- Title: Ex PM says U.S. should "think twice" before returning 1MDB funds to Malaysia
- Date: 13th March 2020
- Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (MARCH 13, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MAHATHIR MOHAMAD LISTENING TO INTERVIEW QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD, SAYING: "When we took over, DOJ was willing to give it to us because we overthrew the people who stole the money. Now the people who stole the money are going to get back the money they stole. I think DOJ will have to think twice." MAHATHIR LISTENING TO INTERVIEW QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD, SAYING: "I don't know. Because people, even now keep on coming to see me with "please you have to go on". It will be very selfish of me to say that I don't care what happens to you, I want to have a good retirement." MAHATHIR MOHAMAD LISTENING TO QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD, SAYING: "To me, this is a duty. People come to ask me for help, ask me that I can contribute, I will contribute." VARIOUS OF MAHATHIR LISTENING TO QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD, SAYING: "Well I think he's just a bit impatient. I will step down then he can take over but to take over he must win the support of the people. At the moment I think he is not that popular. That is why when his name was used instead of my name, he did not get the majority. I would have got the majority. I lost 92 votes to him and I won 66 votes from others. 66 plus 92, I would be 150 over. I would have won." MAHATHIR LISTENING TO QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD, SAYING: "I will contest as chairman of the party that is the highest rank and I think Muhyiddin will try and contest for the president, but he will be challenged. Other people will also be challenged." VARIOUS OF MAHATHIR MAHATHIR SITTING AT HIS WORKTABLE VARIOUS OF MAHATHIR TALKING
- Embargoed: 27th March 2020 11:35
- Keywords: 1MDB Kuala Lumpur Mahathir Malaysia U.S.
- Location: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- City: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- Country: Malaysia
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001C4VY3BB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT REPLACES EDIT 5015-MALAYSIA-POLITICS/MAHATHIR WITH IMPROVED AUDIO QUALITY
The United States should "think twice" before returning to Malaysia money recovered from an anti-kleptocracy probe into state fund 1MDB, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said during the interview on Friday (March 13) after the party accused of corruption at the fund came back to power.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) says over $4.5 billion was looted from 1MDB under UMNO prime minister Najib Razak, who is now on trial for allegedly receiving some of the stolen money.
Malaysia was plunged into turmoil when Mahathir, 94, quit on Feb. 24. He was replaced by his former interior minister Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalition includes Najib's UMNO party, which had governed the country for 60 years before being defeated by Mahathir's alliance in 2018.
The veteran politician said that it would be selfish to retire after he was "double crossed" by Muhyiddin, who won the premiership race between the two-last month by joining hands with a party that was voted out in 2018 over corruption allegations. Mahathir also said he will wait and see how Muhyiddin deals with ruling coalition leaders who are facing corruption charges, including former premier Najib Razak, before deciding on any possible reconciliation with the prime minister.
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