No similarities with Najib, I am more like his dad, says Dr Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad rejects the comparison made between the administration of Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his own 22-year rule, saying that he was more like Najib's father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein. – The Malaysian Insider/Nazir Sufari pic, December 5, 2015

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad rejected the comparison made between the administration of Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his own 22-year rule, saying that he was more like Najib's father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

He added there were no similarities between how he ran the country and the administration under Najib.

"What did Datuk Seri Najib do which can be compared to what I did?

"He has a debt of RM42 billion. He set up his own company. He is the company's adviser.

"I did not do all that. How can people say we are alike? I don't understand. I'm like his father , yes," Dr Mahathir said at an event in Senawang, Negeri Sembilan today.

He added that when he was at the helm, many of the policies he put in place were similar to that of Tun Razak’s, where rural development was given priority.

"His father prioritised Malay development. When I was prime minister, I built roads, I built schools. We built clinics. I did many things in the kampung," he added.

Dr Mahathir also stressed that under his leadership, the government was never mired in the scandal faced by Najib now, which was bankrupting the nation.

"What Najib has done is to incur high debts, and to hide the money in the bank. He had RM2.6 billion. I did not.

"I have some money in my account, but not the same,' he added.

Dr Mahathir was a strong supporter of Najib before this; however, he withdrew support for the prime minister following  the scandals plaguing the current administration over debt-ridden state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd and the RM2.6 billion that were channelled into Najib's accounts.

The former prime minister has also repeatedly called for Najib's resignation to avoid Umno losing the next general election.

- TMI