I am fully in support of the remarks made by ex-PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the human rights conference held in Kuala Lumpur. Pilots who drop bombs on civilians are also terrorists.

It is sad that the British High Commissioner and Hungarian Ambassador staged a walkout . This was rude and disrespectful to the Malaysian people and not in accordance with diplomatic principles.

Mahathir may not be the perfect candidate to chide others for human rights abuses. His own record is not perfect. However, it must be remembered that he is guilty of suppressing political dissent and freedom of speech. He does not have blood on his hands like the leaders who chose to bomb Iraq based on false pretenses.

There is a tendency in the West to make democracy the ultimate human right. But freedom from war and poverty is more important. Just because Malaysia's human rights record is better than many Western countries does not mean we are a shining example.

We still have to do away with the Internal Security Act and many draconian laws that prohibit personal liberty.

Mahathir must be equally intolerant towards all forms of human rights abuses, not pick and choose. Then he can really be credible.