The Malaysian Insight

TONY Pua was arrogant and behaved like a minister when he was only a political secretary, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.

The Langkawi MP did not mention Pua by name, but instead said the business community had complained about an individual when he was prime minister.

“Other business partners told me he was arrogant and behaved as if he was a minister. As a political secretary, you are supposed to report on politics, not implement government policies,” he said, referencing to Pua, who was political secretary of former finance minister Lim Guan Eng.

“Others also told me that this man was arrogant. If I were to cite them all, I would fill pages of a book, but I took just one case.”

Dr Mahathir – in his new book Capturing Hope: The Struggle Continues, which will be published on December 12 – wrote that a DAP man, whom he did not name, was “delegated a lot” by Lim, but had come to think that he had power over civil servants.

He claimed that the individual had taken part in business negotiations involving the government, despite not being empowered to do so, and resorted to threats.

Dr Mahathir was referring to The Exchange 106 project, which is part of the controversial Tun Razak Exchange.

In 2016, former prime minister Najib Razak had agreed to a RM1.8 billion fund for the project through a government guarantee to bail it out, in exchange for a 51% “temporary” Finance Ministry ownership to Mulia Property Development Sdn Bhd, the developer.

Should Mulia fail to repay the RM1.8 billion loan within 36 months, the Finance Ministry will have the right to purchase the remaining 49% for RM1.

Pua had earlier today responded to Dr Mahathir, denying that he interfered in business negotiations involving the government.

He said the nonagenarian had singled him out as a trusted adviser to Lim and accused him of unauthorised involvement in government business.

Dr Mahathir also claimed that the DAP man had threatened Mulia.

“As far as we are concerned, he has put his money during Najib’s time. He had to go to the government to raise money. If he fails to complete the project, the government will acquire it for RM1.

“This is true, this is the agreement, but we should not threaten the investors. Somebody who is not a minister going around threatening them shows that you are arrogant, and people dislike this.

“Because of this person, a lot of business people are against the government. They feel that we are not sympathetic to their cause.”

Dr Mahathir said he is in favour of business people as they are able to create jobs and wealth.

“I agree that I favour business people. It creates jobs and wealth. If they do not invest, we will be poor.

“We favour foreign investors as they create jobs, put money in the country and increase our exports, and the country grows.” – December 7, 2021.