KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 11) : Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has questioned why businessman Tan Sri Halim Saad has decided to sue him just before the elections in six states on Saturday (Aug 12) after having not taken any action all this while.
Nevertheless, Mahathir said he would fight the suit, which also names former minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop and the federal government as defendants.
"I will answer the allegations (made against me) in court through my lawyers. I have nothing to hide," he said in a statement on Friday.
"I find the suit to be perplexing as Halim had prior to this tried to sue Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop and Khazanah Nasional Bhd but failed as the court dismissed his case in 2013."
Mahathir said he was informed by his lawyer that Halim is now suing him, Nor Mohamed and the government because the former prime minister had allegedly instructed the businessman to relinquish his interests in Renong Bhd and United Engineers Malaysia Bhd (UEM) without enjoying any profit.
Mahathir noted that Halim had claimed that he (Halim) did not agree with the instruction but Mahathir had abused his powers to force him to relinquish the interests in the two companies.
The businessman had also claimed that his constitutional rights had been violated, noted Mahathir.
Halim had filed the lawsuit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Aug 2.
Dr Mahathir said he is surprised that Halim is pursuing the legal action against him now just ahead of the state elections.
"Will the history of someone being deceitful in hiding their true intentions occur again?" he asked.