My remarks on Zahid’s alleged wealth were twisted, says Liew

Minister Liew Vui Keong says he never said the allegation on Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's assets was false.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong.

PUTRAJAYA: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong today said his written reply in Parliament regarding the allegation that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had RM230 million in assets was twisted.

In a statement, his office denied he had said that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim on Zahid’s assets made before the May 9 election was false.

It said Liew, who is the de facto law minister, was only explaining that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption (MACC) would investigate the allegation “if there is evidence”.

“I was misquoted with regard to my remarks in Parliament. I did not say the allegation is false,” Liew was quoted as saying in the statement.

He was commenting on reports by several news portals on Monday which quoted him as saying in his written reply to Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh that it was not true that Zahid had RM230 million in cash assets.

His office said the actual written reply could be given to anyone who wished to confirm this.

Ramkarpal had wanted to know if the government would investigate the prime minister’s allegations.

Zahid, who is the former deputy prime minister, was quoted as saying that he was ready to be investigated by the MACC on the allegation that he owned RM230 million in assets in 1996. FMT