LIMA, Peru: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's participation in the Bersih 5 rally has shown that he will do the total opposite of what he had preached, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said.
Najib said Dr Mahathir would do things differently to what he did when he was prime minister.
Najib, who arrived here yesterday to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, was asked about Dr Mahathir's presence in the illegal rally on Saturday.
He said the people were tired of doing things that were not beneficial to them and the country.
"If we want to topple the government, this is not a legitimate way. We as citizens must uphold the law. If not, the country will be in chaos and the people will suffer," he said.
He stressed that the government will continue to ensure that every programme benefits the people.
Najib dismissed Dr Mahathir's remarks about the country's economic position as "political talk" as they were not backed by facts from rating agencies and international bodies such as the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank.
Dr Mahathir recently claimed that Malaysia's economy and sovereignty had been compromised after Putrajaya sold several key assets including prime land to China.
"If we have an economic crisis, the rating agencies will lower our rating. The IMF and the World Bank will criticise and discuss measures that the government should take," he added.
He stressed that the inaction by the international agencies had shown that the country was well-managed.
"There's no reason why we should be worried. Our rating is still A," he said.