Malaysia's Mahathir hit with pepper spray -aide

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Reuters) Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, embroiled in a bitter spat with his successor's administration, was attacked with pepper spray today as he prepared to address a public meeting, an aide said.

A crowd of about 2,000 people had gathered in Malaysia's northern state of Kelantan, which is ruled by the Islamic opposition Parti Islam-se Malaysia, to hear Mahathir speak.

''One person, or more than one person, sprayed pepper at Mahathir,'' said Sufi Yusoff, who was accompanying the 80-year-old politician. ''He was choking.'' Police in Kelantan said the incident had not been reported to them.

Today's attack came shortly after Mahathir arrived at the airport in Kota Baru, the capital of Kelantan, the last redoubt of the Islamic opposition.

Although the former premier briefly had difficulty breathing after being sprayed, he recovered quickly, Sufi said.

''He wants to go on with his programme, but we are reviewing the situation,'' he added.

Mahathir has become a bitter critic of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government in recent weeks over his handpicked successor's decisions to scrap major state projects initiated by Mahathir's administration.

The escalating row between the two most powerful men in the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), could unnerve foreign investors and cause a deep split in the party headed by Abdullah, and in which Mahathir still commands powerful support, political analysts have said.

REUTERS DKA DS1110