He advised corporate chiefs to also consider the unbeaten track sometimes as "people who want to ambush you always choose to lay it along the beaten path".

"If you break off and cut a path in the belukar (secondary forest), you are not likely to be ambushed," Dr Mahathir said.

"(That way), you may reach your destination, slightly behind time perhaps, but you will reach. If you are ambushed, you may not reach it at all."

Dr Mahathir was speaking to over 800 corporate and government leaders, foreign dignitaries and prominent corporate figures at the 23rd Tunku Abdul Rahman Lecture in Kuala Lumpur last night.

He also spoke on Malaysia Inc, a concept modelled after Japan's success formula to bring its economy back on track shortly after World War II by having the government and business community working closely together.

"The Malaysia Inc concept succeeded," he said. "Malaysia's business-friendly policy helped to stimulate investment by both domestic and foreign funds."

Malaysia grew faster than other developing countries, he said.