Veteran politicians Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Lim Kit Siang should be caring for their grandchildren in their twilight years, according to Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz.

He said this in response to what he claimed was the tendency of the pair to shoot their mouths off.

"The attitude of Mahathir and Kit Siang is the same. They just say whatever that comes to mind even though they have not discussed with their own parties.

"This is what we call the nostalgia of old folks. Their time have passed, they should go back to care for their grandchildren," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

The minister was asked about Lim proposing PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as interim prime minister if the opposition wins the general election, pending jailed Anwar Ibrahim seeking a royal pardon.

Nazri questioned if the DAP parliamentary leader had consulted his party leadership when making the proposal.

"I think he is an old man who feels as if DAP belongs to his family," he said.

Nazri pointed out that Lim had chosen to work with Mahathir even though it had caused uneasiness within DAP.

Mahathir had previously also proposed Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister but said this was only if there was consensus in the opposition.

However, Nazri refused to weigh in on the possibility of Wan Azizah being prime minister.

"I don't want to comment about Wan Azizah, I just want to talk about Kit Siang," he said.