Claimed ‘common knowledge’ that the rulers sold off land plots to earn income.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad today defended his remarks against the royalty, where he claimed the Malay rulers had “surrendered and signed their states away” during the British colonial times to remain in power and for the “raja” title.
Speaking at a press conference, the former premier said it was “common knowledge” that the Malay rulers would sell off land plots to earn an income.
“I was speaking about the Malay rulers, how during those days when they did not have income, they collected taxes and I relate to what had happened in Johor.
“This is a fact, and everybody knows this. Am I not allowed to speak about this? Everybody knows that he sold a piece of land for RM4 billion.
“And I have met with the Chinese who bought that land, the person was boasting how he acquired the land for RM4 billion, and it now belongs to him forever,” he said.
Mahathir said this when asked to comment on the status of investigations that were launched by the police against him recently. – Malaysiakini