If that was indeed the case, he added, the jet belonged to the country.
“It is the same as the yacht. We will try to get the jet back from Singapore,” he told reporters after the launch of the Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur hospital here today.
He was referring to the RM1 billion Equanimity, which is being held at a cruise centre in Port Klang. The luxury yacht is at the centre of US investigations into state investment firm 1MDB, and linked to Jho Low, who allegedly acquired it with funds plundered from 1MDB.
Mahathir previously said the government was keen to bring back the jet which was impounded by Singaporean authorities last year. It is currently grounded at the Seletar Airport.
The US$35 million Bombardier Global 5000 is part of some US$1 billion in assets allegedly acquired with funds misappropriated from 1MDB.
On Tuesday, Singapore authorities said they had not received any formal request from Malaysia for the return of the aircraft.
On a separate matter, Mahathir said the world economy and the trade war between the US and China was to blame for the ringgit’s fall.
It was reported yesterday that the ringgit had tumbled to an eight-month low against the US dollar.
“It’s not just the ringgit, but other currencies as well, although when compared to other countries our currency is stronger,” he said.