JOHOR BARU: Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today that he never had to pay money to meet with US presidents during his tenure as the prime minister.
Commenting on the US President Donald Trump-Datuk Seri Najib Razak's meet recently, he claimed that the prime minister was using the US$20 billion investment to the US for a photo opportunity with Trump.
He added that Najib knew he would not have been able to meet with Trump if he had gone to the US empty handed.
"That is why he took the money and said that the investments will help save the US economy. All this just so he can have a photo opportunity with Turmp.
"I had also met with US presidents before but I never gave a sen to them and I can take a lot of photos with them," said Dr Mahathir, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman.
He said this in his speech at the launch of Johor Pakatan Harapan in Taman Dahlia last night. Also present were PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Parti Amanah Negara deputy president Sallehuddin Ayub, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang and PKR secretary general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution.
Dr Mahathir said if Najib used the money to build affordable houses for the people, a lot of people would benefit and be able to own their own homes.
A report earlier this month however stated that Datuk Megat Fairouz Junaidi had claimed that his father, Tan Sri Megat Junid Megat Ayub, met several people and paid millions of ringgit to several lobbyists, upon receiving instruction from Dr Mahathir to arrange for a meeting with President George W Bush.
Megat Fairouz claimed the instruction was received in April 2001 with the intention to boost the former prime minister's image among the US administration.
Najib had also pointed out that Dr Mahathir had paid millions of ringgit to a Hong Kong-based lobbyist to set a meeting with Bush, adding that the lobbyist was paid with the award of a lucrative project, which he and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, were aware of.