Many Malaysians commit rapes, murders and other crimes once unimaginable by people in the olden days

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad

Mr Mahathir said the exposure to foreign cultures was responsible for violent crime.

He urged young Malaysians to erect ''walls of good morality'' against such music.

''Many Malaysians commit rapes, murders and other crimes once unimaginable by people in the olden days,'' he said.

But the prime minister acknowledged that a ban on rap music would be difficult to enforce and might even foster curiosity about it.

Mr Mahathir is a champion of Asian values and frequently accuses the West of promoting neo-colonial attitudes.

Bollywood ban?

The prime minister also called for a study on whether violent Indian-made films encourage crime.

His comments follow demands from Malaysian Muslim clerics for a ban on the films, which they claim contain values unsuitable for the country's majority Muslim population.

Mr Mahathir said such research would help the government decide whether to ban so-called ''Bollywood'' films, which are hugely popular in Malaysia.

Western, Indian and Chinese movies are widely shown on satellite television in Malaysia. Sex scenes and swearing are cut out, but violent scenes are often left untouched by the official censors.