Dr M, are you ready to answer for your corrupt ways too?

While it is good that Mahathir Mohamad is needling Najib Razak over 1MDB, he himself has yet to admit to his many corrupt practices while PM.

COMMENT

By Rahman Mohd Irwan

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has declared war for all intents and purposes against the Malaysian Government in his blogsite Chedet, with multiple attacks against 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and current Prime Minister Najib Razak in a 29-point posting.

Since he feels it is alright for him to ask so many questions based on what others are claiming to be shady dealings by 1MDB and Najib, maybe it’s time for him to also answer so many claims of corruption made against him.

Dr M should start by replying to one of his most vocal critics – hedge fund manager George Soros – who outlined a very long list of the former PM’s wrongdoings in an article published in The Bangkok Post in 2012. Soros has made his opinion of Dr M clear. “Your 3 sons are worth US$8 billion. Where do they get this money? Of course, corruption.”

“You are known as the Marcos of Malaysia, having enriched yourself to the tune of billions.”

“You have more foolishness than most people would believe. Billions are used to build two high rise Petronas buildings that benefit nobody. They now stand tall, a symbol of stupidity and irresponsibility.

“What is this reclamation of 10 islands off Kedah? Totally absurd and stupid. Of course your benefit is 20%.”

“And the bridge from Malacca to Sumatra across international waters? Why not build a bridge to the moon? I am sure you still can get your 20%.”

“You called me a moron. How can a moron make so much money? By allowing short selling and borrowing millions of shares from your banks, we fund managers made millions out of your inexperience and poor regulations.”

“You lose all Malaysians’ money, therefore you are the moron.”

And then there’s Barry Wain, former editor of the Asian Wall Street Journal and a Writer-in-Residence at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

The Australian journalist, who has lived in Asia for 40 odd years, wrote in his 2009 book ‘Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times’ that Dr M had wasted RM100 billion during his tenure as PM.

Wain wrote that most of the scams, which included a government attempt to manipulate the international tin price and gambling by Bank Negara on global currency markets, occurred in the 1980s.

Wain also wrote that Dr M used a secret fund of his ruling UMNO to turn the party into a vast conglomerate with investments that spanned almost the entire economy. All these are serious accusations which need to be answered by Dr M, who has so far just dismissed them with bare denials.

Since he expects the current administration to come clean with detailed answers to what’s happening with 1MDB, is Dr M ready to do the same for accusations still outstanding against him?

Rahman Mohd Irwan is an FMT reader.