Fed: Coalition MPs say Asian countries overreacted to PM call

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Fed: Coalition MPs say Asian countries overreacted to PM call

CANBERRA, Dec 4 AAP - Coalition MPs today accused Asian countries of overreacting toPrime Minister John Howard's call for pre-emptive strikes against terrorist groups onforeign soil.

Labor has called on Mr Howard to clarify his comments, after strong reaction from Asiancountries including the Philippines and Malaysia.

The Philippines announced it would rethink the bilateral counter-terrorism pact itwas negotiating with Australia, while Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamad said hewould consider it an act of war if Australia intruded into his country to fight terrorism.

Senior Liberal MP David Jull said Asian countries should have a proper look at Mr Howard'scomments before they got too upset.

"I frankly think that some of those Asian foreign ministers have gone off half-cocked,"

he told reporters.

"I think the Asian foreign ministers ought to have a look at the transcript of whatthe prime minister said because what they're accusing him of saying in fact he didn'tsay."

National MP Paul Neville said Dr Mahatir's comments in particular should be allowedto go through to the keeper.

"I just think a lot of Asian political leaders over-reacted to that," he said.

"He didn't say that we were going to bomb or attack one of our neighbours ... you wouldn'twilly-nilly breach someone's territorial boundaries."

But Opposition Leader Simon Crean said the prime minister should act now to reducethe fall-out before Australia's ability to work with its neighbours was further harmed.

"The prime minister simply has to retract from these statements and has to start againcontacting each of these nations to indicate either his statements were misinterpretedor to reaffirm his commitment to build co-operation," he told reporters.

"There's only one solution for him, and that's to get on the phone and clear up the mess."

Mr Crean also said he had sought a briefing on an apparent planned terrorist attackon the Sydney Olympics by Jemaah Islamiah, but no information he had received earlierindicated any threat.

AAP kmh/sw/jmd/bwl

KEYWORD: TERROR HOWARD DAYLEAD