A pro-Umno portal has claimed that Dr Mahathir Mohamad only forked out RM1 for his residence in the upscale neighbourhood The Mines, Seri Kembangan.

“Before Mahathir disputes whether pork and 1MDB-sponsored Haj pilgrimage are halal or haram (permitted and forbidden in Islam), he should realise that his luxury home in The Mines which was bought for RM1 is haram.

“Where is the logic in a prime minister purchasing a luxury home for RM1 without any corruption in return?” asked MyKmu.net.

Malaysiakini is unable to independently verify this claim and has contacted the former premier's aides for comment.

The founder and chairperson of The Mines Resort Bhd and Country Heights Holdings Bhd, Lee Kim Yew, is known to be a close associate of Mahathir.

Last May, the former premier had criticised the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) for probing Lee and suggested that his associates were being deliberately targetted.

MyKMU was responding to Mahathir's blog posting this morning, in which he posed several questions regarding what is permitted and forbidden by Islam.

He had asked if a pig was slaughtered by mentioning the name of God, would the meat still be considered haram.

Mahathir, in an obvious reference to 1MDB's Haj sponsorship, also questioned the use of stolen funds to perform the pilgrimage.

MyKMU, in its article titled "Babi haram sama macam rumah Mahathir" (Pork is forbidden just like Mahathir's house), said the former premier has not answered whether his arguments related to 1MDB were based on the stand that “1MDB funds were stolen” or if “1MDB stole money?”

“For years, Mahathir claimed 1MDB funds were stolen.

“But when it is related to the 1MDB Foundation sponsoring Haj pilgrims to Mecca, he claims it is haram (because) 1MDB stole money,” it added.

As for his remarks concerning pork, the portal claimed that a Muslim leader should not belittle such things.

“It is impossible that after 92 years, Mahathir is still in the dark that Islam forbids the consumption of pork not because of (how the animal is) slaughtered.

“It is certain Mahathir and his supporters will defend his writing as sarcasm. But is it proper for a Muslim to toy with Allah's law by posing such a question?” it added.