'Companies going down the drain'.

(From New Straits Times (Malaysia))

THE economy is in bad shape and this could hurt Barisan Nasional's chances at the next polls, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The unemployment rate was high, the retail business was not good and contracts were not easy to come by, causing small contractors to suffer, he said.

"Nothing has been done, really, to improve the economy although we read of very good figures," Dr Mahathir said yesterday. He then cast doubt on the very figures he used to rely on during his 22 years of leadership. "It sounds a bit strange to me when I see companies going down the drain," he said.

Speaking to reporters at his home in …