Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has denied he is committing "political suicide" by dropping some of the pet projects of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamed.

Abdullah told CNN today that he commands majority support and that "not everybody appreciates" the fierce criticisms by Mahathir against his leadership.

"He didn't agree with some of the things that I'm doing. Some of it has to do with some of the projects that he decided that ... we should implement.

"No, no, no. I don't think it's political suicide. He has been saying a lot of things. I have decided to keep quiet and to go on doing what I want to do," he said when asked about ending projects launched by his predecessor.

His highly anticipated interview with Anjali Rao in the TalkAsia programme aired early this morning on Cable News Network (CNN).

Slow pace of reforms

Abdullah took over from Mahathir in October 2003 and won a landslide election in March 2004 after pledging to tackle corruption, improve governance and implement economic reforms.

Once seen as the 'Mr Clean' of Malaysian politics, Abdullah in August went on national television to refute allegations he had handed his son business favours, and that his son-in-law was unduly influencing him.

He has also been criticised for the slow pace of his reforms in the nearly three years he has been in power.

Since last year, Mahathir, who stepped down in 2003 after 22 years in power, has repeatedly attacked his hand-picked successor of corruption, nepotism and mismanagement.

Mahathir has been enraged by Abdullah's decision to drop his pet projects including the proposed new bridge to Singapore in April.

"Well, I have decided that I'm not going to continue with the bridge. We're very practical about our approach, and the bridge has nothing to do with the life and death of Malaysia," Abdullah said in the interview.

Not all Dr M's policies relevant

However, he said Dr Mahathir Mohamad's criticisms were never ignored, and necessary adjustments were made if they were relevant.

"And some, I can't accept," he said, adding that most people were "uncomfortable" with Mahathir's criticisms.

Quizzed on whether Malaysia would be what it is today without Mahathir's style of governance, Abdullah said his former boss turned fiercest critic had made considerable success for the nation.

"We are proud of his achievements. That's a fact," he said.

Abdullah said that he was not opposing all Mahathir's policies.

"Not everything he put in place. No. Vision 2020, his biggest achievement, that's my target too. That we share, I share the vision. I have developed what I call a national mission. The mission is very big in order to achieve that vision," he added.

Kuan Yew's remark 'groundless'

On Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's allegations that Chinese Malaysians were 'systematically marginalised', Abdullah said it was a baseless allegation.

"Yes, it's groundless. And it is an issue that can cause unhappiness to many people. Why? Some may even regard it as tantamount to interfering with what we are doing.

"The Chinese in Malaysia are doing well. They are better off than the indigenous people, than the Malays," he said.

Abdullah said Chinese Malaysians had achieved significant success only because the government had provided opportunities to do so.

Meanwhile, Mahathir, in an interview to be aired on Monday on Bloomberg TV - which is available on local satellite TV station Astro - has attacked Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for endangering economic growth .