Malaysia PM Mahathir heads for China, to take up mega-projects

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad begins a visit to China Friday, seeking to renegotiate or even cancel major Beijing-backed projects signed under the country's scandalplagued, 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 has pledged to raise the issue of what he views as unfair terms related to some of the deals on his five-day trip.

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.

"We're looking at the agreements entered into by the previous government," Mahathir told a press conference this week. "Where we can drop we will drop, where we can modify we will do that -- but the most important thing is for us to save money." Mahathir -who will visit Hangzhou and Beijing, and hold talks with President Xi Jinping during his visit -- is seeking to cut Malaysia's national debt, which has ballooned to some 250 billion. Bilateral ties were warm under the old regime, and Chinese investment into the country surged as Beijing signed deals for major infrastructure and construction projects.