.jpg)
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed today that he had warned Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that his Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) cash hand-out programme and advertising blitz would not bolster the ruling coalition’s performance at last year’s polls.
The former prime minister, who has been growing more critical of the present administration of late, said he has conveyed all his concerns to Najib, including his reservations with the concept of handing out cash to the public.
“I cannot tell him (what to do),” Dr Mahathir said when asked by reporters today what Najib could do to regain his support.
“He knows already what I don’t agree with: I already said don’t give money to people, don’t think you can win election because you give money to people,” he added.
In his blog posting last month, Dr Mahathir slammed Najib’s administration and its policies as reflecting a culture of “yes-men” but later added that the criticism was not a personal attack on Najib.
Najib has since downplayed the criticisms and even said he is open to meeting with the veteran statesman to hear him out.
“From Umno’s point of view, they give their support to the current leadership. But they also respect Tun [Dr Mahathir] as an elder statesman,” Najib told a press conference after a recent Umno Supreme Council meeting.