Page "Mahathir Mohamad" Paragraph 35

Also, Anwar Ibrahim was the preeminent Malaysian spokesperson for the economic policies preferred by the IMF, which included interest-rate hikes.

An article in Malaysia Today commented that " Gore's comments constituted a none-too-subtle attack on Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and more generally on governments, including Japan, that resist US demands for further market reforms.

" Gore's endorsement for the reformasi ( reformation ) asking for ( among other things ) the ouster of Mahathir, was anathema to Mahathir, and he remarked that " I've never seen anybody so rude ".

This also summed up the Malaysian expectation that one who is a guest should not show such discourtesy to the host.