by BERNAMA / pic by AFIF ABD HALIM

Prime Minister (PM) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad declined to comment yesterday when asked about the claim by former PM Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak that he was a victim of persecution.

“You better ask him (Najib). I don’t know,” Dr Mahathir said to reporters after attending an Aidilfitri reception at the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya.

Najib had said in a video clip uploaded onto his Facebook account that he has yet to get a chance to defend himself, but has already been subjected to serious accusations.

The former PM was arrested by the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission at his residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur, at 2.35pm on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Najib was charged in the High Court of Kuala Lumpur on three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and one count of abuse of power over RM42 million belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd, once a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

Meanwhile, at the Aidilfitri event, Dr Mahathir called on civil servants to be transparent in discharging their duties and responsibilities to help revive and develop the country.

He expressed confidence that all the 1.6 million civil servants love the country and will continue to provide the best services to enable Malaysia to be peaceful and blessed.

“I am confident we are all aware and always thankful and appreciative of the situation in our country, and are confident of discharging our duty and service successfully in governing our country.

“All these require a transparent attitude in us and for us to work well so that our service will create a more progressive nation,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said Malaysians should be grateful for being able to celebrate Aidilfitri in peace at a time when many Islamic nations have to put up with riots and warfare that resulted in many people killed, injured and starving.

“One million people are deprived of food and four million are forced to flee their homelands because of warfare.”

The PM also said Malaysians should also be grateful that the change of government after the 14th General Election in May had taken place smoothly without any trouble.

He said a change of government in many other countries was usually accompanied by riots, resulting in people getting killed and facing problems because the loser did not easily accept defeat.

“We find that in Malaysia, the loser accepts defeat and allows the victor to take over. As such, the transition is safe and peaceful,” he said.

Dr Mahathir, who had come to the event after chairing the weekly meeting of the Cabinet, joked that he almost forgot the event because many of the newly appointed ministers raised many matters at the meeting.