Why didn’t Pakatan protest when Zahid was charged, asks Dr M

PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is questioning why Pakatan Harapan ministers did not protest when Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was charged if they believe he had abused his powers when he was prime minister.

The former premier slammed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over his interview with Bloomberg over the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) granted to the Deputy Prime Minister.

“If I had misused my powers and ordered the prosecutor at the time to pressure Ahmad Zahid, why didn’t any ministers or leaders from Pakatan – Anwar included – question the matter? Many other Cabinet ministers then were from Pakatan and PKR.

“If they were scared to say anything then, it is quite comical that when it came to handing the prime minister position over to Anwar, they were spirited and loud,” said Dr Mahathir.

He added everyone supported the charges then as it was done according to the rule of law.

He also confirmed that he had told the Umno president to dissolve the party.

“It is true I told Ahmad Zahid to dissolve Umno because I was certain he would use the party as a tool, a bargaining chip, to prevent himself from being charged with corruption,” he said.

He also alleged that Ahmad Zahid did so twice during Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s tenures as prime minister.

He claimed when Muhyiddin disagreed, Ahmad Zahid withdrew Umno’s support.

He then claimed that during Ismail Sabri’s tenure, Ahmad Zahid attempted it again but the then-prime minister believed public sentiment was against the Umno president.

“Because of that, Ismail Sabri dissolved Parliament to trigger the (2015) general election,” he claimed.