Dr Mahathir Mohamad has defended his speech at the Malay Dignity Congress in Shah Alam over the weekend, which detractors claimed had denigrated the race.

According to the prime minister, he spoke the truth about the Malays with the aim of correcting them.

“I want to speak the truth. If I find someone is not willing to work, then the person is not interested (in working).

“If we cannot reprimand people (for their errors), then how do we correct them? If someone does wrong, and if we praise them, that is also wrong.

“I merely said it is the Malays themselves who can redeem their dignity,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby this afternoon.