(AFP) The country's third quarter economic growth would be less than one percent, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

"We would have some positive growth but maybe 0.5 percent, maybe slightly more than that," Mahathir, who is also finance minister, told reporters.

The central bank is scheduled to release Malaysia's third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth figures on November 22.

The government this month revised downwards its 2001 GDP growth forecast to 1.0-2.0 percent because of the "greater-than-expected" slowdown in the world economy.