Dr M: Voting for Anwar is voting for the US Malaysiakini

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said that Malaysians can vote for opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim if they want a "pro-American government".

"If you want a pro-American government, please vote for Anwar (in the Kajang by-election)," said the former premier after delivering a keynote address at the Mahathir Global Peace School event at the Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations.

Mahathir said that the idea of Western interference in any countries promoting a regime change was in order to install a government that is pro-US.

"It's the same, whether it's in Syria or Malaysia, the regime change, they want a government that is pro-America," he said.

Earlier, he had trained his guns against western forces for "imposing conditions on democracy", including the lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual community rights (LGBT).

"Now LGBT has become an additional condition for democracy.

"But don't expect us to go around naked because that is your freedom (in western countries)," added the octogenarian, who was Malaysia's PM for 22 years.

Mahathir said that western powers are "insisting that every country embraces democracy", which is against the spirit of democracy itself.

"Democracy may be the best system, but you can't force everyone to follow your ideas. They are insisting that everyone becomes democratic, or they will come and kill you," said the 88-year-old, who is a well known critic of western powers, especially the US.

He also stressed that Muslim countries should start being more prepared for war if they do not want to become victims all the time - using the plight of the Rohingya community in Myanmar as an example.

"Muslims used to be so strong hundreds of years ago. They have allowed themselves to regress. They are not learning science, biology - they need to learn how to develop weapons," he said.

"They need to understand that Muslims can only be defended by themselves," he added.

He urged Muslims to "not only think about the afterlife", and start securing their strength in the world as well.

"If they start preparing for wars, chances of them being attacked are lower," he said.