Dr Mahathir Mohamad would have used the Internal Security Act (ISA) against those who criticised him, but he is currently criticising Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (in the same way), said Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamad.

"This was what people said about him 20-30 years ago which he found extremely wrong and put them under ISA.

"But now today without the ISA he finds it extremely right to say these things to suit his circumstances," Nur Jazlan told Malaysiakini.

He said this in response to Mahathir's latest blog post, in which the former premier urged the US Department of Justice to reveal the identity of 'Malaysian Official 1'.

Mahathir had also said foreign intervention is required to bring about justice when the “thief is in charge of the police and the prosecuting agency” at home.

The former premier had gained infamy for cracking down on critics, especially during 1987's Ops Lalang, in which 106 people including politicians and activists were detained under the ISA.

The ISA, which allows for detention without trial, was abolished by Najib in 2011.