International human rights groups today called on President George W Bush to raise issues of human rights violations in his upcoming meeting with Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"As an important US ally in the region, Mahathir must be pressed to respect and protect human rights in his country," said Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) executive director William F Schulz in a statement.

Amnesty International is a human rights organisation based in London with offices in Malaysia, South America, Europe and the Middle East.

Mahathir is scheduled to meet with Bush today. His last visit to the White House was in 1994, during the then President Bill Clinton's first term.

The relations between leaders of both countries soured after former vice-president Al Gore openly declared his support for the reformasi movement during the Asia Pacific forum in 1998.

The reformasi movement came about after former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim was accused of sexual misconduct and abuse of power. He was later sentenced to 15 years jail.

Mend relations

Mahathir's visit is seen as an effort to mend relations between Malaysia and one of its largest trading partners, the US.

Schulz also accused the Malaysian government that recent arrests of opposition party members was an attempt to derail democracy and peaceful dissent.

"Malaysia's Internal Security Act provides the Mahathir government with the means to persecute political opponents and deny them due process," Schulz said.

The detention without trial ISA was used against Keadilan and reformasi activists in April 2001 for alleged involvement in militant attempts to overthrow the government.

Following the Sept 11 attacks in New York, the Malaysian government stepped up its use of the ISA on suspected militants and members of the alleged Malaysian Mujahideen Group or the KMM, winning praises from the US for its handling of terrorists.

Manipulative

Meanwhile, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Bush to "make clear that the fight against terrorism does not give Malaysia a blank cheque to suppress political dissent and deny fundamental rights".

"Mahathir is manipulating the war against terrorism, to justify the use of this repressive law.

"The Bush administration should make it clear that it rejects that kind of opportunism, and wants to see real improvement in Malaysia's human rights record, starting with the repeal of the ISA," said HRW's Washington Asia division director in another statement today.

However, during an in-flight interview with Utusan Malaysia last weekend, the premier stressed that he would not ask Bush for anything or make any compromises.

"Our stand will not change. We shall not ask for anything and shall not make any compromises on anything that we have steadfastly held on to all this while," Mahathir said.

Mahathir is also expected to meet other high ranking officials, such as Secretary of State Colin Powell, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfield and US Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan.