Rift grows between Badawi and former PM Mahathir 

Financial Times Online - 4 May 2006 
The Malaysian government of Abdullah Badawi has hit back at criticism by Mahathir Mohamad, the former prime minister, in a sign of a growing rift between the two men. 
The dispute has led to speculation that Dr Mahathir might be trying to stage a political comeback after he handed over power to Mr Abdullah in 2003. The former prime minister remains an influential figure in the ruling United Malays National Organisation, many of whose members are unhappy about political and economic reforms that Mr Abdullah has introduced. Several cabinet ministers have accused Dr Mahathir of trying to undermine the government by creating the impression of a political crisis. The controversy was sparked when Dr Mahathir criticised a government decision last month to abandon plans to build a bridge to replace a causeway connecting Malaysia and Singapore, which the latter opposed. 
Dr Mahathir, who had promoted the project while in office, said the decision was the action of "a half-past-six country which has no guts" in standing up to Singapore. "Half-past-six" is a local expression that means slipshod. 
The former prime minister had promised not to interfere in politics when he left office. "I have not said anything about many things done which were wrong. But this is the limit ? to surrender your sovereignty to Singapore as if you are scared of them," he said this week. The government said it had taken the decision because if it had unilaterally proceeded with the bridge project, it would have created serious international legal problems with Singapore. Dr Mahathir has "repeatedly attacked us openly, It seems that [he] is trying to undermine the government," Mohamed Nazri Aziz, the minister for law in the prime minister's office, told parliament. 
Mr Abdullah appears to enjoy full support from the cabinet on the issue since the ministers, many of them holdovers from the Mahathir administration, gave their unanimous approval. Syed Hamid Albar, the long-serving foreign minister, said the bridge issue should ?not become one that will split our people?. 
Dr Mahathir had the right to disagree but must accept that a new leadership might take actions that differed from his administration, Mr Syed Hamid said. The former prime minister had proposed to bridge project to help develop Malaysia's southern state of Johor. He said the causeway blocked shipping access. 
Singapore proposed to support the plan if Malaysia gave transit rights for Singapore air force training missions and provided sand for land reclamation projects, but Mr Abdullah said he could not make such concessions. 
Source: www.ft.com