Ex-Kedah chief minister Mukhriz Mahathir says in video that his ouster was due to 1MDB criticism

Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir has claimed that he was dropped as Kedah chief minister due to his criticisms of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). PHOTO: REUTERS

PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir has claimed in a video that is going viral that he was dropped as Kedah chief minister due to his criticisms of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the issue of the RM2.6 billion (S$873 million) donation.

In the almost eight-minute video posted on the Facebook group Mukhriz Mahathir FC, Mr Mukhriz claimed that he attended a private meeting with Prime Minister Najib Razak that was around the time of his removal.

Mr Mukhriz claimed that the real reason for his removal was conveyed by Datuk Seri Najib during the meeting.

"He was not happy with my speech in Saloma Bistro. He said that as mentri besar, I should not say such things against him as a prime minister. And because of that, I had to vacate my position.

"For the hour and a half that we talked, he never once said that he was disappointed with me due to my inability to govern in Umno or in the state.

"But even so, the comments in my speech at the bistro were on two issues: 1MDB and RM2.6 billion. And even the public talks about this issue, not me alone," he alleged, adding that the RM2.6billion issue was leaked by the international press.

In December last year, Mr Mukhriz hosted a dinner at the Saloma Bistro for Kedah Umno delegates attending the party's general assembly.

The event was attended by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal.

During the dinner, Mr Mukhriz allegedly delivered a speech criticising Mr Najib's handling of the 1MDB issue.

"We all know why this (sacking) happened. It is not because I failed in administering Umno, although I admit that I had my shortcomings.

"But these are allegations of things which can be corrected, not things which should have caused the sacking of the Menteri Besar," he claimed in the video.

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