SG LIMAU With only a few hours left for campaigning in the Sungai Limau by-election, BN has enlisted the presence of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is in town for the final stretch.

At a press conference in Bukit Besar today, Mahathir said his former deputy and now opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is "ungrateful" when he said Malays are poor because of Umno.

mahathir sg limau 031113"That's Anwar, he is never thankful," said Mahathir, whose son, Mukhriz is the Kedah Menteri Besar.

"Malays are usually grateful but Anwar it seems, has never felt grateful at all," he added.

"When he was in government (as deputy prime minister), everything was okay," quipped Mahathir.

Mahathir was responding to Anwar's statements in ceramah around Sungai Limau on Friday, where he kept reminding the Malays that Umno had kept them in poverty.

Anwar had criticised Umno, saying the children of the party leaders have better opportunities than the average kampung folk.

Mahathir then said that even though this was a by-election, it was important for the voters to make a good choice.

He denied being in Sungai Limau to campaign for his son, saying, "I was supposed to go to Vietnam but my wife is ill.

"I have one free day to do anything I want, so I am here," he said.