"I Back Malaysian PM Najib, He Is A Better Man," Says Dr Mahathir

By P. Vijian NEW DELHI, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave a terse political tip for Malaysian voters. Crediting Najib Tun Razak for "correcting wrongs" in the political system, he said the prime minister should be given a chance to lead the country. "He is gaining popularity, he is correcting wrongs did (committed) by my successor. "I back Najib, he is a better man, he deserves to be given a chance," Dr Mahathir said at a media conference in Delhi Friday. The 86-year-old statesman is here to attend the annual Hindustan Times Leadership Summit where he presented a keynote address. In his speech, he warned global leaders to note key changes taking place -- failure of central planned economy, influence of social media and the speed of people crossing borders. "These are radical changes happening in the 21st century. All these will impact whatever we do, political, economic, social or financial areas. "If we are not willing to admit these changes, we will not be able to attend to these challenges," noted Dr Mahathir. In his keynote address themed 'The Challenges of Changes in the 21st Century', he said democracy was not a bad system, but not a panacea for all political shortcomings. "Democracy is the best form of government, it is not the easiest to govern because people do not understand the limitations of democracy," he added. -- BERNAMA