Dr M: No one is above the law

No one is above the law, not even the prime minister.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said police would investigate the dubious swap deals involving armed forces land.

“Police will investigate the matter... the prime minister, as well.

“Nobody is above the law,” he said after chairing a special cabinet meeting on anti-corruption.

In saying this, Dr Mahathir intimated that former prime ministers Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Razak could be investigated for possible graft in connection with the deals, though he did not mention any names.

Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, in tabling the Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigating Committee report in the Dewan Negara last week, revealed that there were political interests in 13 of 16 land swap deals that took place since 1997.

The 59-page report had pointed to the involvement of two former prime ministers and defence ministers in 13 out of 16 land swap deals.

Abdullah succeeded Dr Mahathir in 2003 and he, in turn, was succeeded by Najib in 2009.

Between 1997 and May last year, when Mohamad took over, there had been five defence ministers, including Abdullah and Najib. The others were Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Dr Mahathir affirmed that it was the government’s intention to lodge reports on those who had been involved in graft involving the land swap deals, but had since retired or were no longer with the ministry.

“The government can still take action on those who are no longer in the ministry. It is our intention to make a report on wrongdoings done in the past whether the wrongdoers are here or no longer here, and legal actions will be taken.”