KUALA LUMPUR: The embattled trio of former ministers who want to discuss corruption must not fear talking about the role Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad played in the issue.
Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications Director Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan said this while referring to Umno’s sacking of Tun Daim Zainuddin and Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz. The two had repeatedly claimed that the party was beset with corruption scandals. And the party is also deliberating Tan Sri Rais Yatim’s future in it.
“If Rafidah, Rais and Daim want to talk about corruption and abuse of power they should not fear asking (Dr) Mahathir who has been labled the biggest corrupter in Malaysia by their friends in the opposition.
“Only then there will be credibility and legitimacy in their claims that they want to be anti-corruption champions.
“Rafidah and Daim have been implicated in the opposition’s allegation of corruption for decades. They can’t just be anti-corruption champions that easily now. This shows how plastic they are,” he said in a tweet today, following Umno’s decision to give the boot to the duo.
Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor announced the party’s decision to sack the two and reserve its decision on Rais until it was ascertained that he spoke against the party.
Rahman said that the trio were part of a legacy of the crony capitalist system established by Dr Mahathir.
He said that PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP’s premiere duo Lim Kit Siang and his son Lim Guan Eng have classified the system established by Dr Mahathir as systematic corruption involving tens of billions of ringgit.
“I’m sorry they have no credibility and have no legitimacy to speak on the issue.
“My skin crawls when Rafidah and Daim speak about corruption. The sensation is worse when (Dr) Mahathir is sitting and smiling on the same stage,” he said.