LANGKAWI, Jan 20 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reminded the people to be cautious in choosing their leaders so as to prevent the country from being administered by crooks.

The prime minister and Pakatan Harapan chairman said he fails to understand why some people are letting themselves to be easily swayed by someone who is currently facing trial over alleged theft.

"We have come to a stage where people are kissing the hands of a thief, calling him bossku (my boss), saying that it’s okay when bossku swindles money, that it’s okay to steal,” he said with sarcasm.

"I don’t understand how people can be influenced by someone who is facing trial for cheating, for stealing money,” he told a press conference after visiting a 5G demonstration project here today.

According to Dr Mahathir, some people really do think that it is the best way.

"If they (voters) want him back, okay. For the 15th (general) election, choose him. But then, don’t expect PH to take over again, to fix the (government) administration again.

"If voters in this country feel that crooks should run this country because crooks give you a lot of money, well go ahead. But from PH, there’s no way we are going to give money, stolen money to the people,” he said.

The prime minister said this in response to an international news agency’s report that the ruling coalition would be just a one-term government is if does not make changes and stop infighting.

Dr Mahathir, however, stressed that PH would not be a one-term government.

It’s just that the previous government had left so many problems to be tackled by PH, he said.

Dr Mahathir said this era is different from the era when he was first appointed as prime minister in 1981 where everything was in place and every decision would be carried out to the letter.

"Now, we have to clean up the administration, find money to pay debts, send those who are inefficient into retirement because they were involved in corruption.

"New people have to take over but of course, they are not as good as the old ones. At the end of the day, PH is well known (for all the other reasons) because it does not know how to brag (about the good things it has done),” he added. — Bernama