As a patriot and Barisan Nasional supporter, I hope that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will not bow to the pressure of the American imperialists. As an independent and sovereign country, the Malaysian government can do what it likes and sees fit. Americans should not be busybodies meddling into the domestic affairs of Malaysia.

This is an Asian country that practises Asian values, not the decadent values of the United States and the West. We have our standards of human rights and democracy and we do not need any Americans, be it president Bush, former vice-president, Al Gore or ex-ambassador John R Malott to give Malaysia lectures on human rights anymore.

The great success of our economic recovery after the Asian Financial Crisis which has crippled our neighbouring countries and made Thailand and Indonesia international beggars and neo-colonies, shows that BN under the leadership of Mahathir can do without becoming the puppet of the American-sponsored International Monetary Fund and the Washington establishment.

As an independent and sovereign nation, Malaysia can choose her own friends. We can, for example, upgrade our friendship with China, Cuba and Iraq, especially in finance, economy, trade, investment and defence. The US must not forget that it is only one of some 190 independent and sovereign countries in the world.

So, I again call on Dr Mahathir to stand firm and be true to his anti-imperialist and anti-colonial position that has always been inspiring to the oppressed and downtrodden in the Third World, as well as the victims of the Western system and power structure of exploitation, subjugation and oppression.