Dr M also does not know what 1 Malaysia is

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has never been shy about offering up his opinions but the feisty former prime minister appears to be holding his tongue so far on what he thinks about the fledgling administration of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Asked today after a function at his office here about what he thought about Najib’s heavily criticised 1 Malaysia slogan, he offered up a curt “I don’t know.”

Pressed further, he said: “I don’t know what the basic concept is about as I was not told about it.”

Najib’s 1 Malaysia concept is meant to promote the idea of inclusiveness for all races in his government.

The government has, however, found it hard to explain what exactly what 1 Malaysia means, and has been on the defensive against criticisms that it bears a striking resemblance to the DAP’s old Malaysian Malaysia slogan, which was opposed by Umno as an idea which questions Malay rights.

Dr Mahathir was also asked today if he thought the government could do better to improve the ailing economy and his reply was another one liner: “It can.”

He also refused to comment on Najib’s economic council saying that he is not part of the government so he knows nothing about it.

His former political secretary Matthias Chang was, however, scathing in remarks published on his blog this week in his criticism of Najib’s economic council and the manner in which the economy was being managed.

Chang’s attacks appear to suggest some unhappiness within Dr Mahathir’s camp about some of Najib’s appointments to government posts.