ISLAMABAD Malysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Friday reiterated that oil producing Islamic countries can use the black gold to protect Muslim nations worldwide from being oppressed.

"A lot of people say that Muslims are being oppressed and Muslim countries are unable to do anything about themselves because they are all very weak," he told a news conference after talks with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

"I have pointed out that they have the production of oil. That can be very effective as a weapon. If they come together they will be able to control the supply of oil to the whole world."

Malaysia is to take over chairing the Organization of the Islamic Conference next year, while Mahathir has said he plans to step down as prime minister.

Sell judiciously

He said he was not calling for a ban on selling oil to the rest of the world but suggesting that oil be sold judiciously.

"I am not saying that we should deprive the world of oil but we should be selective in the sale of oil."

Mahathir, who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan, said the "actual strategy can be worked out" which can be "effective in shaping world opinion on certain issues."

He also criticised the tendency to connect terrorism with Islam.

"In Ireland for example the Catholics are terrorising the Protestants for years but nobody calls them Catholic terrorists, nor do they call the Japanese groups Buddhist terrorists," he said.

But he said "for unknown reasons an act of terror (which is) committed by a Muslim... they always relate it to the religion.

"I think this tendency to brand Muslims and single them out as if they are some kind of abnormal people" who were at odds with other civilisations was wrong.

Correct wrong impression

He said it was also the responsibility of Muslim countries "to correct this wrong impression. We should correct it not by (expressing) our anger against people because that will have a negative effect.

"We should show that Muslim countries are able countries, able to develop and capable like other countries. When we do that then our countries will become fairly strong and people will not try to oppress Muslims," he said.

Musharraf hailed his discussions with Mahathir on boosting bilateral trade and investment opportunities, and on correcting the trade imbalance that is now in favour of Malaysia.

Mahathir, who flew here from India, flies on to Saudi Arabia Saturday. AFP