Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said here on Monday that the execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein last Saturday was "a public murder."

Mahathir said in a strongly-worded statement that the execution was "sanctioned" by United States President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, labeling Bush and Blair as "war criminals," according to Malaysia's national news services Bernama.

Mahathir was a member of International Committee for the Defense of Saddam. He said that the sadistic act of broadcasting the execution to the whole world was "a travesty of justice."

It also meant to demonstrate the imperial power of the United States and served as a warning to peace loving people that they must either bow to "the dictates of the Bush administration or face the consequences of a public lynching," he said.

The Malaysian ex-leader also said that the entire trial process on Saddam was "a mockery of justice."

"Defense counsels were brutally murdered, witnesses threatened and judges removed for being impartial and replaced by puppet judges. Yet, we are told that Iraq was invaded to promote democracy, freedom and justice," he was quoted by Bernama as saying.

Mahathir once strongly opposed the U.S-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 when he was the Malaysian prime minister then. He accused Bush of killing more Iraqis than Saddam ever did.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last Saturday issued a statement, saying that Malaysia was concerned that the sentencing and execution of Saddam Hussein would worsen the existing sectarian violence that has prevented any meaningful nation building or reconstruction from taking place in Iraq.

Badawi hoped that the execution of Saddam Hussein must not result in the prolonging of violence and misery that had caused so much suffering to the people of Iraq.

Badawi also hoped that that the present Iraqi government will be guided by the principles of justice and fairness in matters of governance, ensuring that all Iraqis are treated equally and with dignity.

He said that the people of Iraq should resolve to overcome differences which existed between them and begin to embark upon a new era of national reconciliation and national unity.

Last Saturday, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak also said that Malaysia was concerned that the execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein would intensify the conflict in Iraq.

However, he said, Malaysia in principle respected the decision made by the Iraqi government which was elected by the people.

Source: Xinhua