Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad on Friday advocated a third party intervention in solving the India-Pakistan “problem”. Stating that there are only three ways to solve a problem, Dr Mahathir said, “its negotiation, arbitration or the court of law.”

“There should be a third party solution, a world court of arbitration,” which can solve the 60-year-old dispute between the neighbours, he said. His suggestion is sure not to go down well with New Delhi which has always outrightly rejected any such advocacy.

Noting that Pakistan has a grave internal problem which it needs to tackle first. Mohammad said, “Pakistan has a bigger problem within itself of Shia than one with India. Their problem with Shia and Sunni sect is more than their situation with India. Malaysia also has disputes with Singapore and Indonesia.”

Steering clear of giving any strong statement over the recent controversy over the Buddhist Congregation in Delhi which was hosting the exiled Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Mohammad said, “It happens all over. They (China) demonstrate against us, they do all kind of things.”

“Some nations feel the need for strong statements,” he said while responding to Beijing’s allegations that India was providing a ground to Dalai Lama for “anti-China” activities.

Nevertheless, he pointed that a country like India can learn a lot from China. “India would be like China if it was little less democratic. You can learn a lot from other countries like China. Copy not everything but only the best,” he said.

He even maintained that India needs a much stronger Central Government and a less powerful federal structure to make rapid economic progress. And he cited the case of Singapore saying it has done tremendously well in the economic sphere because of limited democracy. “Sometimes democracy can paralyse Parliament,” he said.