Dr Mahathir Mohamad appeared dissatisfied with the answer to his question on the rewards worth RM100 million for his successor-turned-predecessor Najib Abdul Razak.
“I asked the prime minister to explain the proposal to give rewards in the form of properties and others reportedly worth RM100 million to Najib, whether these have been given and to provide a detailed breakdown and (to state) when (it was given). If not (yet given), will the government proceed with it and why?
“This is the answer I received,” he said on Facebook today in reference to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Latiff Ahmad’s written parliamentary reply on the matter.
Latiff said allowances and privileges for the former prime minister depended on the determined rate and terms in Paragraph 21(1), First Schedule, Members of Parliament Act (Allowances) 1980 (Act 237).
However, the special functions minister said the government, taking into account the current situation, is conducting detailed research on the matter.
“The research will be seen as comprehensive with regard to the proposal to provide rewards in the form of properties or others to Najib or any other former prime ministers after Najib,” he added.
Mahathir succeeded Najib in 2018 after he came out of retirement to lead the Pakatan Harapan coalition to a historic win in the national polls amid the 1MDB scandal.
The nonagenarian first raised this issue in the Dewan Rakyat last year when Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz stood up to present his Budget 2022 wind-up.
House and land
Najib then admitted that his office applied for a house from the government, but said this was made under a law enacted when Mahathir was still in office during his first tenure as prime minister.
Zafrul confirmed that the cabinet discussed the request from the former prime minister for a piece of land and house worth RM100 million.
Najib later said he would revoke his application, adding that the government should focus on the people who were struggling because of Covid-19’s impact on the economy.
“I understand the difficult times faced by the people. The nation’s priority should be the people.
“As this issue has created an uncomfortable atmosphere, I suggested to the prime minister to look into it and withdraw the allocation,” he stated.
Mahathir, who never pulled his punches in criticising Najib, felt that the latter is not deserving of such privileges.
Najib would be exhausting his final appeal at the Federal Court later this month with regard to his conviction and 12-year prison sentence over the SRC International case.
The former premier is also facing charges related to 1MDB. - Mkini
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