Australian Prime Minister John Howard today said he would not go out of his way to improve his sometimes testy relationship with Malaysia immediately after its longtime leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad retires next week.

A war of words has been raging between the two countries, with Mahathir warning Australia would be treated like a terrorist state if it attempted to act as a regional sheriff for the United States.

"As far as our relationship with Malaysia after Dr Mahathir is gone, well I don't expect them to change dramatically in the short term," Howard told reporters in Bangkok where he and Mahathir were attending a Pacific Rim summit.

"And I won't be seen knocking on the door the day after there has been a change in prime ministership," he said.

Howard was welcoming of Mahathir's successor, current Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but said he did not expect a dramatic change in tone from Kuala Lumpur.

"I know him quite well, but I don't expect there to be any dramatic change at the top and I wouldn't be behaving as if I did," Howard said. "But over time, it could be. Let's wait and see."

US' sheriff

Howard has condemned as repugnant and offensive Mahathir's remark at an Islamic conference in Malaysia last week that Jews "rule the world by proxy" and get others to fight and die for them.

Mahathir has a long history of baiting Australia, last month calling it "some sort of transplant from another region."

He was further angered by US President George W Bush's description last week of Australia as a "sheriff" in the region, saying if Canberra attempted to take on the role in his country, it would be treated as a terrorist.

Howard also brushed aside Sunday remarks by Singapore leader Goh Chok Tong that Australia would need to be at least 50 percent "non-white" before it could be considered "Asian".

"We don't seek some kind of rating from anybody as far as our position in the region is concerned," he said.

"Australia will never define its place in any part of the world other than to behave as we are, and that is Australians." - AFP