PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad shared that he is “sad beyond measure” over the loss of his long-time ally and friend, Tun Daim Zainuddin.
In a post on his Facebook account, today, Dr Mahathir stated: “I have lost a friend who stood by me in my struggle for race, religion and country.”
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Dr Mahathir also remarked that Daim deserved recognition for his contributions, but instead, was subjected to harassment driven by “vengeance.”
While Dr Mahathir refrained from elaborating further, his comments alluded to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) ongoing investigations into the former Finance Minister’s wealth.
Daim, who passed away early this morning at 86, had recently been under scrutiny by the MACC.
In 2023, he was investigated in relation to the Pandora Papers, which exposed financial holdings in offshore accounts linked to global leaders.
This year, Daim was charged for not declaring assets, including 38 companies, 25 properties, and seven luxury vehicles.
Daim had responded to the probe as “politically motivated.”
Dr Mahathir expressed his hope that God would judge Daim justly and grant him a place among the righteous.
“I can only pray. We will be together again one day,“ he further said.
A prominent businessman and politician, Daim served twice as Malaysia’s finance minister, from 1984 to 1991 and later from 1998 to 2001.
A native of Alor Setar, Kedah, he also served as a member of Parliament for five terms between 1982 and 2004. Appointed by Dr Mahathir as finance minister two years into his parliamentary career, Daim became an influential figure in economic policy.
In 2018, as political winds shifted, Daim and other veterans aligned with Dr Mahathir to challenge then-Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, resulting in their sacking from Umno.
Daim’s involvement continued as he actively supported the Pakatan Harapan coalition during the 14th general election, which brought an end to Najib’s administration.
Following the victory, Daim was appointed to lead the Council of Eminent Persons, an advisory body formed to guide the new government for its first 100 days.
