DR Mahathir Mohamad said there had been a deliberate attempt to stop him from travelling to Langkawi on nomination day over the weekend.

The Pakatan Harapan candidate for prime minister also refuted suggestions that he was offered an alternative plane after the jet he had chartered was grounded on Saturday.

“The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and Vista Jet have refuted my claims that there was sabotage involved when the plane I was going to fly to Langkawi on had problems with its front wheel,” he said in a statement.

“But they admitted that there was some leakage of fluid at the front, which means that the front wheel could not steer the plane.”

He said the matter was serious, as the plane could have gone off-track during take-off or landing, adding that the pilot had advised against using the aircraft.

The former prime minister denied that he was offered an alternative jet by CAAM.

He said he had tried to borrow a plane from three friends, but failed to do so.

“Normally, they would lend me their aircraft. But this time around, they refused, and one of them indicated that he is under pressure not to lend me his aircraft.”

The candidate for the Langkawi parliamentary seat denied rumours that the plane was his private jet.

“This is a lie. I do not have RM2.6 billion in my account to spend on a private jet or yacht.”

He said he was fortunate to be able to eventually borrow a friend’s chartered plane for the flight to Langkawi.

Dr Mahathir said the jet incident was one way for Barisan Nasional to prevent PH from winning the 14th general election, following incidents in Batu and Rantau that saw the opposition bloc’s candidates being disqualified from contesting.

Having ran in many elections, he said, he has never had to use any Election Commission passes to enter nomination centres to file his nomination.

“But obviously, there had been deliberate attempts to stop an opposition candidate from being nominated, so that the (caretaker) Negri Sembilan menteri besar could win uncontested (in Rantau).”

He said such attempts were also clear in the case of Batu incumbent Tian Chua, whose nomination was rejected by the returning officer.

The 93-year-old Dr Mahathir said the BN government is using all kinds of tricks to stop him from being nominated.

“Especially me, because I happen to be the leader of the opposition, and if I am not nominated as a candidate, this will have a negative effect on PH.

“So, I maintain my belief that the plane had been deliberately tampered with, to stop me from going to Langkawi.” – April 30, 2018.