JET FIRM PUTS DR M IN A SPOT

THE former premier stubbornly asserts his plane was sabotaged although experts have proved him wrong. Yesterday, an aircraft charter company delivered the final nail in the coffin when it issued a statement which supported the findings of the Civil Aviati

VISTAJET ALSO SAYS ANOTHER AIRCRAFT WAS IMMEDIATELY MADE AVAILABLE TO DR MAHATHIR

We have to... respect the experts. Dr Mahathir i ot e so he cannot these assumpt . should be gui e by facts, not emotions.’ — Datuk Seri Ab Aziz Kaprawi

DEPUTY Transport Minister Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi said the government stood by Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia’s (CAAM) findings that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s plane was not sabotaged.

He said CAAM’s track record was solid as it had been involved investigations into high-profile cases, such as the helicopter crash involving former Rompin member of parliament Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarijis.

“We have to be professional and respect the experts. Dr Mahathir is not one, so he cannot make these assumptions.

“He should be guided by facts, not emotions,” he said yesterday.

“I stand by it (CAAM). No, this has nothing to do with politics. I stand by it because safety is its priority,” he said, adding that CAAM was involved in investigations into Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370’s disappearance and MH17’s downing by Ukrainian rebels.

Aziz said he was disappointed with the former prime minister, whom he believed made such a claim to gain sympathy votes.

He said CAAM was free to lodge police reports or take legal action if it felt that it was defamed by the allegation.

Dr Mahathir has repeatedly claimed that his plane, which was supposed to fly him from Subang to Langkawi, was sabotaged to stop him from filing his nomination papers.

He rejected CAAM’s findings that there was no evidence that the aircraft was sabotaged.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the blame game was Dr Mahathir’s psychological warfare against Barisan Nasional.

“This is an attempt to gain sympathy. I am sure that many candidates from the opposition will lose.

“Maybe this is their strategy to make it look as though their loss is because of BN.”

The Pengerang BN candidate said she was not surprised that the opposition was doing this.

BN strategic communications director Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan said people were disgusted by Dr Mahathir’s antics.

“This kind of underhand tactics of blaming everything on the government will not work.

“There is no way for BN to prevent him from going to Langkawi.

“He could easily switch to any commercial flight from Kuala Lumpur and arrive in Langkawi with plenty of time to prepare for his nomination,” he said, adding that Dr Mahathir was scared of losing in Langkawi.

We have to be professional and respect the experts. Dr Mahathir is not one, so he cannot make these assumptions.

Deputy transport minister

He said Dr Mahathir made such a claim to gain voters’ sympathy.

“Fortunately, many people don’t trust his claim.”