(May 15): About 60 people, mostly members of right-wing groups, today greeted former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as he returned from performing his umrah in Mecca, days after he further intensified his criticism of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Members from Perkasa, Majlis Jalinan Muhibah Malaysia, Ikatan, and a small traders association Ikhlas, along with onlookers, welcomed Dr Mahathir as he arrived in a private jet at the Subang Skypark terminal this evening along with wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali.

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali were among the first to greet him.

Dr Mahathir, however, refused to take questions on his criticism of Najib, saying he would reserve his comments for a later date.

He greeted the group, which had waited for his arrival for over an hour, before leaving.

While in Mecca, Dr Mahathir in a lengthy blog post reiterated his criticism of Najib's policies, after Najib himself criticised Dr Mahathir during a speech in Sabah.

In 2008, Dr Mahathir similarly returned from umrah before intensifying his attacks against then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali, however, insisted that this was not meant to be a repeat of 2008 and did not mark the beginning for any roadshow demanding for Najib's resignation.

Dr Mahathir had openly called for Najib's resignation due to the latter's policies and also the controversy surrounding his brainchild 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which sits on a RM42 billion debt.

"This is not a repeat of 2008. We just want what majority of Malaysians want, which is transparency, and answers.

"What Dr Mahathir is asking for is not different from what Najib's own brother had asked for," Syed Hassan said.

Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, Najib's own younger brother, had yesterday called for 1MDB's board members to resign if they were not going to be proactive by appointing independent auditors.

In Sabah last weekend, Najib reminded Mahathir that he had supported the latter when Umno was divided into two teams back in 1987.

But Dr Mahathir shot back in a lengthy blog post, in which he criticised the lifestyle of Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, called for the prime minister's resignation and reiterated his belief that Barisan Nasional will lose the next general elections should Najib stay in charge. – The Malaysian Insider