SHAH ALAM – "Why should I or my children confess to something that isn't true?"
That was the response from former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who insisted that neither he nor his children ever declared owning RM1.2 billion or RM4 billion, as alleged by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Dr Mahathir said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had confirmed that Tan Sri Mokhzani declared assets worth RM1 billion while Mirzan declared RM246.2 million and the commission was satisfied with both declarations.
“Anwar stated in Jakarta: ‘…but if they themselves admit not as an accusation but as a confession that I (Dr Mahathir) or my sons own RM1.2 billion and another RM4 billion, then that money must be returned.
"You must pay it back unless you can clearly explain where the funds came from.
“I have never confessed to any such thing and I have already explained the source of my wealth. Where did he get these figures and statements from?
“The MACC chief commissioner has conducted a full investigation and confirmed that Mokhzani declared around RM1 billion in assets, while Mirzan declared RM246.2 million,” Dr Mahathir said in a Facebook post on Tuesday entitled "The Greatest Liar."
He was responding to Anwar’s remarks published in a local news portal, where the Prime Minister was reported as urging Dr Mahathir’s children to return their wealth if they could not prove its source.
Dr Mahathir added that MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki had also stated that the commission was satisfied with the declarations made by Mokhzani and Mirzan.
He said Azam had never mentioned cash holdings, but rather the value of total assets including property, shares, liabilities and other holdings accumulated over more than 20 years in business.
“These types of assets naturally appreciate over time. Did Azam express satisfaction without knowing the source of their wealth?
“MACC has questioned my children multiple times, each session lasting several hours. Did MACC not ask about the sources of their wealth during those investigations?
“MACC never stated that the sources were ‘unclear or illegitimate’. Neither MACC nor Azam would have expressed satisfaction if the declarations were not clear or valid,” Dr Mahathir said.
He also questioned Anwar’s remarks, which he interpreted as a demand for him and his children to sell off all their assets and hand the proceeds over to the government.
“On what basis is he making such a demand?,” he asked.
On a related matter, Dr Mahathir stressed that the large demonstration held on July 26 was not in support of him or his family, but rather a clear signal that the people had lost confidence in Anwar’s leadership.
He said public anger stemmed from the hardships and economic pressures faced under Anwar's administration as Prime Minister.
“The July 26 protest was not held to support me or my children. The people are calling for Anwar to step down. They don’t want him because his leadership has caused great suffering.
“If he doesn’t believe the people have rejected him, he should dissolve Parliament and call for a general election.
“It wasn’t Members of Parliament who demonstrated. So any motion in Parliament is irrelevant,” he added.