Mahathir: Govt to weed out corrupt elements

> My first task is to clean up the administration, says prime minister

PETALING JAYA: Among the first tasks Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will embark on is to clean up the administration of the country.

The anti-corruption move would start with the government weeding out corrupt elements, he said in a live broadcast on RTM1 yesterday.

“We will not have ‘revenge’, this effort is only to clean up our government again, because we have been dirty for a few years to a point where the rakyat no longer believes in the government,” he said.

Mahathir said the new administration would be able to explain the actions to be taken to fight corruption in his meeting with the secretaries-general of all the ministries scheduled today.

He said the new administration would place emphasis on its anti-corruption policy.

While Pakatan Harapan collected donations prior to the 14th general election (GE14), no parties should accept any more donations without the Cabinet’s approval, he added.

“People may want to give gifts, like food or flowers, but not valuable items because we do not want elements of corruption in the government,” Mahathir said.

He said not just those receiving bribes, but those giving will be investigated and legal action would be taken against them.

The 92-year-old prime minister added that in the previous regime, many were wrongfully pressured and many were forced to pay more than what was required by law in taxes.

“We want to know who they are and how much they have paid and we will try to pay them back,” Mahathir said.