LOS CABOS, Mexico Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday fired a new shot in the lonely anti-globalisation battle long waged by his boss Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Abdullah, who is expected to succeed Mahathir in October next year, marked his debut at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum by aiming a salvo at International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"Globalisation is not the universal and unmitigated good that it was once portrayed to be," charged Abdullah, who is also minister of home affairs, in a speech ahead of the APEC leaders summit which begins on Saturday.