Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad believes there is no need for Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali to go on leave until the police conclude their investigation into a sex video scandal allegedly implicating the latter.
He said the issue was political in nature, and that Azmin would not obstruct the investigations.
‘Why? They (police) can continue (their investigations).
‘He is not going to be an obstruction to the investigation,” he said after attending the Prime Minister’s Department’s Hari Raya open house yesterday.
Dr Mahathir said this was different from incidences when Pakatan Harapan and had urged Barisan Nasional leaders to take a leave of absence from their official duties when it was in the opposition.
‘If it is an investigation of wrongdoing or crime, they can take leave.
‘But this is a political thing. In fact, it is intended to embarrass him. I don’t like this kind of political (game)
The political secretary to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, had recently urged Azmin to resign.
Anwar, however, had voiced his disagreement with his view.
Two explicit video clips, which showed two people in a compromising position,were recently distributed to the media by unknown sources.
The videos allegedly implicated Azmin with Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz, who was the senior private secretary to Deputy Primary Industries Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.
Azmin, who is PKR deputy president, had since denied the allegations, and said it was an attempt to destroy his reputation and political career.
He said the bid was a PKR inside job.
Dr Mahathir said any decision on whether Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would stay on as deputy prime minister or make way for Anwar to step in would be his to make.
Responding to a call by Jeram assemblyman Mohd Shaid Rosli that Anwar becoming the deputy prime minister was a necessary step for him to succeed Dr Mahathir,he said anyone had the right to propose a move.
‘They have the right to propose it.
‘They can make proposals. Whether I accept it, is a different matter,” he said.
Dr Mahathir refuted Turkish author and journalist Mustafa Akyol’s claim that he made disparaging comments against the Jewish people during his talk at the visit to the United Kingdom.
‘That is my opinion. They talk about free speech, but I can’t say that thing (about the Jews). That is not free speech. This is why I say the Europeans have double standards.
‘When they like something, it is free speech. When (they) don’t like it, I cannot say (my views). That’s wrong.