INTERVIEW | Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, who played a significant role in exposing the 1MDB scandal and became a thorn in the previous administration, revealed how she had reservations about Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his motives.

In an interview with Malaysiakini this morning, she was asked about former premier Najib Abdul Razak's claim of a conspiracy against him.

It was pointed out to her that in the past, former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail and MACC were often accused of not defending the rule of law or refraining from acting against members of the ruling elite, but somehow exceeded expectations when it concerned Najib.

“I think that (the perception about Abdul Gani and MACC) is interesting and probably valid,” said Rewcastle-Brown.

This is where the Sarawak Report editor believes Mahathir might have pulled some strings.

“My guess is he (Mahathir) was talking to a lot people and using his influence. I mean by that (time) he had already become very vocal, hadn't he?

“I'm pretty sure he was putting pressure on people he had connections to and so forth to move against Najib. I am sure you are right. That is why some who did act on this might not have acted in the past,” she said.

However, Rewcastle-Brown, who was also accused of being part of the conspiracy, said her interest in the 1MDB scandal was purely from a journalistic perspective.

“Let's not extend the conspiracy to myself.

“I certainly wasn't involved in any conspiracy. In fact, at that stage as a journalist, I will never wholly trust anybody. I certainly wasn't wholly trusting of Mahathir or his motives at that time.

“You know, but this was a jolly good story, that's how I saw it,” she added.

The London-based Rewcastle-Brown, who is currently in Malaysia, said she found it fascinating that various forces had come together on the 1MDB scandal.

“And you know to give these people their due, the scale of 1MDB and was out of the ordinary even in Malaysia.

“It's one thing to have a culture of graft that had got worse and worse within the ruling establishment, but this was off the whole scale and I think it shocked a lot of senior people, that had tolerated less grasping behaviour in the past,” she added.