Stop thinking Malaysians are stupid, Dr Mahathir tells Najib
Published: 26 August 2015 5:59 PM
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said in a blog post that nobody believes the huge sum in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's private accounts was a donation. – The Malaysian Insider pic, August 26, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should stop trying to convince Malaysians that the RM2.6 billion he received in his private accounts was a donation as no one could believe it, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
In his latest salvo against Najib today, the retired statesman also said the prime minister should stop thinking that Malaysians were stupid to buy the excuses.
"No one believes or can believe such a huge sum of money can be donated by anyone to Dato’ Sri Najib or to anyone for whatever reason," Dr Mahathir said in a blog post today.
"Stop thinking that Malaysians are stupid."
Dr Mahathir, who is the country's longest-serving prime minister, said Najib's explanation that the money was given to Malaysia in appreciation for fighting militant group Isis was "absurd".
"Explaining that it was given because of Malaysia’s stand against the Isis is absurd as the Isis showed their brand of terrorism only in 2014 whereas the money came in in 2013 or before," he said.
The retired statesman also poured cold water over claims that Najib had been given the donation for championing a moderate version of Islam, as said by Umno Kuantan division chief Wan Adnan Wan Mamat.
"Saying that it is because of Malaysia’s moderation in Islam is equally absurd as Malaysia had never been extreme in its practice of Islam," Dr Mahathir added.
Now one of Najib's biggest critics, he also questioned the amount given to the prime minister, noting that it was "too big" for Malaysian elections.
"Why 700 million dollars? Surely it is too big for the needs of Malaysian elections, except if it is to bribe the Malaysian electorate.
"Why should anyone want to bribe the Malaysian electorate so Najib would win. Malaysians have supported the BN without the need to be paid huge bribes by anyone, least of all by foreigners," he said.
Najib had initially denied that the funds in his accounts were from1MDB and said he had not taken them for personal gain.
After the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) confirmed that the money was a donation and not from 1MDB, Najib and various other Umno leaders said the donor had given the funds in support of Malaysia's stand against terrorism and because if its moderate Islam.
Wan Adnan had also reportedly said that Najib told Umno divisional leaders the money was in appreciation of Malaysia's "championing Islam", for practicing Sunni Islam and for fighting Isis.
Dr Mahathir had also previously rubbished claims that the donor had wanted Barisan Nasional to win the 2013 general election.
He said RM2.6 billion was a huge amount and that he himself had only needed less than RM10 million for each of the national polls he had presided over during his 22 years as prime minister, adding that even US President Barack Obama was unable to raise that much for his election campaign. – August 26, 2015.
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