Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad today clarified that he is not being paid for his services as an adviser to several companies.

Mahathir, who stepped down last year after 22 years in power, stressed that he is currently only receiving his pension.

Since his retirement, the former premier has been appointed adviser to Petronas, Proton, the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) and Tioman Development Authority.

"I wish to explain that I am not getting even a single sen from being the adviser to Petronas, Proton, Lada and Tioman. I only have an office provided by Petronas," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Mahathir said he needed to explain this matter because there had been talk that he was receiving certain allowances from being the adviser to these companies and agencies.

Review honorarium

In another development, the former premier called for the review of the honorarium of RM10,000 paid by Penang each year to Kedah for the acquisition of the Penang island and Seberang Perai.

He said the amount was no longer suitable at present as the payment agreement was made during the British colonial rule.

"Kedah should ask Penang for a review of the payment," he said at a reception given in his honour at Wisma Darul Aman in Alor Setar last night.

"We must make a demand because with RM10,000 now you can't even buy a house, or else we ask that Penang and Seberang Perai be returned to us," quipped the Kedah-born Mahathir.

He said that when the agreement was made, the British agreed to pay 10,000 in silver but this was later based on the currency of the straits settlement states, whose value was much lesser.

Free water

Mahathir also said Kedah should also consider charging Penang for the raw water it had received for free for years.

"Singapore and Malacca have to pay to get the water from Johor but Kedah, a poor state at that, supplies raw water for free to a rich state like Penang," he said.

He said that when the Penang state government privatised its water supply, it meant that it made money from the free water it got from Kedah.

Earlier in his speech, Mahathir apologised to the Kedah state government for not being able to fulfil all his promises pertaining to the development of Kedah when he was prime minister.