The Citizens for Accountable Governance Malaysia (CAGM) has offered a reward of up to RM1 million for information about alleged wrongdoing by Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his 22 years as prime minister.
"CAGM is prepared to offer hefty rewards to individuals who can provide substantial information and evidence that can lead to the recovery of hidden cash and assets belonging to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad," said the NGO chairperson Md Zainal Abidin in a press statement today.
The NGO was only set up a month ago just as Mahathir ( photo ) intensified attacks against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak over alleged financial wrongdoing to demand his resignation.
"CAGM has carried out its own research and concurs with previous reports in the media that Mahathir managed to stay in power for 22 years because he had access to vast fortunes, most of it believed to be hidden offshore through a complex layer of companies, nominees, and proxies," said Md Zainal.
He claimed that "staggering wealth" accumulated by Mahathir may be a reason why the former premier remains a "kingmaker" in Malaysian politics.
"CAGM also urges Parliament to table a Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Asset) and Imposition of Tax Bill that will unearth unaccounted wealth stashed abroad by politicians, their families, and proxies.
"A special task force must be set up by the government to find and bring back this 'black money' kept abroad by Malaysian politicians, especially that of former prime ministers and even the current leadership," he said.
'Not going after Najib immedately'
Yesterday, Md Zainal denied that CAGM was specifically targeting Mahathir , saying that it would also go after Najib, eventually.
"Once we are done with Tun, we will move on to subsequent prime ministers. We are not taking anyone's side.
"We are just not going after Najib immediately because he has done the necessary theatrics by asking the auditor-general and Public Accounts Committee to investigate (1Malaysia Development Berhad).
"So, we will give him some time while we go after Mahathir and (former prime minister) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi," he told Malaysiakini.
The NGO's emergence coincided with Mahathir's tirade against Najib over the latter's management of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) which has accumulated a debt of RM42 billion.
