GE14 | Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has claimed that Pakatan Harapan is planning to launch a "surprise last-minute attack" for the 14th general election.

According to Bernama, he alleged that a plot has been detected where Mahathir would be admitted into a hospital to gain sympathy votes.

He said the alleged plot could not be discounted on grounds that Mahathir had made allegations that his aircraft had been sabotaged.

"It was because he wanted to get sympathy one day before nomination day, claiming that the incident was to get him disqualified to contest in the Langkawi parliamentary seat.

"We know him because we have worked for him. His strategy and tactics may have changed, but the template remains the same, to confuse the voters, to gain sympathy and blame others, even if the weakness is with him," he added.

Zahid was speaking to reporters after attending a village feast held as part of the meet-the-people programme organised by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia for the Bagan Datuk parliamentary constituency at Kampung Pasang Api today.

Also present were Information director-general Ibrahim Abdul Rahman and BN candidate for Rungkup state seat Shahrul Zaman Yahya.

Zahid, who would be defending his Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat for the sixth time in GE14, urged voters not to be duped by the desperate tactics of the opposition to gain sympathy.

He said if Mahathir was not satisfied, he could ask an independent body or company to look at the report released by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).

"I do not think (CAMM chairperson) Azharuddin A Rahman hid anything.

“He is not involved with any party and acted in a professional capacity. So Mahathir should seek an explanation from a credible party, which means he must be confident with the system he himself set up," he said.

Last Saturday, Azharuddin rejected the allegation that the aircraft which was to fly Mahathir from Subang to Langkawi had been sabotaged.

Azharuddin said the Bombardier Challenger CL60 aircraft managed by Vista Jet Limited could not depart following a minor and routine technical fault which involved an air leakage from the left nose wheel.

Mahathir, who turns 93 in July, is contesting the Langkawi parliamentary seat and is also the opposition coalition's choice for prime minister.