Twelve years after his retirement, Dr Mahathir Mohamad continues to prod and needle his successors' administrations.

After playing a key role in the ouster of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who replaced him in 2003, he is now speculated to be engineering the removal of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

However, a former minister indicated that the current administration does not need to bow to Mahathir's criticism.

Though acknowledging that Mahathir and his close associate, former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, are entitled to air their grouses, Syed Hamid Albar said there are times when the government can make its own decisions.

When pressed, the former home minister denied that he was asking the veterans to stop meddling in Najib’s leadership.

"This is not a government that tells people to shut up. I think you must recognise that the government now is free (in allowing people to air their views)," he said.

"Everyone has been giving all kinds of opinions," added the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) chairperson.

Mahathir and Daim have been critical of Najib's policies and leadership, claiming that the latter is placing Umno and BN on the path of electoral defeat.

Their allies, including former top editors of mainstream newspapers, have also been launching salvos against the premier.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported how former menteri besar Sanusi Junid defended Mahathir, stating that his criticism was based on wanting the best for Umno and BN.

"If the policies are not changed, then the person must be changed. That is his (Mahathir) thinking. He does not want Umno and BN to lose," he had added.

On the other hand, speculation has also been rife of Najib and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim teaming up to battle the Mahathir-Daim combo.

This was after the Umno-linked media such as TV3 and Utusan Malaysia provided space for Anwar and PKR to attack Daim.

The doctor who slays giants