Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has cast doubt on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) announcement that it will investigate alleged assets he is said to hold in the United Kingdom, describing the move as both baffling and politically convenient for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In his latest statement, the former prime minister expressed astonishment at the claim, saying he had never been aware of any such holdings abroad. Instead of denying outright, Mahathir remarked that if these assets truly existed, he should be informed so he could claim them. He added that, in such a scenario, he would prefer to channel them to benefit the poor rather than keep them for himself.
The veteran leader suggested that the timing of MACC’s probe was no coincidence. He linked the development directly to Anwar, recalling how he had previously summoned the prime minister for a court case. According to Mahathir, Anwar had initially requested two weeks to prepare his response. Nearly two years later, however, Mahathir said the case had yet to proceed because of repeated delays.
By focusing attention on a fresh investigation into his alleged UK assets, Mahathir argued that authorities were providing Anwar with another avenue to prolong proceedings. He noted that asset investigations are lengthy processes, and in his view, this played directly into the prime minister’s strategy of avoiding courtroom confrontation.
Mahathir also highlighted the irony of the situation, pointing out that the narrative of his supposed foreign wealth was being advanced without any evidence or formal notice to him. He described the entire affair as a distraction, designed less to uncover truth and more to buy political time.
Although he refrained from mentioning names beyond Anwar and MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, Mahathir’s tone suggested deep frustration with what he perceives as an institutional maneuver to shield the prime minister from legal accountability.
For now, the matter remains clouded in uncertainty. No details have surfaced regarding the nature or scale of the alleged UK assets, and the MACC has not elaborated on how it came to suspect their existence. As Mahathir waits to see whether the commission provides any concrete information, the former prime minister’s words indicate he views the probe less as a genuine search for hidden wealth and more as a calculated pause in his ongoing legal battle with Anwar.
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