United States policy on terrorism is irrational and getting rid of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is not going to solve the problem, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said today.

The veteran Southeast Asian Muslim leader told a group of selected journalists at a luncheon during the World Economic Forum's East Asia Summit here he understood that "Americans are very angry.

"And of course they have reasons to be angry, but when people are angry they tend to become irrational.

"If you want to fight against terrorism you have to identify the reasons why terrorists are like they are. You have to find out why they are angry, why there is such bitterness.

"In fact by not addressing those issues, you are increasing rather than decreasing the causes for terrorism."

Multilateral approach

Mahathir has strongly urged President George W Bush to take a multilateral approach towards Iraq and not launch a unilateral attack.

"Getting rid of Saddam is not going to solve the problem," he said.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and Muslim world were "too weak and divided among themselves to have their positions heard in Washington", but "people should state very clearly that he (Bush) is taking the wrong way," Mahathir said.

Referring to the Palestinian conflict, he said: "There is a massive build up of anger in the Muslim world and it should be recognised by the Americans."

Mahathir, 76, has been hailed by Washington for his support for the US-led war on terrorism, but he has recently criticised what he calls "anti-Muslim hysteria".