Dr M laments vengeful vilification of Daim in his final days

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad laments the loss of his friend Daim Zainuddin, who passed away today.

Mahathir said Daim - who was his finance minister on two occasions - should have been glorified, but was instead the victim of vengeful vilification.

"I am sad beyond words. He should be lauded for his contributions to the struggle (for race, country, religion).

"But at the end of his life, he was condemned for no reason. No reason! Save for vengeance," he said in a statement today.

Daim and his wife Na'imah Abdul Khalid are being investigated by the MACC for alleged money laundering and graft.

The couple, who are being accused of accruing wealth through illicit means, claimed that they are being politically persecuted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir, in his statement today, prayed that Daim would be judged more fairly by God.

"Ya Allah, judge Daim justly. Place him in the afterlife among the champions of race.

"I can only pray. May we be reunited at some point," he said.

Daim first served as Mahathir's finance minister from 1984 to 1991.

He was appointed to the office again for a second tenure in 1999, also by Mahathir, before he resigned in 2001.

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