"If I were to list out the examples of Singapore's attempts to undermine Malaysia, they would be too numerous to be mentioned," he said after watching a Commonwealth Games hockey match between Malaysia and India at the Lembah Pantai Hockey Stadium on Monday.

Pointing out that Singapore was always out to undermine Malaysia, he said: "When we impose tax, they reduce tax," Malaysian Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh quoted him as saying in a report yesterday. Dr Mahathir cited the Singapore International Monetary Exchange's imminent launch of a Kuala Lumpur-based equity index futures contract and the action by Singapore to offer high interest rates for ringgit deposits as among the attempts to undermine the Malaysian economy.

"These actions will bring about bad effect on Malaysia. Singapore wants to develop on the weaknesses of its neighbour. There is no attempt whatsoever to help its neighbour.

"Everything they do is at the expense of neighbours," he said.

Dr Mahathir said although Malaysia had refused to talk about these issues openly, it had no choice because Singapore continued to harp on issues of the past, the New Straits Times quoted him as saying yesterday.