Opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail disagrees with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) is a form of corruption.

"Whatever is given by the government should be given to the people, so it is not bribery. It is the people's right to have it," she told a press conference in Petaling Jaya.

Mahathir had repeated his claim that BR1M is "corruption", this time calling it "illegal" as well.

To a question on whether Mahathir's statement impacted Harapan after its recent affiliation with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Wan Aziah said this was only Mahathir's opinion.

"Our criticism is that not everybody gets BR1M, but everybody gets goods and services tax (GST)," she added.

Both DAP Kluang parliamentarian Liew Chin Tong and Amanah Shah Alam parliamentarian Khalid Samad, who appeared at the press conference, tried to justify Mahathir's remark by pointing out the flaws of BR1M.

What Mahathir was trying to point out was that BR1M could not substitute the holistic economic policy, said Liew.

"Unfortunately, the government thinks that BR1M is the only economic policy for the poor and the bottom 60 percent of Malaysians," he said.

The defunct Pakatan Rakyat had in 2011 recommended overall economic packages, including increasing income and productivity, reducing social cost and eliminating monoply, to help the bottom 60 percent of Malaysians, according to him.

"When the bottom 60 percent have more money in their hand, then they will consume. The entire economy will improve.

"We need a holistic economic policy and the government's response was very simple - handouts," he said.

"I think Mahathir was trying to explain that we should not feel obliged to vote for BN by receiving BR1M. Don't we treat BR1M as something that could buy our loyalty," he said.

"If this is how you think, then it is bribery," he said, adding the people should be freed from such notion.

"Accept this (BR1M) is your right and when it is time for coming election, just pick the party that come out with sustainable economic policy," he said.