Mahathir was desperate for public attention and limelight when he interfered with Malaysian foreign policy by proposing autonomy for southern Thailand. It is a follow up to his open letter in requesting the American voters to choose John Kerry.

Mahathir's public statement has done much harm to Malaysia's national interests.

The Abdullah administration must recognise that the US is Malaysia's biggest trade partner and their strategic involvement in our oil and gas industries and the electronic industry is significant enough to influence our overall economic performance.

We should refrain from interfering with the domestic affairs of the US, just as we hate them for telling us what to do.

The recent interferences with the Thailand's internal affairs will also affect Malaysia's national interests. The incitement of separatist ideologies through autonomy is expected to hurt the friendly relationship between Malaysia and Thailand.

The Thaksin administration may perceive that Mahathir's statement was not a spontaneous reaction to the recent development in Thailand. It could be viewed as being part of a pre-conceived grand plan while Mahathir was still in the Putrajaya.

Malaysia would certainly be very hurt if any ex-prime minister of Thailand were to provoke the Kelantan people into initiating a referendum to seek autonomy from the federal government and to fight the political and economic oppression by Mahathir regime since 1992.

The Abdullah administration should immediately take the initiative to mend the rift before it evolves into the irrevocable damage that hurt Malaysia and its people.

Malaysia and Thailand share common interest through the economic cooperation of the Egat oil exploration operation. It is timely that Mahathir resigned as the Petronas advisor because his presence in the advisory board could be a political and economic liability to our national interests after his personal statement concerning autonomy.