Jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim launched a vitriolic attack on his former mentor Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who retired Friday as Malaysia's prime minister, accusing him of building a 22-year legacy of repression and corruption.

"He came into the scene two decades ago in a breeze with promises of reforms but instead he put all promises asunder by destroying the very things he promised to save. Among others, the institutions of governance, press freedom and freedom of expression," Anwar said in a statement sent to AFP by his lawyer.

"Foreigners do not understand the exact extent of press control in Malaysia under him. My view is that the control of the media here by Dr Mahathir rivals only that of North Korea.

Mahathir also left his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a towering public debt because of his "selfish penchant for mega projects and glorifying monuments," said Anwar.

Sensationalism

Anwar was sacked by Mahathir in 1998 and subsequently detained and jailed for a total of 15 years for abuse of power and sodomy.

Mahathir's recent remarks that Jews ruled the world by proxy, which caused an international uproar, were aimed at shifting attention away his own misdeeds, Anwar said.

"It is nothing but pure and utter sensationalism primarily to deflect attention to his misdeeds ...cronyism, corruption, nepotism and repression of his critics and the opposition," he added.

Anwar, 56, once seen as heir to Mahathir, claims he was sacked and later charged with sodomy and corruption to prevent a political challenge to Mahathir. - AFP