DR Mahathir Mohamad said he has lost many things usually accorded to a former prime minister, besides members of his security detail that had been revoked by Putrajaya since he joined the opposition.

The Pakatan Harapan chairman said he could list down the things, adding some had nothing to do with the government.

“People were forced to revoke these things. I was a chancellor at a private university (but) they were ordered to stop my tenure as chancellor,” he said after a dialogue in Putrajaya today.

Dr Mahathir was responding to a statement by the Prime Ministers Department today stating they have not revoked any facilities that was accorded to former prime ministers. 

This comes after he posted on social media recently that members of his security detail had been pulled back.

The Prime Minister’s Department in a statement today said that they allocated 21 personnel for Dr Mahathir at his office at the Perdana Leadership Foundation (YKP) and at his residence at The Mines Resort City, Selangor, in line with the Member of Parliament (Remuneration) Act, 1980 (Act 237).

The statement also said there was no truth behind the viral news on social media recently about the revocation of services for the former prime minister.

But Dr Mahathir today said the statement was untrue.

When asked if the government still paid for his escorts, Dr Mahathir said it had removed the Special Action Unit (UTK) members and his escorts. 

Last year, Dr Mahathir’s police outriders were withdrawn after the privileges were revoked following his attendance at anti-government events.

Former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said Dr Mahathir would have to apply for traffic police escorts and he would get them only if he attends official government functions.  –November 9, 2017.