Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad dismissed the possibility of reconciling with Anwar Ibrahim arguing that it would lend credence to accusations that the charges against his estranged ex-deputy were trumped up.

Anwar, once heir apparent to Mahathir, was sacked in 1998 and subsequently charged and convicted for sodomy and corruption. Anwar has claimed that the charges were part of a political conspiracy against him, an allegation that Mahathir denied.

"If I have reconciliation (with Anwar), it may be interpreted as my belief that actually nothing happened, that it was wrong, my mistake, (that) my decision was wrong, that this thing did not happen.

"But to me, I was convinced, I made the decision, no matter what the people say," said the 82-year-old former premier in an interview with malaysiakini editors last week.

Mahathir maintained that it was his responsibility to ensure that Anwar did not succeed him because his alleged homosexuality had rendered him "unsuitable to run the country".

Dismissing claims that personal animosity between the two former leaders had led to the split, Mahathir said he had never let such considerations cloud his judgement.

"If I am convinced that somebody is not suitable, I have to make a decision. Even if he is a friend, or my own relative, it doesn't make any difference," he said.

Bad management

Meanwhile, Mahathir also dismissed the suggestion that Perwaja Steel Bhd was a mistake.

Perwaja - a plant that processed iron ore - was to be the cornerstone of the industrialisation drive that Mahathir kicked off in the early 1980s.

By the time it was shut down last year, the company had registered losses of up to RM11 billion.

"Perwaja was not a mistake... I couldn't help it if the management does not know how to run it," he asserted.

On his appointment of Eric Chia , the former managing director of Perwaja who was charged in February 2004 for criminal breach of trust involving RM76.4 million, Mahathir said that at the time "nobody told me that it was a mistake."

"He had done very well with UMW. He was chosen based on his record. But what he had done after that, I can't be looking over his shoulder," he said.

Tongue-tied

However, the ex-premier was less forgiving when it came to his former colleagues in the government.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, in particular, was rapped for trying to silence his criticisms on the scrapping of the half-bridge to Singapore.

Nazri had accused Mahathir of making "irresponsible wild accusations" and seeking to undermine the government. He also said Mahathir had made the decision to build the bridge without consulting the cabinet.

"People forget, they are getting old. They've probably forgotten," said Mahathir.

"I think I am entitled to make criticisms, and now (they should) answer the points that I have raised. Don't just say 'well, he is a devil, therefore I shouldn't (answer)'. What is it that Nazri said on all (my) points? Tell me, on what points have I been wrong?" he demanded.

Denying that his attacks were undermining the ruling party, the former Umno president said criticism was necessary to ensure democracy.

"If I do something wrong, and nobody criticises me, I think the party is going to be taken as a personal instrument for doing what you like," he said.

On a lighter note, Mahathir was tongue-tied when he was asked to name his all-time favourite movie.

There was a brief silence.

Then he answered, 'Eight is Enough' - a TV sitcom about a father with eight children, which ran for five seasons in the late-70s and early 80s.

Q&A: Perwaja was not a mistake, says Dr M

Part 1

Dr M: He made some wrong moves

Q&A: I'm disappointed, says Mahathir

Part 2

Dr M: PM's sons have no business with govt

Q&A: My criticisms are constructive