While Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak may be enjoying a high popularity rating as he celebrates 100 days in office, his well-known supporter and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad brought the celebratory mood down a peg with an unfavourable assessment.
Speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur this morning, Mahathir said Najib gained "more negatives rather than positives" since taking over as the prime minister from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on April 3.
"I'm sorry to say this, but there are more negative (things) rather than positives. Somebody said, there was almost nothing in positives, (especially) from the Internet. For example, there is no freedom of the press," he said.
When asked to elaborate the negative things that have been reflected on Najib, Mahathir claimed that Najib did not come up with any proper study relating to the third bridge linking Johor Baru and Singapore.
"There are also other things, like certain appointments of the (ministers) found to be corrupt and yet, they are still in office," he said.
Despite these, Mahathir said Najib did however manage to score a few positives.
"For example, he likes to meet people and secondly he does not sleep (on the job)," he quipped.
The sleeping-on-duty remark was made in reference to Abdullah who was frequently caught nodding off while attending meetings.
Negative mark on scrapping PPSMI
Mahathir also said the government's latest move to scrap the teaching of mathematics and science in English (PPSMI) contributed to Najib's negative image.
He said that that the PPSMI received tremendous support from parties in and outside the cabinet during his final year as prime minister in 2003.
"The policy was implemented during the last year of my tenure as prime minister and it had solid support from the (Umno) supreme council," he said.
The policy is not about learning English or Malay, he said, but "to acknowledge the fact that most knowledge can be accquired from learning the English language".
"In the past, the Arabs studied Greek and subsequently in the Dark Ages, Europeans studied Arab to know about Arabs...That is why we have to learn English to acquire certain skills," said Mahathir.
He brushed off suggestions that he is criticising the government and the prime minister, especially for doing away with the PPSMI.
"I speak what I think, and I'm not criticising anything (or anyone). But I will criticise something that affects our children.
"For me, that is one of the negative things (about Najib, above). There are so many things that I do not agree with, but I'm entitled to my personal views," he added.
80 percent of 26,000 visitors said no
Mahathir also revealed that 80 percent of 26,000 respondents on his blog chedet.net disagreed with the government's move to scrap PPSMI.
"After I get the (final) result, maybe I could present this to the government," he said.
He also denied suggestions that he had expected the government to consult him before the policy was scrapped.
"I don't expect anything from (the government) but it was nice of him (Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, left) to brief me although my opinions were not reflected in the new policy," he said.
Mahathir, said talks between them did take place before the controversial six-year-old policy was abolished.
"There was a briefing session the day before they officially adopted the new policy, but I don't think they would have changed anything even if they consulted me."
The function today was held in conjunction with Najib's 1Malaysia concept and its effect on the Malay Rulers and the Malays under the federal constitution.
The two-day event was a closed-door affair.
Najib hugely popular now
Despite the criticisms levelled by Mahathir, Najib's popularity is at an all-time high at present.
A poll by Merdeka Centre research firm found that Najib's popularity ratings have surged to 65 percent thanks to his economic reforms and an olive branch extended to minorities.
The findings, which represented a substantial swing since a May poll found he had just 46 percent support, came as a boost for Najib as he prepares to mark 100 days in office.
The survey found that 65 percent of the 1,060 people surveyed were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with his performance as prime minister, and only 22 percent were dissatisfied.
Speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur this morning, Mahathir said Najib gained "more negatives rather than positives" since taking over as the prime minister from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on April 3.
"I'm sorry to say this, but there are more negative (things) rather than positives. Somebody said, there was almost nothing in positives, (especially) from the Internet. For example, there is no freedom of the press," he said.
When asked to elaborate the negative things that have been reflected on Najib, Mahathir claimed that Najib did not come up with any proper study relating to the third bridge linking Johor Baru and Singapore."There are also other things, like certain appointments of the (ministers) found to be corrupt and yet, they are still in office," he said.
Despite these, Mahathir said Najib did however manage to score a few positives.
"For example, he likes to meet people and secondly he does not sleep (on the job)," he quipped.
The sleeping-on-duty remark was made in reference to Abdullah who was frequently caught nodding off while attending meetings.
Negative mark on scrapping PPSMI
Mahathir also said the government's latest move to scrap the teaching of mathematics and science in English (PPSMI) contributed to Najib's negative image.
He said that that the PPSMI received tremendous support from parties in and outside the cabinet during his final year as prime minister in 2003.
"The policy was implemented during the last year of my tenure as prime minister and it had solid support from the (Umno) supreme council," he said.
The policy is not about learning English or Malay, he said, but "to acknowledge the fact that most knowledge can be accquired from learning the English language"."In the past, the Arabs studied Greek and subsequently in the Dark Ages, Europeans studied Arab to know about Arabs...That is why we have to learn English to acquire certain skills," said Mahathir.
He brushed off suggestions that he is criticising the government and the prime minister, especially for doing away with the PPSMI.
"I speak what I think, and I'm not criticising anything (or anyone). But I will criticise something that affects our children.
"For me, that is one of the negative things (about Najib, above). There are so many things that I do not agree with, but I'm entitled to my personal views," he added.
80 percent of 26,000 visitors said no
Mahathir also revealed that 80 percent of 26,000 respondents on his blog chedet.net disagreed with the government's move to scrap PPSMI.
"After I get the (final) result, maybe I could present this to the government," he said.
He also denied suggestions that he had expected the government to consult him before the policy was scrapped.
"I don't expect anything from (the government) but it was nice of him (Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, left) to brief me although my opinions were not reflected in the new policy," he said.Mahathir, said talks between them did take place before the controversial six-year-old policy was abolished.
"There was a briefing session the day before they officially adopted the new policy, but I don't think they would have changed anything even if they consulted me."
The function today was held in conjunction with Najib's 1Malaysia concept and its effect on the Malay Rulers and the Malays under the federal constitution.
The two-day event was a closed-door affair.
Najib hugely popular now
Despite the criticisms levelled by Mahathir, Najib's popularity is at an all-time high at present.
A poll by Merdeka Centre research firm found that Najib's popularity ratings have surged to 65 percent thanks to his economic reforms and an olive branch extended to minorities.
The findings, which represented a substantial swing since a May poll found he had just 46 percent support, came as a boost for Najib as he prepares to mark 100 days in office.
The survey found that 65 percent of the 1,060 people surveyed were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with his performance as prime minister, and only 22 percent were dissatisfied.
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