This move led Umno to claim that he had come under the control of DAP, according to the former prime minister’s latest book.

Mahathir said the appointment of Lim to the portfolio after he became prime minister for the second time was purely because he was confident in the latter’s ability to perform well, adding that he was not forced into it.

According to a Malay Mail report today, Mahathir said he initially did not expect any trouble over the appointment but the opposition at that time seized on the opportunity to accuse him of being controlled by DAP.

In the book titled Capturing Hope: The Struggle Continues For A New Malaysia, Mahathir talks of the events that led to the abrupt collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government he led in the aftermath of the landmark 14th general election in 2018.

He said his confidence was based on Lim’s record of strengthening the finances of Penang when he was chief minister, adding that this was a skill that was badly needed in order to deal with the financial problems created by Najib Razak’s government.

“The allegation that I was being controlled by DAP was played up by Umno so relentlessly that I was unable to counter them,” he wrote in the book released today.

Despite his arguments, Mahathir wrote, Umno, which was the opposition at the time, latched on to the idea that the government had somehow come under “Chinese” control.

“It’s a deeply racist and insecure idea but it was a key part of their strategy to undermine the government.

“No matter how we explained ourselves, they would repeat that Malaysia needed a Malay-Muslim government, and that DAP was anti-Muslim and intended to destroy the Malays, and so forth.

“This was all propaganda, and it came from the side that lost in the general election, but Malaysians who are not very knowledgeable about politics tend to swallow this hook, line and sinker,” he wrote.

Mahathir said Lim always listened to the views of others and there was no way he could have imposed his will on the Cabinet.

He said Lim was a member of a five-party Cabinet, with DAP having only six ministers despite having won 42 seats at the general election.

“Bersatu won 13 seats and we also had six ministers, one of whom was the prime minister and another was minister of home affairs.

“DAP never questioned me on this division, and to say that I was under the control of DAP was a complete lie.

“For the most part, Lim always referred to me and sought my approval on almost all his initiatives,’” he said.

Mahathir reiterated that DAP was never in control of the PH government and was never out to destroy anyone.