Despite a warning from Washington that his sharp criticisms of US policy could harm relations, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad vowed today to continue to speak his mind.

"We will speak the truth. We have to say what we believe is true," Mahathir was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

"We will voice our opinion according to what we really think. We would not hide things because that will not do any service to anybody," he said.

"I believe the US subscribes to the freedom of speech, which means sometimes you hear opinions which you like and at other times, you hear opinions which you don't like."

Ties unaffected

The government's critical views did not affect "very good" trade ties between Malaysia and the US, its biggest trading partner, he added.

The outspoken 77-year-old leader, who is a strong opponent of the US-led attack o­n Iraq, was responding to comments by the US ambassador here, Marie Huhtala, at a forum last week.

Huhtala said bilateral relations have been strained recently following public statements by senior Malaysian officials that castigated the US in "antagonistic, occasionally offensive, terms."

Washington was "especially taken aback to hear the victims of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks dismissed as mere collateral damage and irritated by allegations that the US was pursuing a war against Islam, a policy based o­n racism and an effort to dominate the world," she said.

"These are not helpful statements by any standard and I'm here to tell you that Washington does take note of them. They are bound to have a harmful effect o­n the relationship," Huhtala warned.

She did not single out any officials but it was a clear reference to the veteran Muslim leader who made no secret of his disdain for the US, calling its attack o­n Iraq a "cowardly and imperialist act by those who still want to rule the world."

However, she said anti-terrorism cooperation between Malaysia and the US remained strong despite the period of "rhetorical hostility."

The next targets

Mahathir, who was thanked by US President George W Bush last year for his support in the anti-terror war after the September 2001 attacks in the US, has said he still believed the Iraq invasion was unwarranted and urged the United Nations to take a leading role in post-war Iraq.

He has warned the war in Iraq would add to the perceived oppression of Muslims and fan the flames of global terrorism, and predicted that Iran and North Korea would be the next targets.

Malaysia has set up a regional anti-terrorism centre, which is expected to be launched by the end of the year, in partnership with the US. AFP