Mahathir slams Zahid’s 3-minute explanation on RM2.6b

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s three-minute explanation on the RM2.6 billion issue in Parliament shows that he does not have regard for people’s unhappiness.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad stressed that the issue is an important one which therefore needs more time to be explained properly.

“That shows that he doesn’t have any regard for the unhappiness of the people.

“It is a very serious matter, so you should explain properly, not in three minutes,” Mahathir said in a press conference in Senawang today.

Anticipation had built over the weeks on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s answer on the issue. But the event was anticlimactic when it was Zahid who addressed the matter.

And even then, he gave the explanation in a record three minutes.

On another matter, asked why he was going to the Umno general assembly when he himself had branded Umno as “Najib’s party”, Mahathir (photo) said it is because he has to exhaust as many avenues as possible.

Pointed out that he would not be able to speak, Mahathir said regardless of that, he will still attend the assembly.

“I can’t speak, but I’ll go. I want to see what happens,” he said, simply.

Mahathir was also asked on the possibility of the Umno AGM turning into an event like the 'Nothing2Hide' dialogue.

“I don’t know, that happened because of Ali Tinju, ask Ali Tinju. He was arrested but then he was freed.

“Khairuddin (Abu Hassan) didn’t do anything but he was arrested until he had to go to court.

“Ali Tinju was freed just like that. He and (Sungai Besar Umno division chief) Jamal (Md Yunos),” he said.

The 'Nothing2Hide' dialogue was meant for Najib to answer questions related to 1MDB.

However, the forum, held in June, was cancelled when Mahathir turned up at the venue. He was also stopped by police from speaking 10 minutes into his speech.

Mahathir had blamed Malay Armed Forces Veterans Association president Mohd Ali Baharom - better known as Ali Tinju - for purposely creating a scuffle to give Najib an excuse not to attend the event. -Mkini