PPP president M Kayveas said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and other irresponsible 1MDB detractors will end up looking like 'jokers' if they continue their criticism of the troubled government investment fund.

"He (Mahathir) was our prime minister for 20 years. Whatever he said hurts us," he said at a Deepavali open house at Brickfields.

"Mahathir should know what he ought to do."

"Everybody has toned down as the facts and truth (of the matter) are coming out one by one.

"I don't think they can do much. To continuously criticise will make them look like jokers," he said.

"I am referring to everybody who criticises continuously without fail. They have to stop and think how much they love this country or whether they love this country or not," he said.

According to him, Malaysians who are born here have benefited much from it as everything - including their education - is provided for.

They should be grateful to the country instead of criticising the country 24 hours a day over the five-year period after the 13th general election, he said.

"There are bomb explosions in other countries. We need to be grateful for the goodness in the country.

"I have pity on leaders who still criticise as they just don't know what they are doing. They don't know this is the place where they were born and they are going to die here.

"Of course, there are shortcomings here; no country is perfect. There are beggars in America and China is suffering," he said, adding that the people should contribute instead of criticising the beloved country.

"Most of the time, the people who don't contribute are the people who criticise," he said.

Kayveas also trained his gun at Bersih protesters, calling them a privileged lot.

"Look at Bersih. It wasn't the poor people who were marching. The rich people who have jobs, houses, cars, and their children can afford to study overseas - they were the people who were marching."

He urged young people and youths to stop listening to critics and begin to feel proud of the country.

"By criticising the country, you are in fact criticising yourself. We ourselves are up to no good; not the country.

"Hopefully, the future generation will come to understand the issues. It's time for us to feel proud of the country (again)," he said.