YOU saved the country.

These were the words uttered by tycoon Robert Kuok to Dr Mahathir Mohamad, when he met the prime minister in Putrajaya this evening.

“I salute you. You saved the country,” the 94-year-old billionaire was quoted by Bernama as saying to Dr Mahathir, 93, who was sworn in as prime minister for the second time following Pakatan Harapan’s 14th general election victory.

He first held the post from 1981 to 2003.

In response to Kuok, Dr Mahathir said: “We need your help now.’’

Pictures of the meeting between the two were posted on the prime minister’s Facebook page. They garnered more than 20,000 reactions and 2,100 shares within the first half hour.

Kuok is among the five members of the Council of Eminent Persons, tasked with advising the PH government on economic and financial matters. He attended his first council meeting yesterday.

Other members of the council are former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Petronas president and CEO Hassan Marican, and economist Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram. – May 23, 2018.