CORONAVIRUS | Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said it will take a long time for both the local and world economy to recover after the Covid-19 crisis.

"(The impact is) terrible, terrible. When people don't go out to work, they are not productive, they are not delivery anything, not helping business and therefore not creating wealth.

"If we do recover, it will take a lot of time before we can rebuild the economy again," he said during a Facebook live question and answer session today.

Mahathir had previously said that the Covid-19 crisis was worse than the 1997 financial crisis which he oversaw as premier.

Speaking in a local context, he said after the movement control order (MCO) period is over, Malaysia will have to rebuild its economic fundamentals...