MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong has expressed surprise over Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's argument that Khazanah Nasional is “not the government”.

If this is the case, he wondered why Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali, who is one of Khazanah's directors, was so interested in the sovereign wealth fund's previous investment in lingerie.

Wee also questioned whether this was the stand of Pakatan Harapan parties or Mahathir's personal opinion.

He recalled that Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had given his assurance that the third national car project would not involve public funds.

“As far I know, BN, during its rule, never sold Khazanah to the private sector. Since when has Khazanah been owned by the private sector under the Harapan government?” he asked.

Earlier today, Mahathir dismissed Wee's concern about the use of public funds for the project after it was announced that Siltera, which is wholly owned by Khazanah, is one of those shortlisted.

“Khazanah is not the government. It is a company...

“They are quite free to do business. If there is a company in Khazanah that is interested, they can still invest,” the prime minister, who is also Khazanah's chairperson, said.

Training his guns on Lim, Wee asked about the source of Siltera's investment fund.

“Lim, will Siltera's investment not involve public funds? If so, whose funds then?” he added.

Referring to Mahathir, the MCA leader posed another question peppered with sarcasm: “I wonder who appointed himself as chairperson of Khazanah recently?

“How can it be that Khazanah has nothing to do with the government?” he added, ending his Facebook post with the hashtag “#ridiculousanswer”.

Silterra, a semiconductor manufacturer, was set up in 1995 during Mahathir's first tenure as prime minister.

It appears that the firm's website has not been updated, for its chairperson is listed as the late Jamaluddin Jarjis, who died in a helicopter crash in 2016.