Malaysian anti-corruption agency asks another Mahathir son to declare assets as probe expands

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission sends asset declaration notice to businessman Mokhzani Mahathir
Earlier this month, Mahathir’s eldest son, Mirzan, was ordered to reveal all of his income since 1981, when his father first became prime minister

Malaysia

Bloomberg

Published: 2:03pm, 27 Jan 2024

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The Malaysian anti-graft agency’s investigation into offshore assets expanded to include another son of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Businessman Mokhzani Mahathir received an asset declaration notice from the agency, a spokesperson for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said on Saturday.

Earlier this month, the MACC ordered Mahathir’s eldest son, Mirzan Mahathir, to declare all of his income since 1981, when his father first became prime minister.

Mokhzani could not immediately be reached for comment. His father, who served two stints as prime minister, has alleged the probe is politically motivated.

The order is part of MACC’s investigation into information from leaks of offshore business records that were revealed in recent years by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a global media network.

Among those probed are Daim Zainuddin, a former finance minister and adviser to Mahathir.

Malaysia’s Mahathir slams Anwar over corruption probe against son Mirzan

Free Malaysia Today on Saturday reported that Daim said he will face charges next week related to disclosure of assets. His wife was charged this month for failing to declare assets. She has denied the charges.

Critics say Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who came to power just over a year ago, is settling scores with rivals who derailed his efforts to reach power in the past and ultimately helped jail him.

Mirzan is a director of several companies, including Philippine oil and gas company Petron and its parent company San Miguel.

In 1998, the Post reported that cash-stricken Mirzan sold off his Hong Kong-Malaysian liquidised natural gas company to state-owned Petronas, a move seen as a father-son bailout, as Petronas answers directly to the prime minister – Mahathir.

Aside from Mirzan, his brother Mokhzani also made his fortune off oil and gas, with Forbes naming him as one of Malaysia’s 50 richest people in 2020.

Malaysian businessman Mokhzani Mahathir. Photo: AP

Mahathir has long maintained that his children’s fortunes have been legitimately made.

Anwar has laughed off talk of a conspiracy to take down his rivals.

“We are not representing a broken system, and our system must show examples of taking brave action against the corrupt,” he said, drawing the 1MDB scandal as an example.

Additional reporting by SCMP’s Asia desk