Mahathir calls for China’s help with fiscal problems

BEIJING, Aug 20 (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called on China's top leadership to help with his country's fiscal problems Monday, as he seeks to revise major Beijing-backed projects signed under his country's scandal-plagued former regime.

The 93-year-old leader, who returned for a second stint as premier following a shock election win in May, has railed against a series of deals struck with Chinese state-owned companies by the administration of toppled leader Najib Razak.

His government has suspended China-backed projects worth more than $22 billion, including a major rail link, and Mahathir had pledged to raise the issue of what he views as unfair terms related to some of the deals on his five-day trip.

During a press conference with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, Mahatir thanked China for agreeing to increase imports of specialty agricultural products, such as durian fruit.

But Mahatir also said he expected more from the world's second largest economy.

"I believe that China will look sympathetically towards the problems that we have to resolve and perhaps help us in resolving some of our internal fiscal problems," he said.

During his nine-year rule, Najib was accused of cutting quick deals with Beijing in return for help paying off debts linked to a massive financial scandal that ultimately helped bring down his long-ruling coalition.

Last week, Mahathir had said that he would look to cancel or modify the previous administration's agreements with China, stressing that "the most important thing is for us to save money".

Mahathir is seeking to cut Malaysia's national debt, which has ballooned to some $250 billion.