Malaysia's prime minister said on Wednesday he harboured no ill-will over bitter criticism of his administration by predecessor Mahathir Mohamad, the Southeast Asian nation's longest-serving premier.
"Why should I have any ill-feelings towards anybody?" said Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, making his first public comments on the rift with his former mentor. Although he had felt hurt at the criticism, he overcame it quickly, he said.
"When I see him, I will greet him, I will shake his hands, and if there is time to speak, I will say a few words," Abdullah told reporters in the administrative capital of Putrajaya, when asked to describe his relationship with Mahathir.
Abdullah, whose government last week took the unusual step of declassifying official documents to rebut Mahathir's charges, said the former leader must accept the government needed to change its policies to suit the changing needs of the people.
Abdullah's remarks appeared to signal a retreat from a vow of "open war" made by a government minister last month against Mahathir, who ruled the country for 22 years before stepping down in favour of handpicked successor Abdullah.