Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he spent less than RM50 million in total for all the five general elections which he had presided over as the country’s Prime Minister.
“The 2 billion Ringgit plus for elections is absurd. I needed less than 10 million for each of the five elections I presided over and I won them all with more than 2/3 majority,” he wrote on his blog today.
“Why do you need 2.6 billion plus or 2600 million Ringgit. Is it to bribe politicians and civil servants, or to rig the elections. That would not be right , much less legal,” he said.
The former premier was commenting on the RM2.6 billion deposited into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal account. Najib had since declared the funds to be from political donors.
Dr Mahathir said spending more than RM2 billion for elections in Malaysia by any party is wrong.
READ: 'I've never deposited campaign donations into my personal account' - Tun M
He also voiced concern that political funds in such exorbitant amounts might lead to vote rigging and bribery.
“With the huge funds at his disposal he would be in a position to bribe his way to victory. He may also use the money to rig the election,” he wrote, referring to Najib.
He said by declaring that the funds of RM2.6 billion was political donations, Najib is now safe from being charged with illegally amassing funds.
On Sunday, Najib said he had never questioned party funds when he was the UMNO deputy president.
He said this was a practice, even from the time of Dr Mahathir where he said his deputies also never questioned him over the matter as it was the party president who was entrusted with the funds.
He said at times when party machinery needed financial aid, they would come to him.
“Can ask from me. The Menteri Besar also can ask from me. But who would I ask from? I need to work for it,” he said at the UMNO Pasir Gudang division meeting.
Najib also reiterated that in obtaining the donations, he had not broken any laws.
“That is why the MACC had confirmed that the funds were not from 1MDB and not bribes,” he said ,adding that the funds were also not for his personal use.
“The 2 billion Ringgit plus for elections is absurd. I needed less than 10 million for each of the five elections I presided over and I won them all with more than 2/3 majority,” he wrote on his blog today.
“Why do you need 2.6 billion plus or 2600 million Ringgit. Is it to bribe politicians and civil servants, or to rig the elections. That would not be right , much less legal,” he said.
The former premier was commenting on the RM2.6 billion deposited into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal account. Najib had since declared the funds to be from political donors.
Dr Mahathir said spending more than RM2 billion for elections in Malaysia by any party is wrong.
READ: 'I've never deposited campaign donations into my personal account' - Tun M
He also voiced concern that political funds in such exorbitant amounts might lead to vote rigging and bribery.
“With the huge funds at his disposal he would be in a position to bribe his way to victory. He may also use the money to rig the election,” he wrote, referring to Najib.
He said by declaring that the funds of RM2.6 billion was political donations, Najib is now safe from being charged with illegally amassing funds.
On Sunday, Najib said he had never questioned party funds when he was the UMNO deputy president.
He said this was a practice, even from the time of Dr Mahathir where he said his deputies also never questioned him over the matter as it was the party president who was entrusted with the funds.
He said at times when party machinery needed financial aid, they would come to him.
“Can ask from me. The Menteri Besar also can ask from me. But who would I ask from? I need to work for it,” he said at the UMNO Pasir Gudang division meeting.
Najib also reiterated that in obtaining the donations, he had not broken any laws.
“That is why the MACC had confirmed that the funds were not from 1MDB and not bribes,” he said ,adding that the funds were also not for his personal use.
