The following is the full transcript of Dr Mahathir Mohamad's press conference at his Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya.


Journalist: Mohamad Ramli Abdul Manan, a former Sabah ACA chief, has claimed he was put in cold storage upon instruction from you after he investigated (former land and cooperative development minister) Kasitah Gaddam's case. Is there any truth?

Mahathir: There is no truth about this thing, I don't know when this happened. Apparently nowadays people are coming out with all kind of accusations against me.

(Former Malaysia Airlines chairperson) Tajudin Ramli said I forced him to buy MAS; (former Tenaga Nasional Berhad chairperson) Ani Arope said I forced him to accept the privatised (deal with the independent power producers). I think there seem to be some plan or instruction to make my name as dirty as possible.

This man (Ramli) only said 'he thinks' (the instruction came from Mahathir) but what evidence he has I don't know. Show the evidence that I have done this thing. I have never done this thing. I don't care what happen to them really.

He (Ramli) also said that he has a list of ministers and high-ranking officials who involved in corruption. Do you know about this?

Of course, Kasitah was being investigated, that is the ACA's job. There were also some ex-ministers that were investigated. As you know, one of the ministers said there are 13 ministers involved (in graft), until now we are still waiting.

Normally, I don't know what they (ACA) are doing unless they are going to take the case up and going to charge a person who is a minister, then of course they have to inform me. This is the ACA's job, not my job.

You were said to be not too happy with the Kasitah's investigation.

How does he (Ramli) know I wasn't too happy? It's all too easy for him to say because they know I can't be bothered to take libel action against these people. Ask them for proof about the accusations they made against me.

Like Tajudin, for example. I have clippings of reports on what he said when be bought over MAS. He said it was a good buy and he is not going to spend RM1.8 billion investing in something that will not give him return. He was very happy with that, there was no suggestion that I forced him.

He was given a chance and I think he knows Daim (Zainuddin, former finance minister) more than he knows me. Of course, he sold off MAS for RM8 when the market price was at RM3.50. It's all very easy to make accusation like this but show proof.

Ramli has also claimed certain ACA cases must get your approval before prosecution in court.

Nonsense, you mean I spend my time for doing all that work?

So you are saying you were not involved at any stage?

If he is a minister, I will have to know. Otherwise, it is not my business.

You were talking about instruction to make your name...

It appears to me there is concerted effort to blacken my name, by saying all things which I have no means of rebutting because the newspapers are now censored. I am telling you quite frankly. I know you all know this but you all dare not say it because you are very scared people, you won't dare to say anything against the government's instruction...

You are saying this instruction is from the current government as in from (Prime Minister) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?

Yes. During my time, a lot of things was said against me, I didn't stop (them). In fact, people campaigned against me, I didn't stop (them). Here I am not allowed to speak - 14 invitations to me to speak at different forums had to be withdrawn because the police called them up and told them to withdraw the invitation.

Why do you think Abdullah has to blacken your name?

I don't know why, perhaps just because I made some comments about the bridge. Of course, I see a lot of things that are not right like the involvement of his son-in-law (Khairy Jamaluddin) in the government and many other things.

What about the declining corruption index (released by two groups recently)?

Well, he (Abdullah) said he will be more transparent, to go for reducing corruption. Obviously, he has failed.

Since your name has been dragged in this latest controversy, what are you going to do on your part.

Nothing. Nothing because I can't be bothered to sue everybody.

The current ACA DG (director-general) was appointed during your time.

Ya, ya, everybody was appointed during my time. You can sack them if you don't like them. No problem.

You must be aware that he (Zulkipli Mat Noor) is currently under investigation for corruption.

At that time his name was given to me, everything was clear. They never told me he was corrupt.

You didn't...

You can see his file. I think he's must have a file somewhere where his name was proposed and whether they put in that file 'this man is corrupt, so please appoint him as head of Anti-Corruption (Agency).' You think I am going to appoint him if I get that kind of report?

I don't know (then). Now I know. (That was) because they didn't tell me.

So what's the right thing (for the government) to do.

I have nothing more to do with it. It is up to the government to do what they like.

They didn't tell you (about Zulkipli)...

When his name came up to head the ACA, in the curriculum vitae, in the report on him, it didn't say 'this man is corrupt, he is a womaniser', whatever. It didn't say that. If I had seen that, do you think I am going to appoint him? I don't even know him [inaudible].

All I knew was that he was a police officer. I think at that time he was posted in Sarawak or somewhere. That was all.

Do you think he, as well as Datuk Johari (Baharum), should remain in office?

Datuk Johari's name is cleared. He has not taken one cent. You can be sure of that.

Are you serious about that?

I'm serious. He is completely clear. He cannot be found guilty of such a thing. It is impossible.

You said he was involved in the vote-buying in Kubang Pasu.

They have decided not to go further with the investigation, and one of them had been forced to withdraw his accusations. That's it.

Why are you so sure he's clean?

You will find that after the investigations, the finding is that he is in the clear.

Want to take a bet? Anybody want to take a bet?

I'm quite sure he is in the clear.

Is that because he is your former officer?

Former officer, whatever, I don't know. I don't know about Zulkipli. But Johari, definitely, not corrupt.

But on a serious note, should they remain in office pending investigations.
I don't know. That is up to the government to decide. The investigation would take five years [inaudible].

Many people are saying that the police are inefficient, the ACA is not clean...

During my time, I didn't hear so much complaints. So maybe during my time, they were quite efficient. So that is my deduction.

There is a new target set at (Mission) 2057...

Good. I won't be around. Even 2020, I won't be around. I was hoping I would be flying over, looking at Putrajaya being completed. But Putrajaya is not being completed...

Should there be a new target when 2020 has not been reached yet?

2020, 2057, 2100 ... we need targets.

What are you comments on Abdullah receiving the Napoleon Hill Global Leadership Award.

Tahniah banyak, banyak (lots of congratulations). Saya tak dapat (I didn't receive it). I'm not that cemerlang (excellent), so I didn't get it.

Will BN win big in the next general elections?

Oh, tetap. Tetap menang. Lebih 90 percent. Batu Talam, dia menang banyak. (Oh, yes. Definite victory. More than 90 percent. They won big in Batu Talam). It will be a repeat of 2004.

Prime Minister Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) has said he will wait for the feel good factor before he calls the election.

I don't know. All the time, they say that everything is fine. And then one day, they say the feel good factor has come back. But if everything is fine, how can it come back?

And now you wait for more things to come. And I'm looking around, do you feel good?