KUALA LUMPUR: The government had always asked for offsets when it bought equipment at high prices, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) said yesterday, stressing that it is not a bribe if an offset in a business transaction is for a specific purpose. It is only a bribe if the money goes into one’s pocket, news reports quoted Dr Mahathir as saying when responding to reporters’ questions on graft allegations against AirAsia Group Bhd and AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) executives. “Yes, I hear there are allegations that AirAsia is involved in corruption. “For example, when we buy an airplane, we ask for an offset and whether we consider the offset as bribery or not, that is up to you. “If it was for a specific purpose, it is (considered) offset, not bribery.

Source: The Edge Markets February 07, 2020 00:56 UTC