Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Tuesday set aside a feud with ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad to enjoy Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations as ministers lined up to defend their leader.

Abdullah, who spent this afternoon shaking hands with thousands of Malaysians at a Hari Raya open house, refused to answer questions about a foiled attempt to make peace with Mahathir.

"Not on that subject please. There's another time for that," Abdullah told reporters, adding he was enjoying messages of support from the crowd.

"(People say) you are doing well, keep on, keep on. Some say, 'We support you, go ahead Pak Lah, don't worry. Just be what you are,'" he said, referring to himself by his popular name.

Despite hopes of a rapprochement between the two men during the two-hour Sunday meeting, Mahathir issued stinging attacks on Abdullah after the talks, accusing the premier of economic mismanagement and nepotism.

He also accused Abdullah of running a "police state" and curbing his right to talk to members of Umno.

"I will continue until there is some change, until I achieve some results," Mahathir said yesterday.

Ministers lambast Dr M

Ministers today lambasted Mahathir for his attacks, accusing him of worsening the situation, while Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said Umno was taken aback by Mahathir's response to the meeting.

"I was surprised. Most people thought that could be a beginning of trying to work things out between PM and Tun Mahathir," he told reporters.

"We had hoped for something that would benefit the party and the nation arising from the talks," said Najib. "So we were taken aback by his ... immediate response to it."

The deputy premier said Abdullah was prepared to issue a detailed response to Mahathir's criticisms, including his involvement in a 2004 Iraq oil-for-food scandal, but that the elder statesman's outburst had thrown the plan into disarray.

"We'll have to think once again," he said, when asked when the response would be sent.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Azmi Khalid said Mahathir - who yesterday unabashedly admitted he was telling Abdullah how to run the country - was unfairly trying to influence the government.

"He's saying that he wants to see that whatever he thinks, whatever he likes to see is being implemented. In other words, he sounds as if he should be consulted for major decisions," Azmi said.

"It is not fair for the present administration," he added.

'Colossal letdown'

Influential cabinet minister Nazri Abdul Aziz said Mahathir was trying to unseat the government, and criticised his fresh assaults during the Hari Raya festival.

"We all know that he wants to bring down the government, bring down Pak Lah," he was quoted as saying by the state Bernama news agency.

"I don't know what's wrong with him. It is Hari Raya and we should be coming together, asking for forgiveness."

The dispute has sent shockwaves through the ruling party and raised the spectre of divided loyalties, while ordinary Malaysians have been dismayed by the public display of bitterness.

An editor for the government-linked New Straits Times newspaper, Brendan Pereira, said some Malaysians had experienced a "colossal letdown" after the talks.

"For many Malaysians, this has been an uneasy few months - watching two respected leaders slugging it out in public," he said in a column today.

"For many Malaysians, it has been a difficult time - having to choose sides."