PUTRAJAYA: The government will give a detailed explanation in the form a booklet in response to the questions and concerns raised by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The decision was made during a two-hour closed door meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and 78 Umno Members of Parliament (MPs) at the Internal Security Ministry Monday.

According to some of the MPs who attended the meeting, the cabinet at its weekly meeting tomorrow will discuss the detailed explanation that will be given to Mahathir's questions.

Barisan Backbenchers club (BBC) secretary Datuk Rosli Mat Hassan said the meeting with Abdullah was arranged by the club to express its support for him as the prime minister and president of Umno.

"To administer a country, there is only one general, one prime minister and one party president.

"The ongoing issue should be stopped and instead, concentration should be given to how to serve the people better," he said.

Rosli said Abdullah explained during the meeting his vision for the country and what was outlined for the people under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

He said a detailed explanation will be given by the government to Mahathir and certain quarters in the form of a booklet, which would include why the prime minister took certain decisions.

On whether Abdullah addressed talk that there were people influencing his decisions, Rosli said the prime minister did acknowledge that such talk had been circulating but assured the MPs that all the government's decisions were made collectively during the weekly cabinet meetings and were not solely his decisions.

Last week, Mahathir launched a scathing criticism of Abdullah and the latter's decision to roll back some of the former premier's policies.

Mahathir, who resigned in 2003 after two decades in power, said he was disappointed that he did not receive any explanation from the government on the rationale behind the removal of Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff as chief executive officer of Proton, the sale of MV Agusta for only one euro, the issuance of Approved Permits to only a few individuals and the scrapping of the half-bridge project in Johor.

Former BBC chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad described the meeting with Abdullah as "very positive".

He said a decision was made for the government to be transparent and to provide an explanation to the questions raised by Mahathir.

"The question is whether Tun Dr Mahathir is going to be satisfied with the explanations or is he going to say that the government is rambling.

"He questioned the credibility of the government, therefore it is important for the government to reply," he said.

However, Shahrir added: "I think Mahathir is irrelevant and he should be happy that the government is still maintaining his Vision 2020."

It is learned that Umno MPs will also be tasked to go down to the grassroots level and explain what is really happening to the people.