The special officer to the prime minister's wife, Rizal Mansor, said it was regretful that a statesperson such as Dr Mahathir Mohamad would resort to slander Rosmah Mansor.

“How can a statesperson (like Mahathir) listen to and believe in such hearsay? As a statesperson, he should check and research facts before making accusations.

“Don’t put political interests above laws and adab (civility) until you create slander,” Rizal said in a statement uploaded onto Umno Online today.

He was referring to a video clip that depicted Mahathir's speech, where he criticised Rosmah for boarding a private jet, unaccompanied by her husband...