Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohammad said he is not convinced that the 1MDB issue could be settled by the end of this year by the prime minister as claimed.

Talking to reporters in Shah Alam today, Mahathir said his reason was that the money was 'lost'.

"It's okay if he wants to do it (settle the 1MDB issue) but in the meantime we (Mahathir) will still expose the bad things (about the scandal).

"I am not convinced because the money is lost. There is no more money," he told reporters at the Proton Centre of Excellence.

Yesterday, at a closed-door session with Umno division information chiefs and pro-BN groups at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Najib ( photo ) pledged to solve the financial crisis in two to six months.

The 1MDB issue has become the main focus of attacks from Mahathir while Najib is trying hard to withhold mutiny from within the Umno ranks.

Mahathir also said that he will not stop from exposing any wrongdoings regarding the matter.

"This is not attacking [...] I am exposing the wrongdoings. If all is okay I would never complain.

“Before this, I had supported him (Najib) until he won (elections) albeit with smaller margins," said the ex-premier.