KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — Members of his Cabinet need not take leave if accused of a crime as they are innocent until proven guilty, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
The prime minister was responding to calls for Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali to go on leave pending completion of police investigations after he was alleged to be involved in a sex scandal.
“You can carry on, you are not guilty until proven,” Dr Mahathir told reporters at the Beyond Paradigm Summit 2019 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre here.
The PM was asked his response to PKR information Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin who is also a deputy minister and the latest to echo calls for party deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali who is in charge of the country’s economic portfolio to go on leave.
Shamsul Iskandar said Azmin’s break from work would remove doubt over the independence of investigators on the case.
Dr Mahathir also commented on the latest arrest of three other people in connection with the sex video scandal.
“I think you know the whole thing is about politics. It is not about exposing somebody’s wrongdoing.
“It is about politics, in order to prevent someone from being able to succeed in politics. It is a scheme definitely intended to prevent someone from succeeding,” he said.
One of the three men arrested is PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak who is also Perak PKR chief.
The trio were picked up by the police at a house in Bandar Seri Alam, near Pasir Gudang in Johor yesterday.
Azmin has denied involvement in the sex scandal following a series of clips released on social media last month, calling it an attempt to kill his career.
