Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged voters to cast their ballots for a government with a proven track record.

The former premier, who was in power from 1981 to 2003, claimed this is because people are suffering under the current administration.

"We need to return to a government that has proven its capabilities in developing the country.

"Now we are suffering. In the past, there was no problem in getting jobs, scholarships, business opportunities and licenses,” he told a Facebook live talk this morning.

Mahathir was responding to a question on Umno's claim that Malays would lose power should the ruling government be ousted.

The Pakatan Harapan prime ministerial candidate said that this would not happen and that Umno no longer represented the Malays.

"I think Umno is no longer (about the) Malays... If this is Malay power, the power to make money disappear, should we maintain it?

"Malays will not lose power if we choose someone without a history of stealing money," he said.

Mahathir was referring to allegations of mass corruption and mismanagement of national finances under the administration of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Najib has denied such allegations, pointing to economic indicators which showed that Malaysia is experiencing continued growth.

Mahathir, however, said that economic statistics don't reflect on the ground.

He gave an example wherein a group of 1,000 people, where one person earns RM1 million a month while the remaining 999 have no salaries, the average monthly salary would be RM1,000 per person.

"The people don't feel the rising figures shown in the economy.

"There are a small number of Malays who have high wages, but the majority are low-income earners," he said.

Mahathir added that under Harapan the coalition would ensure an equal distribution of wealth between all Malaysians, and overcome the various problems that burden the nation.