KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has decided to withdraw his request for a residence reportedly worth RM100 million from the government.

He said the decision was made after the issue had been turned into the Melaka state election propaganda.

"I did not ask to be paid RM100 million or ask the government to spend RM100 million as a gift to me. My application has not even been approved. I do not understand why it is made the main propaganda of Melaka state election, when I am not even a candidate, UMNO president or Barisan Nasional chairman.

"I have decided to withdraw my application for the residence. I do not want this issue to be used in the Melaka state election campaign," he said in a Facebook posting today.

He said the RM100 million could be put into a special fund, to be given as interest-free loans to those who had long asked for an increase in the maximum withdrawal for the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) i-Citra facility.

"The RM100 million can benefit 20,000 recipients with a value of RM5,000 each," he said.

-- BERNAMA