SHAH ALAM, 22 FEBRUARY, 2012: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said NGOs championing the right of Islam and Malays in the country can do more harm than good.

Dr Mahathir, who is a patron of Malay right-wing group, in referring to Jati, said the newly-launched NGO’s president Datuk Dr Hasan Ali has to explain the group's purpose and objective thoroughly.

"He needs to explain the objective of his NGO because I feel many of such groups are splitting Malays in the country," he told reporters at Universiti Teknologi Mara.

He was asked if he would attend the future functions organized by Jati.

On Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria's statement that Malays in the country were losing land possession in the country, Dr Mahathir said such phenomena was deemed to happen among the poor Malays.

"They need to sell their land in order to make money," he said.