[UPDATED] I’ve declared assets, no issue with Dr Mahathir’s challenge: Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hit back at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the latter challenged the Pakatan Harapan chairman to declare his alleged amassed wealth. 

An ostensibly bemused Anwar said that since he had declared his assets previously, he has no issue with the challenge by the former prime minister, who recently accused Anwar of helping “cronies” when he was a cabinet member in the 1990s.

“I have no problem (with declaring my wealth) as I have already done so in the past. 

“In fact, I recently declared RM11 million and out of that, RM10 million is the cost for my house in Segambut. 

“This is not private information as it is public knowledge,” Anwar told reporters after attending a Madani Aidilfitri celebration at Dataran Merdeka here today.

Anwar, who is also Tambun MP, reiterated assertions that the public is no stranger to the supposedly many riches enjoyed by Dr Mahathir’s children.

“If the children have planes, ships, and companies worth billions of ringgit, what more proof do you need? Everyone knows about it,” he said. 

On Monday, the former prime minister had called on Anwar to reveal the wealth he had allegedly gathered during his stint under Dr Mahathir’s government as deputy prime minister and finance minister. 

This came after Anwar previously alleged that numerous Malay political leaders accumulated massive wealth during their time in politics.

Anwar voiced the allegation at multiple events, including the government’s Madani Aidilfitri open house in Penang last week, where he claimed that wealthy Malays with “Tun” and “Tan Sri” titles would talk about saving the Malays, but instead enriched themselves and their family members.

In an earlier speech in March, Anwar had made reference to a Malay leader who had been in power for 22 years, leading to Dr Mahathir filing a RM150 million defamation suit against him. – The Vibes, May 13, 2023