Dr M demands PM prove he 'amassed wealth' claim

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has demanded Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim prove often-repeated claims that he had, while in power, amassed wealth for personal riches.

Mahathir said this was as Anwar had used the claims as an excuse to allegedly stop the recent Malay People's Proclamation event that invited the nonagenarian as a guest.

"I want to see evidence from Anwar that I had amassed wealth for me, my family, and my children.

"Hurling accusations without proof is easy. But an unproven accusation cannot be accepted as truth. That is slander," Mahathir said in a statement.

At the recent PKR special congress, Anwar called on Malays to not be fooled by leaders who claim to fight for their rights but at the same time go on to amass wealth.

"There is someone now who, after 22 years and 22 months of being in power, is lamenting about Malays losing everything, losing assets, shares.

“How not to, when you have amassed them for yourself, your family, and your children? Then when you have lost power, you speak about (issues concerning) the people," the PKR president said several days before the cancelled pro-Malay gathering.

Mahathir today insisted that all the Malay losses only happened after his 22 years in power, and again when the first Pakatan Harapan government was toppled.

"That is why I'm lamenting now," he said.

He further claimed that to reject the pro-Malay gathering would mean the government has, with Umno as its partner, rejected the Federal Constitution and the party's constitution with promises to protect Malay rights.

The former Langkawi MP had also previously painted Anwar as an oppressor over alleged attempts to stop the pro-Malay gathering.

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