Malaysia and other Muslim countries should not act as cannon fodders for the United States in war-torn Iraq, said an opposition leader today.

In an oblique criticism of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's decision to send a military medical team to Iraq, Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Syed Husin Ali said Malaysia should not be seen acting as a US agent.

"We believe that no country that calls itself Muslim or Islamic, in fact, no country by any other name, should collaborate with the US occupation in Iraq," he said.

"They must strongly restrain from sending their own people to serve as fodders for Bush's US canons."

In what is considered a significant policy shift, Abdullah announced that Malaysia would be sending a "sizable" medical team to Iraq after meeting US President George W Bush at the White House last week.

Malaysia had strongly opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq.

After the handover of limited sovereignty to the interim Iraqi government in June, Abdullah said that he hoped the United Nations would play a significant role in Iraq's reconstruction.

Peacekeeping troops?

Abdullah has however refused to say whether Malaysia would eventually be sending peacekeeping troops.

Instead he said he would be encouraging Muslim countries in the region to "participate not only in the international force but also in the reconstruction."

According to Syed Husin, the US, with the help of its long standing ally, Saudi Arabia, are hatching a plan to persuade Muslim countries to send soldiers to Iraq.

"President (Pervez) Musharaf of Pakistan, who is very much beholden to Bush, has volunteered to send his troops. Apparently, Bangladesh is considering to follow suit," he said.

"But Saudi Arabia will not be sending its troops, partly because the present Iraqi regime does not want neighbouring countries to be involved militarily in Iraq."

Syed Husin suggested that Abdullah, as chairman of the 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference, convene a meeting to "discuss this urgent matter and take an appropriate stand".

Abdullah's offer to send a military medical team has been welcomed by the Bush administration, which is hoping that forces from Muslim countries can help quell the unrest in Iraq.