Move over Mao Zedong - the 100,000 students at a major local university will be forced to study the "Thoughts of the Prime Minister", the official Bernama news agency reported today.

A book of that title, containing a collection of speeches by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, will be a compulsory subject at the state-owned University of Technology MARA, the agency quoted vice-chancellor Ibrahim Abu Shah as saying.

"This was decided by the UiTM senate recently as we want all students and lecturers to study the prime minister's ideas covering various fields.

"Dr Mahathir's leadership has been proven and should be emulated," he said.

Outspoken views

Mahathir is due to retire next month after 22 years in power, meaning that most students will have known no other leader in their lifetimes.

He is renowned for his outspoken and often controversial opinions on everything from minor domestic issues to global politics, the need for technological development and the true meaning of Islam.

In the late 1960s, the "Little Red Book" containing the thoughts of Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong, culled from speeches and writings, was widely studied in China. - AFP