Mahathir's quotable quotes
2003-10-31 09:27
Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who retires on Friday, is known around the world for his controversial statements. The following is a small selection of his more famous remarks:
On the role of Jews in world affairs:
"The Europeans killed six million Jews out of 12 million. But today the Jews rule this world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them."
Calling for an end to Palestinian suicide bomb attacks against Israelis:
"Over the past 50 years of fighting in Palestine we have not achieved any result. We have in fact worsened our situation."
On the US-led war on terrorism:
"It is no longer just a war against terrorism. It is in fact a war to dominate the world."
On the killing of innocent civilians:
"If the innocent people who died in the attack on Afghanistan and those who have been dying from lack of food and medical care in Iraq are considered collaterals, are the three thousand who died in New York and the 200 in Bali also just collaterals whose deaths are necessary for operations to succeed?"
On the "European race":
"They are very clever, brave and have an insatiable curiosity. Unfortunately they are also very greedy and like to take forcibly the territories and rights of other people."
On Australia's role as a US "sheriff" in South East Asia:
"I can assure Australia that if it acts as a sheriff in this country, it will be treated as a terrorist and dealt with as a terrorist."
On currency trading which he said had destabilised Southeast Asian economies in 1997:
"All these countries have spent 40 years trying to build up their economy and a moron like (US financier and currency trader George) Soros comes along with a lot of money. Currency trading is unnecessary, unproductive and totally immoral."
On the motives of Europeans powers in world affairs:
"Old imperialist ways do not die, they merely metamorphose."
Criticising the Western media for its attacks on his government:
"We believe the foreign media must learn the fact that developing countries, including a country that is led by a brown Muslim, have the ability to manage their affairs successfully."
On political change:
"Asians should act as a weight that slows down the pendulum. We should be a little bit more orthodox, a little more traditionalist so that new ideas won't sweep us off our feet."
On globalisation:
"Variety is the spice of life. The spice is fast disappearing as we stay in Hilton Hotels, eat McDonald's hamburgers, drive in a Ford car, bank with Citibank and buy our household needs from Carrefour."
On accusations that he is a dictator:
"This is the first dictator in the world who has resigned while still quite healthy."