The government today pressed the United Nations to prevent a war in Iraq with Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warning that it would be perceived as aimed at Muslims.

Abdullah, who is filling in for a vacationing Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad before formally taking over in October, said "we can o­nly hope that the United States and its allies decide against going to war" amid growing protests worldwide.

"War in Iraq might be perceived to be a war against Muslims and Islam. That's why we don't want war, that's why we are against it," he said at a talk organised by Malaysia's Oxbridge Society.

Abdullah pledged that Malaysia would do "whatever we can to ensure there'll be no military action against Iraq" but said it was up to the United Nations to ensure peace.

"We believe the UN is well placed to play the role, although Kofi Annan is very much under pressure," he said.

"War is not the first and last solution. We must opt for peaceful solutions. Some people say this is easier said than done but we must keep o­n trying."

Increased support for jihad

In an interview with AFP this week, Abdullah has warned that Islamic governments would face severe strain if the US leads a war o­n Iraq which was seen as "irrational".

He said a war could spark demands that Islamic governments take action against the US and other countries involved, along with an increase in support for jihad and terrorism.

This moderate Islamic nation has won thanks from Washington for its support in the anti-terror war but fears a war o­n Iraq may fuel extremism among ethnic Malays, who make up more than half of the population.

Malaysia is already holding about 80 suspected Islamic militants, many of them allegedly members of the Jemaah Islamiah group which is linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

Abdullah said racial "extremism of any form" posed the greatest danger to the country but the government would ensure that Malaysia was "not threatened by any form of religious or ethnic extremism or terrorism". AFP