KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today lamented the participation of developed nations in warfare, despite claiming to be civilised.

In his speech at the 33rd Asia-Pacific Roundtable at the Hilton Hotel here, Dr Mahathir also called on every nation to work towards criminalising wars.

“There is nothing civilised nor advanced when war is an option to solve problems. We should all work towards criminalising wars.

“Wars are about killings and massive destruction. It is primitive and if we consider ourselves civilised, we should oppose wars,” Dr Mahathir said in his keynote address.  

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“I’ve been saying this and I will repeat it again here today. At a time when we pride ourselves as being civilised, we find leading nations still bent on killing people in the pursuit of their national interest and agenda,” he added.  

Dr Mahathir then pointed to Malaysia as a fine example of a nation which has enjoyed peace and prosperity because it rejects warfare.

He also called on other countries to campaign against wars and make the fight against wars an internationally subscribed ideology, similar to governments’ commitment to protect the environment, freedom and fundamental liberties.

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“In fact, criminalising wars should be one of the top priorities of international communities, knowing that when wars are fought, human lives become insignificant.

“How can that be acceptable when we know in a war — civilians, children, women, the weak, the sick and the elderly — face the same possibilities of being killed as the soldiers?” he added.