(April 16): Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad continued his attack of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, saying his predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had performed better electorally despite having a sleep disorder.

In an exclusive video interview with Perak Today, the former prime minister criticised Najib's policy of giving cash handouts under the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) programme, even though the aid had not yielded good results for Najib in the general election.

"And sure enough, Najib gets less support than Pak Lah. Pak Lah who was sleeping got 143, he (Najib) got 130," Dr Mahathir said, referring to the number of seats won in the 12th and 13th general elections.

The 12th general election in 2008 was led by Abdullah who was then prime minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, while the next national polls in 2013 was led by Najib.

Dr Mahathir told the news portal that spending money on BR1M was akin to bribing people when some of them were not even grateful for it as they continued to reject the BN.

"The Chinese told me this is bribery and they are not going to vote," he said in the video interview.

"You give the money, for what, when people still reject outright. It shows that it is not right. We should create jobs, give education, train them, so that they can make money for themselves."

Dr Mahathir has emerged as a Najib's fiercest critic since last year, taking issue with not only BR1M but the government-owned strategic development fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

He told Perak Today he had tried telling Najib to stop the cash aid programme, which gives handouts to households earning not more than RM4,000 a month.

"He spends money in a way that is not right to me, almost looks like bribing people with BR1M. I don't think it was right so I tried to tell him to stop BR1M.

"You don't want to make people dependent upon the government. You want them to work for themselves."

Dr Mahathir added that Malaysia was able to reduce its poverty rate by creating jobs.

"That's how we reduced poverty… Tak bagi satu sen pun. (Didn't spend a sen)"

He said cash and welfare aid should be reserved for the destitute. – The Malaysian Insider