Dr M vents frustration over claims that Harapan is like BN

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today vented his frustration over claims that Pakatan Harapan was similar to BN.

"Is it true? Did we borrow RM42 billion? Did we have our own 1MDB? Did I steal money? Did I bribe people? Prove it if I bribed people and you can take me to court and charge," he told journalists in Kuala Lumpur today.

Mahathir said the Harapan government was doing many things that the previous BN government would not have done.

"To say there is no difference (between Harapan and BN), only a blind, deaf and dumb person will say that there is no difference.

"We are going to limit the term of the prime minister to two terms. Did (former prime minister) Najib Abdul Razak do that?

"We are going to debate 1MDB, did Najib allow debate on 1MDB or anything else? Nothing.

"People do not appreciate the good things they receive. They only see the bad things because they want to bring down this government," said the Bersatu chairperson, who is also Harapan chairperson.

Mahathir was concurring with DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang's claim that there were efforts to undermine the Harapan government.

The prime minister added that those who were close to him when Najib was the prime minister were punished but Najib's friends are not being treated like that despite his fall from power.

"We had restriction on news before, you know. If you make friends with me, you would get into trouble in Najib's time.

"But now, there are lots of people who are very close to Najib, going around and making funny assertions like 'Cash is king but by king I mean the people'.

"How idiotic can you be? Am I like that? Do I make a stupid assertion like that?" he said.

Mahathir also cited the continued objections to the implementation of jawi khat lessons in primary schools as an example of alleged attempts to undermine the government.

"Well, you don't want it, okay. You don't have to take it. We keep telling you over and over again - It is optional.

"You don't have to take it. But no, you must do this and that. But for people who want to take it, what is the problem? That's their choice.

"You don't want to take it, you don't take it. I can't understand this kind (of people)," he told journalists in Kuala Lumpur today.

The Education Ministry had initially planned to introduce six pages of jawi khat lessons to the Year 4 Bahasa Malaysia textbook but reduced this to three pages and made them optional after strong push back from the non-Malay community.

However, there were continued objections, prompting the government to take additional measures, requiring the lessons to also be endorsed by the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) before implementation.

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