Hishammuddin was responding to news reports that the government lost more than half a billion ringgit due to these land swaps when he was the defence minister and that four of these land swap deals happened from 1997, when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister.

“I challenge Mat Sabu and Chin Tong to prove that I have personally benefitted financially and politically.

“My advice to them both is that if they live in glass houses, don’t throw stones.”

Mohamad had earlier claimed that 13 of the 16 land swaps carried out during Barisan Nasional’s (BN) administration involved Hishammuddin as well as former prime minister Najib Razak.

Mohamad also claimed that the government lost more than RM500 million due to these land swaps.

He added many discrepancies were found, including the sale of land at lower prices and the land swap projects being given to unqualified developers.

Mohamad also denied that Mahathir was involved in these deals.

The defence minister then was Syed Hamid Albar.

FMT has reached out to Liew and Syed Hamid for comment on the matter.

Hishammuddin went on to say that any investigation must include all former prime ministers and defence ministers.

Mohamad and Liew, he added, were being “selective in this matter and are politicising the issue”.

Hishammuddin then questioned what the duo had done for the ministry over the past year since the last general election, apart from finding fault with the previous administration, including that of Mahathir’s.

“What are Mat Sabu’s and Chin Tong’s plans for the future? Our armed forces have the right to know,” he said, adding that most of the army camps in the country need to be upgraded.

The 16 land swaps took place at Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, Tanah Batu Uban in Penang, Bukit Raja in Selangor, Pientong in Johor, Tanah Rata in Pahang, Bandar Kinrara in Selangor, and Stampin in Sarawak.