned in the past by the White House for his anti-US rhetoric.

Surprisingly, Dr Mahathir was more critical of villagers and NGOs who opposed a  1.5 billion ringgit (HK$3.07 billion) Japanese-funded incinerator than of his Islamic opponents,  the Parti Islam se-Malaysia, who got off with a warning and some snide remarks

Protests have forced the government to move the incinerator site once but there has also been resistance by the local community at the second site,  30km west of the capital.

He characterised human rights  groups as stooges of the European race and went into great length about the mechanics of garbage generation, collection and disposal in defending the incinerator project.

On his jailed opponent Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Mahathir made one passing remark that traitors had almost cost the party the 1999 general election but the danger had passed. In three earlier assemblies, Anwar  had featured heavily in Dr Mahathir's opening speeches.

Dr Mahathir, who has led the government in five general elections, also said Umno was full of older men who had lost track of the party's struggles. He urged them to give way to younger leaders.

As Dr Mahathir finished his oration, the crowd leapt to its feet and delivered a standing ovation as giant overhead screens moved to focus on his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, 63, who stood up and bowed in a gesture of deep respect as Dr Mahathir took his seat.

Mr Abdullah, known as the 'Mr Clean' of Malaysian politics, had earlier delivered a hard-hitting speech warning members the party was in danger of losing power if members did not come to their senses.



Mahathir takes parting shot at Anglo-Saxon vices