KUALA LUMPUR: There is a worry that with Umno back in power now, their leaders who are currently tried in court may get off scot-free, claims Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pix).
The former premier said this was evident when the party was the ruling government before Pakatan Harapan took over in May 2018, with court decisions consistently being manipulated.
Mahathir said was due to this that he refused to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in teaming up with Umno to form the new government.
“The court may find it embarrassing to take action against the (new) government. We have seen this before during (former premier Datuk Seri) Najib Abdul Razak’s time.
“He was able to manipulate the court, even influence decisions made by the court,” he told a press conference, here, today.
“I believe if the new government is installed with Najib and others there as well, this is what will happen again. And it is because of that I refuse (to work together),” he added.
Najib is currently on trial for multiple charges of corruption and abuse of power involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad and SRC International.
Other Umno leaders, including current president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, have also been charged for various offences.
