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KUALA LUMPUR : Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad is attempting to topple the ruling government, and his stinging criticisms are affecting national stability, a minister warned.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz said that during its weekly meeting the cabinet had expressed concern over Mahathir's campaign against his hand-picked successor Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
"We are concerned. We do not take this lightly," Nazri told reporters.
"What does he want? He wants to see this government go down. I think that is what he wants," he said.
Mahathir is embroiled in a bitter row with Abdullah who he has accused of mishandling the economy and national affairs, and dismantling his legacy built up during 22 years in power.
Nazri said Mahathir had a right to make criticisms, but that he had gone too far with his continued attacks and refusal to accept the government's explanations on disputed topics.
"We are concerned because the way he is behaving now, most of us don't understand him now," he said, adding that the concerns extended to the fate of the country as well as the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
"If... you are not happy and you then start to go around the country and you even attend a forum when you know the opposition is there... what is that? That is trying to bring down the government," he said.
The influential minister said Malaysia's stability was being affected by the row and laid the blame at 80-year-old Mahathir's feet.
"Surely (stability) is affected in one way or the other, but it's up to him," he said. "He is the one creating all these problems."
Nazri on Monday called for Mahathir to leave UMNO after the former premier spoke on the weekend about the weaknesses of Abdullah's administration at a meeting attended by senior opposition leaders.
But he said on Wednesday that UMNO would not eject the veteran politician who stepped down from power three years ago.
"We are not going to sack him but if he wants to leave we will not cry," he said.
Mahathir has insisted that no one has the right to demand the resignation of an UMNO member, and vowed to continue to speak out.
"UMNO does not belong to Nazri. The party belongs to all Malays. Nazri has no right on his own to demand that this person or that person leaves the party," he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper.
Mahathir still commands influence in UMNO, but in a sign of his fading importance, political figures have lined up to condemn his campaign against the government which included comments that it lacked "guts".
He began his attack on Abdullah's administration in May after it scrapped a Mahathir-era project to build a new bridge to neighbouring Singapore.
Analysts have said that despite the furore, the premier position remains safe, with the economy on track and the next elections not due until 2009. - AFP/de
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