SINGAPORE, Nov 13 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has again accused the United States of neo-colonialism, saying the superpower has regularly exacted sanctions in order to force compliance from other countries.

The prime minister said the US acts beyond its powers, and even supersedes the United Nations itself.

"The US is also a colonial power, every now and then they apply sanction on countries,” he said at the sidelines of the Asean Business and Investment Summit here.

"They are using economics to force people to obey them. Sometimes innocent countries have to pay the price.”

Dr Mahathir said the US should not prevent other countries from doing business with each other.

"People should be free to trade. If you want to punish people, you punish. But find ways that doesn’t affect other people,” he added.

Earlier in his keynote address to the summit, Dr Mahathir had warned the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) to not simply accept any trade deal that may be unfair to the region.

He also warned Asean against withdrawing into protectionism, even as the trade war between the United States and China rages on.