SYDNEY - Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer was unclear whether Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's successor would continue opposition to Australia's involvement in the region, Downer's office said today.

A spokesman for Downer said Mahathir, who intends to hand over leadership to his deputy Abdullah Ahmad Badawi next October, had repeatedly opposed Australia's involvement in regional forums.

Downer's office said Mahathir, while increasing his country's prosperity and political stability, had not supported Australian participation in regional institutions.

"Dr Mahathir has had throughout his time as the prime minister of Malaysia, a view of regional architecture which is that it's Asian only, that Australia and New Zealand are not to be involved in Asian-wide regional architecture," Downer's spokesman said.

"Australian governments have hoped that he might change his mind. Whether any future prime minister of Malaysia would take a different view, well, we'll just have to wait and see."

Mahathir, 76, unveiled his succession plans this week. He has been in power for 21 years.

Relations between Australia and Malaysia hit a low in 1993 when the then Australian prime minister Paul Keating labelled Mahathir "recalcitrant" for refusing to attend the inaugral meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group.

Downer's office said Australia's current relationship with Malaysia was good.