National car maker Proton should not have to choose suppliers linked to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said Prime Minister’s Department officer Rizal Mansor.

Rizal, who is also an aide to the prime minister’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, was responding to to Mahathir’s claim that the government was trying to bankrupt Proton in a bid to destroy his legacy.

Rizal said Proton was now being managed professionally.

“I am confident that the Proton management are managing professionally and will choose suppliers and contractors that offer high quality with reasonable price.

“Proton’s management should not choose suppliers or contractors simply because they are old acquaintances of the former prime minister,” he said in a Facebook posting today.

Mahathir was in March sacked as Petronas adviser and he subsequently resigned as Proton chairperson in the same month.

Mahathir said he had resigned as he knew he was not liked by the current government and therefore did not want to affect Proton’s ability to recover.

He noted that Proton, which was at that time seeking a loan from the government, was facing trouble with Putrajaya.

The RM1.5 billion loan was granted to Proton after Mahathir’s departure.

Yesterday, Mahathir, who founded Proton, said in a blog post that the national car maker was being blocked from having any relations with him.

He claimed Proton officials were not even allowed to speak to him and those who are his friends were denied business opportunities with Proton.

He claimed this was because the government, under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, wanted to bankrupt his brainchild so that it could be sold cheaply.

Mahathir had also complained that the Inland Revenue Board had gone after his friends for additional taxes even though they had already paid their share.

Rizal questioned whether Mahathir’s move to set up Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) was to protect his business interests.

“Is their (Bersatu) struggle merely for business people and tycoons they know so that they do not need to pay taxes or can do business with Proton?” he said.