The PPBM Youth chief said the office of Mahathir, who is chairman of PPBM and Pakatan Harapan (PH), at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya, was only a few minutes’ drive away from MACC’s headquarters.
“It has been about 15 years since Dr Mahathir retired from his position. He is no longer in power (as prime minister),” he said.
“If there was indeed any cronyism under him, the MACC would have surely visited his office.”
Syed Saddiq said this today during a debate titled “What is the youths’ choice: Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Harapan?” organised by Sinar Harian, in rebutting his opponent, Rahman Hussin, who is an Umno Youth executive councillor.
Rahman had alleged that one of Mahathir’s “successes” was to generate three Malay tycoons who were his sons.
Syed Saddiq asked why Mahathir, 93, had not been investigated till today if he had broken any law, such as in swindling or stealing public funds, claiming that MACC reported directly to Prime Minister Najib Razak.
On another matter, he alleged that youth leaders were not being given adequate space and opportunities in Barisan Nasional (BN).
He said the situation under BN today was a far cry from the 1980s, under Mahathir’s rule, when there were three chief ministers and menteri besar under the age of 40.
“Unfortunately, we do not have even one young minister now. The youngest is 41 years old,” he said, referring to Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also Umno Youth chief.
Syed Saddiq, 25, who is expected to contest the Muar parliamentary seat in the 14th general election (GE14), claimed that Mahathir and PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin, a former deputy prime minister, gave plenty of opportunities for youths to lead.
He added that there was even one young menteri besar during Mahathir’s rule who went on to become a prime minister, in obvious reference to Najib who was made Pahang menteri besar at the age of 29 in 1982.