Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today questioned the timing of calls by international NGOs for laying graft charges against Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

"When an election is near, you get funny things like this coming out," he said at a press conference in Sri Kembangan this evening.

"If it is just a political game to try and undermine somebody's political image then I think it is not right."

If the allegations were true, Mahathir said, then the authorities would surely take action against Taib.

A coalition of NGOs based in Malaysia, Australia, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and UK today called for the arrest of Taib and 13 family members for "abuse of public office, corruption and conspiracy to form a criminal organisation".

Among the prominent NGOs were Greenpeace, Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) and forest watch organisation Fern, which submitted the call in writing to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the inspector-general of police.

Don't quarrel over religion

Mahathir also advised members of the public not to discuss religious matters in the public sphere.

He was referring to a New York Times report today, quoting several local Christian leaders as saying that people of the religion were being victimised.

"I hope religious matters be left out (from open discussion).

"I don't like this, bringing either Islam, Christianity or whatever religion into our relations with each other because we are followers of different religions.

"When you have a religious quarrel, it can be very serious, so let's not hear about such attempts," Mahathir added.

The report said that attempts by certain quarters to play up a 'Christian plot' in the country for electoral gains has ultimately made the Christians the scapegoat.

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