Anwar: If Dr M wants proof, I will give it

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has no qualms about providing evidence to Dr Mahathir Mohamad to prove that the former premier had amassed wealth to enrich himself when he was in power.

This comes after Mahathir served Anwar a letter of demand on March 27 demanding the latter to prove his claims or face legal action.

“I don’t want to fight. He has asked for proof, I will give (him) proof, no problem,” Anwar said during a dialogue session with students at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam today.

Mahathir was referring to Anwar’s remarks in his policy speech at the PKR special national congress on March 18.

“When you lose power, when challenged, when you are fearful of the MACC and the Inland Revenue Board coming down hard… you are worth billions (but) you don’t pay your taxes, you move your wealth abroad. What sort of prime minister should I be then?” Anwar said.

Although Anwar did not mention names, he referred to a person who “after 22 years and 22 months of being in power, is lamenting about Malays losing everything, losing assets, shares”.

Mahathir claimed this was a clear reference to him as media reports on the speech mentioned his name.

Anwar has until April 17 to respond to Mahathir’s legal letter after the former’s lawyers asked for an extension. The initial due date was April 3.

Mahathir, who would turn 98 this year, has been on the warpath against Anwar, claiming that the prime minister is behind the cancellation of a gathering on Malay rights.

In last November’s national polls, Mahathir was decimated in his bid to defend the Langkawi seat, his former stronghold in his home state of Kedah.

At the event today, Anwar also took a swipe at Mahathir, stating that while the latter’s governance had its strengths, the nonagenarian had also caused a lot of damage.

He did not divulge on what the damage was but referred the audience to Mahathir's comments in 2018 that labelled Malays "lazy".

Defending the race, the Pakatan Harapan chairperson questioned how Malays could be lazy when it was them that made Malacca a cosmopolitan state and a well-known trading hub. - Mkini