US just as unsafe from terrorists: Mahathir
PHNOM PENH - Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad slammed Australia and the United States for singling out Southeast Asia in their travel advisories after the Bali bombing.
Both the countries were equally exposed to the possibility of terrorist attacks, with Australia particularly dangerous for Muslims amid an anti-terrorist crackdown, he told reporters at the end of a two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit here.
"Australia is just as unsafe as the other Asean countries," he said.
"In fact at the moment, Australia is particularly unsafe for Muslims because they are likely to have their houses raided and I see pictures of doors being broken which I don't think is essential, so people are today exposed to danger wherever they may be."
Australian authorites have raided homes of suspected Islamic extremists in its crackdown. It has said its operation was not directed at the Islamic community but at individuals who may have knowledge of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI).
JI has been blamed for the Oct 12 blast which killed more than 190 people, half of them Australian.
Don't travel, dont't fly anywhere
Mahathir also hit out at the United States, which has issued a series of travel alerts warning of possible terrorist attacks against US citizens in Southeast Asia.
"The attacks in America was mounted from within America, so actually America is a very dangerous place and you shouldn't be on high buildings," he said, referring to last year's Sept 11 attacks in New York and Washington when commercial planes were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.
"It should have travel warnings for everybody. Don't travel, don't fly because your plane might be used as missiles to crash into buildings, so why single out some countries? This is something which I don't understand."
Asean leaders at their annual summit here have urged Western governments to refrain from issuing warnings against travelling in Southeast Asia for fear of terrorist attacks.
The United States rejected the appeal, saying it has a responsibility to warn Americans about potential dangers they may face while abroad. AFP
For more news and views that matter, subscribe and support independent media for only RM0.36 sen a day:
Subscribe now