PEJUANG is confident it would be a valuable ally and the major coalitions would need partners at the next general election, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former prime minister said he realises his yet-to-be-registered party is small in stature but the principles of anti-corruption it championed would resonate with the public, making it an attractive ally.

“Very concerned about bribery and corruption. People with money can buy an entire government. We know we are a small party but we want to fight to eradicate corruption

“Any major party will have to work with us to form a government. PN nor PH will get a clear majority,” Dr Mahathir told BFM today. 

He is even open to the idea of working with Umno once the party has flushed out its corrupt leaders first. 

“I will not work with people who are charged in court for crimes whether they have been found guilty or not,” he said, alluding to former prime minister Najib Razak. 

The Kuala Lumpur High Court found Najib guilty on July 29 of all seven criminal charges – three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money-laundering and one count of abuse of power – involving RM42 million of SRC International funds.

The Pekan MP was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and fined RM210 million. Najib is appealing the case. 

Dr Mahathir admits there was corruption too when he was in power even during the 1980s but was not as rampant as what it was during the Najib era. 

“Yes, there is corruption but not to the point until where the PM is corrupt. The prime minister stole money. Everybody knows the PM stole billions of ringgit.

“I didn’t steal one sen I gave back my money. When I became PM, I insisted the cabinet cut salary.”

Dr Mahathir resigned as prime minister in February when he did not consent for Bersatu to break away from Pakatan Harapan, which caused the collapse of the government after just 22 months. 

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin went on to form the Perikatan Nasional government with Umno, PAS, GPS and other Barisan Nasional component parties. 

The Langkawi MP said he could not have stayed on as prime minister when even his former party, Bersatu, did not believe him or wanted to follow his orders. 

“My party rejected my advice. They have no confidence in me. That is why I resigned. 

“I have never been rejected by my own party throughout my life. This was the first time my political secretary moved a motion to reject me,” Dr Mahathir said, referring to his former officer, Bersatu’s Zahid Md Arip. 

The 96-year-old said he did not care about what others thought of him as long as he does the right thing for the country. 

“I do not care about my legacy, when I’m dead and gone people will run me down and all that. It is not important, I will be dead anyway. So, what legacy?” – January 15, 2021.