In a written parliamentary reply to Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis), special functions minister Abdul Latiff Ahmad said the Cabinet had, on June 16, 2009, approved for the land at Persiaran Tuanku Ja’afar here to be given to Abdullah.

Abdullah, better known as Pak Lah, was the prime minister from 2003 to 2009.

Latif said the size of the land was 155,290.94 sq ft. The valuation and property services department (JPPH) put a RM76.4 million price tag on the land, and listed the value of the property built on it as RM7.24 million.

Previously, the Dewan Rakyat had been told that Putrajaya received an application from Abdullah’s successor, Najib Razak, for a plot of land and a house allegedly worth a total of RM100 million.

Finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s confirmation of the application on Nov 18 last year – following rumours that went viral on social media – caused pandemonium in the House.

Opposition MPs, including Dr Mahathir Mohamad, criticised Najib, with Mahathir having a few choice words for him.

“The money that was stolen needs to be returned,” Mahathir had said, adding that the application for the property should be explained.

Najib subsequently withdrew his application for the land and house, saying he did not want it to be turned into an issue in the Melaka elections.

Yesterday, during the debate on the King’s address, Mahathir claimed Abdullah received “RM70 million in gifts” after his retirement in 2009.

He said this was “extraordinary” as Malaysia’s first three prime ministers were only given “old houses” to live in after they left office.

As far as he knew, what was gifted to Abdullah was not debated in the House, he said, adding that the government had acted arbitrarily as there was no law governing it.

Mahathir, who was the prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and from 2018 to 2020, called for check and balance as well as parliamentary approval on matters outside the jurisdiction of the law such as “tokens” given to former prime ministers.