KUALA KANGSAR, April 30 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that his plane was sabotaged before his flight to Langkawi ahead of nomination day has seriously hurt the image of Malaysia’s aviation industry, Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Mohammed Nazri Abdul Aziz said today.
The incumbent Padang Rengas MP also challenged the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman to provide proof to back his “wild and irresponsible” sabotage claim for further investigation.
“We live in a world where organisations like Daesh are carrying out bomb threats, so this is not a game.
“These allegations can easily erode the world's confidence in our capability to control aviation security,” Nazri told a press conference after launching the Kota Lama Kanan community library here.
Daesh is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State terror network.
Dr Mahathir had claimed last Friday that the plane he was supposed to board for Langkawi, where he is contesting, had been damaged before takeoff, adding that repairs could not be carried out immediately.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) later said it had investigated the allegation but could not find any sign of sabotage.
CAAM chairman Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman clarified that the plane could not fly due to air leakage from the left hand nose wheel.
Nazri said CAAM’s explanation showed Dr Mahathir had lied about the sabotage.
“It is clear that he is lying to get sympathy. It is very sad coming from a former national leader.
“It is irresponsible and immoral that he would do this just to win the election and complete his revenge against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” he added.
The caretaker tourism and heritage minister urged CAAM to act against Dr Mahathir for making a false statement about the plane.
He also hit out against the PH leaders for using underhanded tactics to further their “personal agenda” instead of spelling out its agenda and policies for Malaysia their election campaigning.
“Dr Mahathir is angry that his son failed in his political attempts and now he is blaming the prime minister.
“PKR wants a royal pardon for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and Lim Kit Siang is worried because his son is embroiled in a court case,” Nazri said.
Kit Siang is the DAP adviser and his son is secretary-general and caretaker Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, who is still on trial for alleged corruption over the purchase of his house in Penang.
Nazri then claimed that if Dr Mahathir wins, Kit Siang would rope in the PPBM chairman’s aid in Guan Eng’s case “because Mahathir has a track record of meddling in court cases”.
