KUALA LUMPUR: Former two-time prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has shed light on the underlying reasons for his differences with his successor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, commonly known as "Pak Lah".
In an interview on the Keluar Sekejap podcast, hosted by former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and ex-Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, Dr. Mahathir pointed to cancellation of three major projects and Abdullah's support for Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as the key sources of discord.
He disclosed that despite offering significant positions to Abdullah during his own prime ministership, he was disappointed when the latter, upon assuming office, promptly abandoned three major projects - the double tracking and electrification, proposed crooked bridge with Singapore, and sale of the motorcycle company MV Agusta.
"Even though he supported Tengku Razaleigh, I gave him the spot.
"When he became the prime minister, the first thing he promised me was that he will continue the double tracking and electrification, the crooked bridge, and issue of motorcycle company MV Agusta.
"He promised to continue, within two weeks after I resigned, they cancelled the double tracking, they cancelled the crooked bridge... I was disappointed," he said.
Prior to that, when asked about the strained relationship with Khairy, Dr Mahathir attributed it to Khairy's contest against his son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
"Regarding your competition with my son, your mother-in-law was campaigning for you. That's what I've been told," said Dr. Mahathir.
However, he requested that the matter not be discussed further when Khairy also denied claims involving his mother-in-law.
"I just want to inform you that I know Tun has differences with Pak Lah, including issues related to the bridge with Singapore, MV Agusta, and the double-tracking railway. Those are the three main issues, but in defending Pak Lah, as Tun is aware, he is currently suffering from dementia and doesn't remember anything.
"I think the difference is more policy related. Yes, perhaps Tun has written about it in terms of not being firm on sovereignty and so on," he said.
Khairy stated, however, that all these differences do not involve criminal elements.
"I just want to inform you that there is no criminal element; I lost power in 2018, I was investigated, but there was nothing.
"Even though I have been through various things with Tun, I believe that these differences are more about policies, approaches to government policies. However, until today, never implicated," he said.
