Dr M: This is how Anwar repays me, Daim for helping him in PD polls

Dr Mahathir Mohamad took a jab at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for “repaying” both his and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin’s help during the Port Dickson by-election in 2018 with investigations.

“When I became prime minister the second time, during my tenure, he (Anwar) was released (from jail). Then he wanted to contest in an election (Port Dickson by-election).

“Both Daim and I campaigned for him. But now he wants to investigate me for wrongdoings,” he said during a special press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation today.

When Anwar contested in a seven-way fight in Port Dickson in 2018, Daim, who at the time chaired the Council of Eminent Persons, joined the former’s campaign and urged locals to support Anwar.

Asked if he thinks it’s a form of revenge or witch hunt conducted by the current government against him for the perception that Anwar was jailed and prosecuted under the nonagenarian’s first tenure as prime minister, Mahathir said he was unsure.

“I don’t know whether this is revenge.

“If I did something wrong, please investigate (me) but don’t use the government to threaten people,” he said.

‘Anwar afraid of own shadow’

The two-time prime minister then challenged Anwar to call for a general election today.

This, he claimed, was to see what the people had to say and to prove that Anwar still possessed strong support among the people.

“I think this man (Anwar) became prime minister by default, not because he was elected.

“When he (Anwar) became the prime minister, he used threats against the people.

“But as far as ruling the country is concerned, he has no idea how to tackle the economic, political, and social problems. Nothing like that,” Mahathir claimed.

Further, he also alleged that Anwar is also “afraid of his own shadow” by claiming that there are attempts to topple the current administration.

“He is not capable of helping those who are in a dire state. So he says that he wants to push on to fight corruption. But he released those who are involved in corruption,” he alleged.

Last September, the Attorney-General’s Chambers withdrew corruption charges linked to Yayasan Akalbudi against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court then allowed the prosecution’s application for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for Zahid. The decision is being challenged in court. - Mkini