LIPIS: Datuk Seri Najib Razak is looking for support and sympathy by claiming that he was a victim of persecution, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, here, today.
The prime minister said this was just an attempt at regaining the people's support as his predecessor was faced with a slew of court charges.
Dr Mahathir claimed that what Najib was doing now was his way of creating a perception that he was innocent.
“Now we (Pakatan Harapan government) have given him freedom...he is freely going around telling all kinds of stories to gain support.
“When he (Najib) was the prime minister, even before a person was charged in court, they would have to wear the orange (lockup) uniforms. Shafie Apdal (Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal) had to wear it (orange uniform) even before he was charged,” Dr Mahathir told reporters when met after performing his Friday prayers at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah mosque, here, today.
Dr Mahathir who is also PH chairman was asked to comment on Najib being "crowned" as the "king of trolls" on social media.
Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir brushed aside claims that PH’s candidate M. Manogaran of DAP would not be able to secure the Malay votes in the Cameron Highlands by-election tomorrow as the Malay voters do not favour a non-Muslim contesting in the Muslim majority constituency.
“There is no such issue. Sometimes in some areas, the Indian voters support the Malay candidate and here the Malays have to support the Indian candidate. If we fail to support him (Indian candidate) then in other areas, they (non-Muslims) will not support us.
“Manogaran remains our best choice and we will be backing him to win the parliamentary seat," Dr Mahathir said.
"More than 1,000 people attended the earlier event (gathering at Sungai Koyan) so we hope the people will support PH and we can win the seat,” he added. -- Reporting by T. N. Alagesh, Nik Sukry Ramli and Nasaruddin Mohd Parzi