Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has turned on a former ally, a female minister who was one of his greatest admirers during the 22 years he held power in Malaysia but who has now become a trenchant critic of his policies.
Dr Mahathir's public row with 58-year-old Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz over the future of the troubled national car maker Proton, Dr Mahathir's pet project, has sparked a fierce debate in Parliament and in the media.
Ms Rafidah is best remembered as the person who rushed sobbing onto a stage to snatch a microphone from Dr Mahathir after he made his dramatic resignation announcement on national television. 'No! No! No! You can't resign,' she wailed. 'What will happen to the country?'
After Dr Mahathir retired in 2003, Ms Rafidah, known as the 'Iron Lady' for a blunt approach matched only by Dr Mahathir's own, continued as trade and industry minister under Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, but began unravelling his protectionist policies.
That might have been what prompted a furious Dr Mahathir to openly accuse Ms Rafidah of corruption, irregularities and making policies that were killing Proton at a press conference this week.
He charged that Ms Rafidah misled his government on regional trade agreements that were later found to be disadvantageous to Proton, which is 42 per cent owned by the government.
