Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has jumped the gun in seeking to freeze assets belonging to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, an Umno deputy minister claimed today.

Deputy Agriculture And Agro-based Industries Deputy Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said that Najib is being "victimised" by Mahathir's action.

"Any person who at his own whim decided to seek an injunction (to freeze assets), that is a problem.

"The persons involved will be victimised. It will cause him trouble," said the Umno supreme council member.

Tajuddin also claimed that it is unfair for Mahathir to seek the injunction based on his own "suspicions" over the source of funds deposited in Najib's bank accounts.

"Freezing assets, money, is also a form of punishment because it will cause trouble for the person involved. That is unfair.

"Is it fair for me to freeze your assets based only on my own suspicions? It must only be based on investigations and evidence. Only then will it be fair to Najib," said the Pasir Salak MP.

Tajuddin said this when asked for comment on Mahathir's move this morning to file an application for a mareva injunction against Najib.

He was met after attending the groundbreaking ceremony for Latitud8, a transit-oriented development project for Prasarana Group that is being undertaken by Intan Sekitar Sdn Bhd, a joint- venture company chaired by his daughter.

The application filed at the High Court was to freeze or prevent the prime minister from transferring, reducing (withdrawing) or dealing with assets worth RM2.642 billion.

Mahathir, along with former Batu Kawan Umno vice-head Khairuddin Abu Hassan and former Langkawi Umno member Anina Saadudin, also filed an application for discovery, requiring Najib to inform and itemise his assets, including properties, credit balance, money and other assets kept in banks, financial institutions and as company shares.