Malaysia indebted to Soeharto: Mahathir

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (The Star/ANN): Former Malaysian Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia was indebted to former Indonesian president Soeharto for his role in ending the Confrontation against Malaysia after he became president.

"We looked up to him as a great leader and as an international statesman. For me, it's quite personal. I know him and I have worked with him for a very long time," Mahathir was quoted as saying by The Star onMonday.

"I regarded him as a friend of Malaysia and a personal friend."

Mahathir said Malaysia valued Soeharto's efforts to end the Confrontation initiated in 1962 by his predecessor Sukarno.

He credited Soeharto for playing a major role in the development of Indonesia, which has some 17,000 islands and a population of 200 million.

"Even though Indonesia was not an ideal democracy during Soeharto's time, the fact remained that he brought stability to Indonesia. Of course, there is a price to be paid," he said, acknowledging that some people had suffered under Soeharto's administration.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia was deeply saddened by Soeharto's death.

"Soeharto's move to end the Confrontation helped stabilize the region and Malaysia against the communist threat," he said.

"We are indebted to Pak Harto."