Mahathir Mohamad

The behavior of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad seems contradictory at best, hypocritical at worst. At the Kuala Lumpur Hilton, the youthful 71-year-old implores a group of European executives to join him in building an economic partnership that will "rise above the narrow loyalties of color and creed, of history and geography."

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Saturday offered, then rapidly withdrew, his resignation from party and ruling coalition posts in what the opposition called a political charade. Mahathir, 76, has led Malaysia for 21 years and has regained popularity since losing ground to fundamentalists in 1999 elections.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Saturday offered, then rapidly withdrew, his resignation from party and ruling coalition posts in what the opposition called a political charade. Mahathir, 76, has led Malaysia for 21 years and has regained popularity since losing ground to fundamentalists in 1999 elections.

Two months after his career crashed in a scandal that shook Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim stood Monday before a judge and jury of one to defend himself against charges of sodomy and corruption. "I'm in good health and expecting a good trial," the former deputy prime minister and finance minister said before hugging his wife and six children. Unlike the last time he appeared in court, with a black eye and bruises, he bore no apparent signs of police mistreatment.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's allegations that a Jewish conspiracy helped cause his country's currency plunge are not only preposterous but harmful, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday in the strongest foreign response yet to the claim. Mahathir's allegations came in the wake of a monetary crisis that has devastated a number of Southeast Asian currencies since July.

At the annual World Bank conference over the weekend, two men on opposite sides of the region's economic crisis--the speculator and the statesman, the accused villain and the alleged victim--had a showdown, firing off words like "moron" and "menace." "It's 'High Noon' in Hong Kong," said a World Bank official.

Thousands of demonstrators demanding reform clashed with police in Malaysia for a second day Monday, challenging the authority of their autocratic prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, the longest-serving leader in Southeast Asia.

The world's top leaders almost never ask me for advice. But it's clear, to me at least, that a few of them could use it. So here's some, whether they want it or not: * Malaysia's prime minister needs to idle that motor mouth of his. True, in his 16 years as the nation's leader, Mahathir Mohamad has done much for his country. Not that much lately, though.

The White House has quietly downgraded the status of President Clinton's planned trip to Malaysia for a 21-nation economic summit next month to avoid appearing to endorse the increasingly repressive rule of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, according to senior U.S. officials. In a sign of U.S. displeasure with Mahathir's heavy-handed policies after 17 years in power, aides said Clinton will not "officially" visit Malaysia while he attends the Nov.

Two months after his career crashed in a scandal that shook Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim stood Monday before a judge and jury of one to defend himself against charges of sodomy and corruption. "I'm in good health and expecting a good trial," the former deputy prime minister and finance minister said before hugging his wife and six children. Unlike the last time he appeared in court, with a black eye and bruises, he bore no apparent signs of police mistreatment.

The White House has quietly downgraded the status of President Clinton's planned trip to Malaysia for a 21-nation economic summit next month to avoid appearing to endorse the increasingly repressive rule of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, according to senior U.S. officials. In a sign of U.S. displeasure with Mahathir's heavy-handed policies after 17 years in power, aides said Clinton will not "officially" visit Malaysia while he attends the Nov.

Thousands of demonstrators demanding reform clashed with police in Malaysia for a second day Monday, challenging the authority of their autocratic prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, the longest-serving leader in Southeast Asia.

The behavior of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad seems contradictory at best, hypocritical at worst. At the Kuala Lumpur Hilton, the youthful 71-year-old implores a group of European executives to join him in building an economic partnership that will "rise above the narrow loyalties of color and creed, of history and geography."

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's allegations that a Jewish conspiracy helped cause his country's currency plunge are not only preposterous but harmful, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday in the strongest foreign response yet to the claim. Mahathir's allegations came in the wake of a monetary crisis that has devastated a number of Southeast Asian currencies since July.

The world's top leaders almost never ask me for advice. But it's clear, to me at least, that a few of them could use it. So here's some, whether they want it or not: * Malaysia's prime minister needs to idle that motor mouth of his. True, in his 16 years as the nation's leader, Mahathir Mohamad has done much for his country. Not that much lately, though.

At the annual World Bank conference over the weekend, two men on opposite sides of the region's economic crisis--the speculator and the statesman, the accused villain and the alleged victim--had a showdown, firing off words like "moron" and "menace." "It's 'High Noon' in Hong Kong," said a World Bank official.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad formally handed power to his anointed successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a mild-mannered career politician who had been his deputy for the past five years. Mahathir's rule officially ended when Abdullah took the oath of office in front of the king in a ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad easily won reelection as president of Malaysia's dominant party over one challenger. Local party divisions are still sending in nominations for president of the United Malays National Organization, but Mahathir had received 133 nominations from 165 divisions, the national news agency Bernama said. A candidate needs the backing of at least 50 divisions to run. Mahathir has ruled Malaysia for the last 18 years.