They pointed out that Dr Mahathir's outburst was unwarranted as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was facing a more open society than when the country's longest-serving prime minister served from 1981 to 2003.
"Najib is facing quite an open society now as opposed to during Dr Mahathir's time where he was considered to be centrist in terms of power," UiTM Associate Professor Shaharuddin Badaruddin told The Malaysian Insider.
"During his time, the support for BN was strong with a weaker opposition. I think if Dr Mahathir is the prime minister now, he will be facing the same problem."
Umno’s Datuk Seri Shabery Cheek, the Communication and Multimedia Minister, also defended Najib, saying that the prime minister did not bow to the opposition and was in fact leading a strong government with a fresh mandate from the party.
"The criticism is not true as Najib has not bowed down to the opposition but has done what has to be done, that is to have a more open policy," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.
But other analysts say Dr Mahathir's outburst could be related to the recent Umno polls where his son and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz narrowly lost in his bid for one of three party vice-presidencies.
The six-man race saw incumbents Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein returned for a second term. Mukhriz lost to Hishammuddin by just 10 votes.
"It could stem from the fact that Mukhriz lost in the Umno elections," Universiti Malaysia Sarawak political analyst Dr Jeniri Amir said. Another analyst, Singapore Management University's Associate Professor Bridget Welsh (pic, right), noted the same.
A day before the party polls, Dr Mahathir had predicted that Mukhriz would have a tough fight as he was not the "chosen one". In the run-up to the party polls, the former Umno strongman had been highly critical of his party, condemning the Malay party to its deathbed by remarking that the once robust leaders were now aged and out of touch with the times.
Said Welsh, "It is time for Najib to be firm and choose his own path based on the results of the Umno polls."
In his outburst yesterday, Dr Mahathir spoke of the lunatic fringe holding sway in the country, saying that Najib was acceding to demands from extremists in the opposition.
However, he did not name the extremists or say what their demands were.
“We have a government that is weak because of weak support from the people, and with a tendency to accede to the demands of extremists in the opposition," Dr Mahathir said at his Perdana Foundation office in Putrajaya.
Some analysts gave the benefit of the doubt to the 88-year-old Dr Mahathir who they say might be employing reverse psychology to shake Najib into taking the right measures.
"If his criticisms are conveyed correctly, Najib will definitely accept it. Dr Mahathir meant well but a prime minister should not be criticised in such a way," said Universiti Putra Malaysia political
scientist Professor Jayum Jawan.
He described Dr Mahathir's latest outburst as giving more bullets to the opposition and would not help in Umno's efforts to reform and transform.
Some analysts also felt that Dr Mahathir should emulate other retired leaders like former UK prime minister Tony Blair and former US president Bill Clinton and not interfere with the current administration.
"Retired leaders should stay retired. Other retired world leaders understand this and do not interfere with their current administration,” said Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan, adding that past leaders should accept that their time is over.
"Problems will definitely crop up if leaders who are supposed to retire do not retire."
Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies deputy director Ooi Kee Beng felt Dr Mahathir could be correct that the government must understand the thinking of the moderates and convince them to work together to promote stability.
"I support any move towards the middle ground. The government should listen to the moderates but at the same time, have its own vision and does not bend to where the wind blows.
"The government needs to focus and do what's best for the country," he said.
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