Mahathir: RM1.6bn spent on 2013 elections
Former premier slams Shahrir, Hishammuddin and Zahid
(Free Malaysia Today) – Dr Mahathir Mohamad has accused “all the leaders of Umno” of having been bought off by party leader Najib Razak and said he had been told that the party had spent RM1.6 billion on the general election of 2013.
The former premier, who is leading a campaign to force Najib out of office, provided no other details of the expenditure.
Dr Mahathir’s accusations were made in relation to a reported deposit of RM2.6 billion in Najib’s private bank accounts in March 2013 which were said to be a donation from the Middle East to help secure victory for Umno and the Barisan Nasional at the elections held in May that year.
He accused Shahrir Samad, MP for Johor Baru, of changing his mind after being critical of the government investment arm 1Malaysia Development Bhd. “Shahrir said openly it is all right to receive money from the party president,” Dr Mahathir said, referring to Shahrir’s response to a report about a million-ringgit cheque in his name.
He said Shahrir, now a Najib supporter, “obvously he has taken money, that is why he changed his mind”.
He made a similar indirect remark about defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who is Najib’s cousin, and home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was recently made deputy prime minister in Najib’s cabinet and has come strongly to Najib’s defence.
