KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has decided to reject the offer of a plot of land and house, worth RM100 million, from the government.
The decision, he said, was made after the matter caused some unease among the public, especially with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
"I have decided to reject the offer, although principally, the application was made based on my eligibility as former prime minister.
"I'm aware that the people are facing tough times, where the country's priority should be on the people," he told a press conference today.
Najib said although the offer was not approved yet, it was not him that requested for the government to fork out RM100 million.
"The government asked me to choose (from three options), so I decided what's best for me," he said, adding that he did not want the matter to become an issue during the Melaka election.
Najib added the application was made in 2018, under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980.
During the press conference, Najib also suggested to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to review the privileges accorded to former prime ministers under the act.
"If there is a need, the government should withdraw all the privileges for the former prime ministers, including those after me," he said.
Meanwhile, when asked whether the Pekan MP was aware of the value of the plot of land, he said: "I'm not aware of the value. I came to know after it was publicised because I was not involved with the evaluation."