Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today revealed that he had conveyed his ‘constructive criticism’  of the New Economic Model to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"I have made my views known to the prime minister," said Mahathir without elaborating on when or how this was done. The ex-premier was responding to the press when met at the National Mosque after Friday prayers in Kuala Lumpur

Mahathir Mohamad visits Najib Razak in Putrajaya On top of that, Mahathir said he had also written to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala on the same topic.

Mahathir said this when asked about his open criticism of certain aspects of the NEM - Najib's plan to develop Malaysia into a high-income economy - such as the gradual peeling away of pro-bumiputera affirmative action programmes and merit-based policies.

Mahathir added it was normal for people to have differing views and it was acceptable for him to share his thoughts with the two individuals.

He pointed out that even Najib had appealed to the public for input on the coming 2011 Budget.

"I'm not saying that my views are right. Even during my time as prime minister, people criticised my ideas.

"Everyone has their weaknesses and some of the things done I do not agree with, hence I expressed my opinion (on what ought to be done)," he said.

‘NEP proven to work’

Mahathir disagreed with critics that meritocracy was to be preferred under the NEM as opposed to the affirmative-action policies outlined by its predecessor, the National Economic Policy (NEP).

He rubbished claims that the NEP’s affirmative-action policies had stunted the country's progress, stressing that Malaysia had recorded higher growths than other developing countries.

"So you cannot say the NEP (and the protection of the rights of the Malays and bumiputera) was an obstruction (to growth)," he said.

NONE On claims of growing Malay support for Malay rights pressure groups such as Perkasa, Mahathir said such groups were becoming increasingly popular because of Umno's shortcomings.

He said Umno - a party he once led for 22 years - had failed to protect the rights of the bumiputera and its followers were becoming increasingly disenchanted.

On the current anti-Malaysia sentiment being fomented in Indonesia, Mahathir said the string of protests outside the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta was ‘stupid’. This, he said, should not be condoned and he believed that some protestors may have been paid to do so.

"We should not act wildly like the Indonesian protesters with their behaviour in front of the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta. They do not have an education and acted foolishly. That is why they behaved like that," he said.

NONE "It is a small matter but why do they have to resort to such behavior? If we want to protest, we should not resort to such actions," he said.

Help for Gaza

Earlier, Mahathir witnessed ( right ) donations for the`Global Lifeline to Gaza’ movement. A total of RM55,000 from the Federation of Islamic Medical Associations and the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia, RM110,000 from a pharmaceutical company and RM5,000 from the Telekom Malaysia's female staff was donated.

Viva Palestina Malaysia, which is organising the ‘Global Lifeline for Gaza’ will send its fifth humanitarian aid convoy soon.

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