‘Dr M’s claim he doesn’t have RM1b is astonishing’
KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that he does not have RM1 billion is astonishing, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.
“I was astonished when Dr Mahathir said he did not have the money because according to the information we know, his children are wealthy,” Salleh said in an exclusive interview with TV3 in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.
Salleh, who is also Umno treasurer, was responding to Dr Mahathir’s statement on Friday, in which the elder statesman denied paying RM1 billion to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang to become the chairman of Pakatan Harapan.
“I think it’s important for Dr Mahathir to explain where the money came from.”
In a statement released on PPBM’s Facebook page on Friday, Dr Mahathir, who is also PPBM chairman, said only “crazy people” would think he had RM1 billion.
“I am a (former) prime minister who has a house smaller than that of a minister, because I only spend the money that I have.
“If I had RM1 billion, I would not live like this. I would buy a plane, a ship and many other things.
“I think Raja Petra is crazy. If he is not crazy, please show proof,” Dr Mahathir had said.
Yesterday, Lim, in denying the allegations, said he would sue media organisations that printed or repeated defamatory materials about him, such as claims that he was involved in the RM1 billion payment.
“I will meet my lawyers next week regarding my instructions to them to take out a test case to sue the media which had printed lies and defamatory material about me receiving
RM1 billion bribe from Dr Mahathir,” he said in a statement.
The Gelang Patah member of parliament also said Raja Petra’s claim was an attempt to discredit the opposition.
“We are seeing a new modus operandi of character-assassination and the spreading of lies and falsehoods against DAP and Pakatan Harapan leaders,” he claimed.
He also said if the claim was true, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad should resign as MACC failed to detect the large transaction.
Prior to this, former DAP vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim had challenged Lim to disprove the claims. Dr Mahathir has repeatedly denied allegations that he helped his children amass billions of ringgit during his tenure as prime minister, saying his children were self-made corporate figures.