People lose respect for Dr Mahathir for inviting foreign intervention

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is reminded against doing anything that will eventually make the people lose respect for him.

The reminder came from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi following the call by Dr Mahathir that foreign powers intervene in the internal affairs of the country.

"Don't do anything that will cause the people who previously respect us for the good principles to eventually lose their respect for us.

"In this matter, it's good for us to look after our own political mould according to the ethics of our country...just use appropriate mould," he told reporters after closing the 1Malaysia Welfare Tour, Sunday.

Ahmad Zahid was commenting on the action of Dr Mahathir in an interview with the Australian newspaper, The Weekend Australian, that chances of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak relinquishing his post were slim if there was no external pressure.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Home Minister, said when Dr Mahathir was leading Malaysia previously, he had reminded government and UMNO leaders to always obey good leaders.

"So, don't change our stand by urging us to do the contrary.

"Previously, he (Dr Mahathir) was angry with us for using international relations to the extent that there were people who were accused of being foreign stooges," he said.

READ: UMNO veterans want action taken against Dr Mahathir under Sedition Act

Commenting on the Report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Ahmad Zahid said the police were given full power to carry out investigation.

He said the investigation would look into two aspects namely whether there were elements of commercial crime or violation of regulations in the affairs of the company.

"Regardless...we leave it to the police to carry out investigations if there were allegations with evidence to be taken to court," he said.

On Thursday, the PAC investigation on 1MDB found the structure of capital funding and financial performance of the investment company resulted in the corporate governance of the company to be weak.

However, in the 1MDB Governance Management Report, the PAC said the government had taken immediate action to improve the cash flow problem of the strategic investment company which cropped up in November 2014.

In SHAH ALAM, UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim said Dr Mahathir's call could be seen as selling the country's sovereignty.

"In my view he is treading a dangerous path in terms of national security," he told reporters.