The former premier said the government then had perceived the rulers to be problematic, but now it appears the present government is the one which is problematic.
"At that time we thought the rulers would be a problem since the government is the government of the people," Mahathir told a press conference held at Kampung Baru Jerlun, Kuala Kangsar today.
He also criticised his successor for imitating the leadership style of Uganda's third president Idi Amin.
Mahathir was asked if he should be partly blamed for the National Security Council (NSC) Act since it was gazetted without the Yang di- Pertuan Agong's assent, thanks to the amendment to the constitution.
"We thought the sultan will be a problem but in fact the sultan is not a problem, it is the prime minister who has gone out of hand, and he is trying to rule the country...," he said.
Mahathir was at the campaign trail for Parti Amanah Negara's candidate Ahmad Termizi Ramli.
He was warmly greeted by some 500 people at a Chinese new village.
Meanwhile, Mahathir dismissed the criticism which linked the NSC Act to Internal Security Act (ISA), which was abolished in 2011.
"There is no similarity between ISA and NSC. ISA was allowed as the Agong can declare emergency.
"But this (NSC) was rejected by Agong but he (Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak) still continued with it," he said.
"Under ISA, those (who felt they) were wrongly detained can take the case to court, while this is not permitted under NSC.
"This is the law used by Najib (photo) to take away Agong's right while ISA did not take away Agong's right," he stressed.
On another matter, Mahathir said 1MDB and Najib, who is also the advisory board chairperson of the state-owned fund, took the fund which was supposed to be channelled to Aabar Investments PJS (Aabar).
"It is ridiculous to suggest they gave billions of dollars to a company, that they could not check first if this was the real company or some company created elsewhere.
"But I suspect this company to whom they paid the money was created by them, and they purposely paid to this false company so they can make use of the money," he said.
International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and its subsidiary Aabar have submitted a Request for Arbitration to the London Court of International Arbitration over its US$6.5 billion claim against 1MDB and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated.
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