With increasing fears of bio-terrorism gripping the world, the government should create plans within the 2002 budget to deal with its perceived bio-terrorist image which may damage the economic recovery efforts, an opposition leader said today.

"The greatest challenge for the 2002 budget is to devise a strategy to wipe out Malaysia's bio-terrorist image," said DAP national chairman Lim Kit Siang in a statement.

"Associating Malaysia with militant Islam, terrorism and anthrax will drive away investors and tourists, and this will undermine all economic recovery efforts," said Lim.

The 2002 budget will be tabled by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Parliament at 4pm today.

Malaysia's 'notoriety' began last week when a letter suspected of containing anthrax was sent to the office of software giant Microsoft in Nevada, USA. The letter was later tested to be free of the deadly bacteria.

Refuting a New York Times report that the letter had originated from Malaysia, deputy police chief Jamil Johari said the letter was sent from the US to Malaysia but was rerouted back to the US as its Malaysian destination could not be found.

Retaliation

"Grave harm has been done to Malaysia's reputation and economy by the Microsoft letter which has created the image of us being a bio-terrorism hub, something that is very difficult to undo," Lim added.

Fears of bio-terrorism also spread to Malaysia when three people developed flu-like symptoms after coming in contact with a letter that was sent to a mattress factory in Butterworth on Wednesday.

The US has been on high alert for possible terrorist retaliation after it began bombing the Afghan capital of Kabul on Oct 7 for terrorist attacks it had suffered on Sept 11.