SHAH ALAM (July 14): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had been prepared to come to court to testify in support of Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, the widow of former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, in her bid to set aside the RM313.8 million tax that the Inland Revenue Board has wanted to impose on her since 2024.
This claim was disclosed by Na’imah’s counsel, Datuk S Saravana Kumar, to High Court judge Evawani Farisyta Mohammad, who is hearing the merits of Na’imah’s judicial review bid to set aside the additional tax imposed on her.
However, Saravana Kumar said he had advised the elderly statesman against coming to court and said that an affirmed affidavit would be sufficient.
Mahathir was prime minister twice, the first time between 1982 and 2004, and again from 2018 until 2020. He reached the age of 101 last week, and had recently had a fall where he suffered a hip fracture.
Following the lawyer’s advice, Mahathir had affirmed an affidavit in support on July 21 last year, to verify that Daim had served twice in the Cabinet as the finance minister between 1984 and 1991, and again from 1998 until 2001.
“His tenure as Finance Minister was defined by discipline, foresight, and integrity, where, in 1985 Malaysia faced global recession and it was under his stewardship that the nation weathered that storm. In 1998, when the Asian Financial Crisis struck, I personally called him back to help rebuild the Malaysian economy, and he did so without hesitation.
“Daim’s astute financial management and foresight were the main reasons Malaysia was able to recover from the Asian Financial Crisis quicker than our neighbouring countries,” the former PM said in his affidavit.
Mahathir said that during his tenure as PM, ministers were required to declare their wealth, and this included Daim.
‘Daim was wealthy before joining Cabinet, no evidence of corruption’
“The declarations from the ministers were then passed on to the Anti-Corruption Agency (now known as the Malaysian Anti-Corrruption Commission) who reviewed and scrutinised those declarations. To the best of my knowledge, there was no evidence of corruption, wrong-doing, or self-enrichment in relation to Daim’s assets and wealth. His wealth long predated his entry into politics.
“He did not need or ask for the Cabinet appointments; but it was the nation that needed him more, and he unselfishly responded to the call to serve the nation. That is the calibre of the man, the patriotism that he displayed as a proud Malaysian,” Mahathir said.
Mahathir lamented that now, the very institutions Daim helped strengthen were being weaponised against his family.
“Under clear political instruction, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Inland Revenue Board are engaged in what can only be described as a systemic campaign of vengeance to tarnish his legacy,” the statesman said.
“Even after his passing, his family is being hounded. This is not governance, this is retribution. It is widely reported even in the press that the current PM (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) had ordered the MACC chief to investigate me and Tun Daim personally. What is happening now is a continuation of abuse of power, a witch hunt dressed and disguised in the language of accountability,” Mahathir said, adding that Daim was already a multi-millionaire before being in the Cabinet.
Mahathir’s affidavit was read in parts by Saravana Kumar.
Na’imah had obtained leave (permission) to have the judicial review to be heard on its merits by High Court judge Dr Shahnaz Sulaiman (now a Court of Appeal judge) on April 22 last year.
Judge Evawani Farisyta is hearing the merits of the judicial review application on Tuesday, and has fixed Aug 6 to deliver her decision.