KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has said that he and his family members were not involved in any “corrupt practices.”
Earlier, Reuters reported that Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission stated that Mahathir was among people being investigated over a corruption investigation that involved his sons.
Mahathir’s sons —Mokhzani and Mirzan— were in January ordered to declare their assets as part of the probe. Talking to an interview, Mahathir told CNBC that his time, there was corruption but he was not involved in any corrupt practice. The former Prime Minister said that even his family was not involved in corruption in the country. He maintained that he and his sons would “cooperate,” completely with Malaysia’s anti-corruption body.
“So far, the officials of anti-corruption body have only asked my sons to make the declaration of assets. The probe does not involve demanding that I declare my assets,” the former PM said.
Mahathir’s sons said that their father was the main target in the corrupt probe on whether he “abused his power as PM.”
Similarly, Malaysia’s former minister for foreign affairs Daim Zainuddin, an ally of former PM Mahathir, has also come under probe lately over financial dealings, local media reported.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to root out corruption but critics have accused him of targeting his political opponents — allegations he has rejected.
