Mahathir vows to probe toppled government

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday vowed to investigate faults that may have been committed by the government toppled in last week's general election, and said all ministries had been instructed not to destroy any documents.

Mahathir announced that he would appoint a new anti-corruption commission chief and replace the attorney-general who had cleared former Prime Minister Najib Razak of wrongdoing in a multi-billion-dollar scandal linked to the 1MDB state fund.

He also told a news conference that his government had a rough idea of the whereabouts of Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, who is accused of links to a plot to siphon billions of dollars from the fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Najib set up 1MDB in 2009 and previously served as chairman of its advisory board. He and the fund have denied wrongdoing, reported Reuters.

Asked about other possible crimes, Mahathir said: "We cannot do everything at the same time at one go."

"We have to take time. There are many faults committed by the previous government, but we cannot do everything in one day, so you have to be patient."

Najib Razak was yesterday accused by a former top graft fighter of blocking probes into the massive financial scandal.

Abdul Razak Idris -- former intelligence and investigations director of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission -- lodged reports with the body alleging Najib tried to stop the probe into losses at 1MDB, reported AFP.

Mahathir, who was Malaysia's prime minister from 1981 to 2003, led his four-party alliance to victory against Barisan Nasional in last week's general election, ousting a coalition that had ruled the Southeast Asian nation for six decades.