Malaysia’s Mahathir slams Anwar over corruption probe against son Mirzan, challenges government to charge him

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) last week (January 18) ordered Mirzan Mahathir, the eldest son of the two-time premier, to declare his domestic and overseas assets within 30 days.

The order was part of investigations into the sale and purchase of some government-linked corporations (GLCs) and revelations from the Panama Papers.

Mahathir, now 98, said the investigation into his son was a clear case of selective persecution, especially after senior leaders including Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and MACC chief Azam Baki were cleared of corruption following investigations into their separate cases.

“I am prepared to be investigated. I can tell you which bank accounts, everything. The government can have access,” the former prime minister and sworn rival of Anwar told reporters.

“But don’t make use of government law in order to threaten people.”

Last year, the attorney-general dropped a corruption case against Ahmad Zahid while Azam was earlier cleared of wrongdoing over his stakes in several publicly listed companies.

Mahathir said he has also been accused by Anwar of enriching himself while he was in power, something that he said has not been proven by any evidence.

“Instead of investigating Anwar for making wrong statements, my son is being investigated and I am being threatened,” Mahathir said.

The nonagenarian leader, however, has also faced accusations of alleged corruption over the 22 years of his first prime ministership across everything from the finance to manufacturing sectors — allegations that he has denied.

Critics have said that the crackdown is an attempt at revenge by Anwar, whom Mahathir sacked as his deputy in 1998 and was later jailed on charges of corruption and sodomy.

Anwar and his