Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said there's no need for Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali to resign over the sex video scandal.

On June 24, speaking to reporters after the Asia Oil and Gas conference, Mahathir said according to The Star:

"No, there is no necessity simply because in other countries people do something.

I know in one country if a plane crashes in the airfield, the minister of transport resigns or throws himself out of a building but it is not our way."

Allegations of sex with a Minister

PKR Santubong Youth Chief Haziq Aziz claimed that he and Azmin were the couple having sex in a series of videos that have been released to the Malaysian media and others.

Azmin has denied the allegations.

On June 23, Haziq challenged Azmin to sue him for defamation, if he was confident of his innocence.

Mahathir speculated that the scandal was a deliberate and targeted attempt to undermine Azmin. He said:

"I don't think he is so stupid as to do that and get caught in a picture (videos) like that. I think somebody is out to bring him down."

Advanced technology

Mahathir was responding to questions from the reporters related to a statement made by A. Kadir Jasin, a veteran journalist and current politician.

Kadir, who as of April 2019 happens to be a member of the Supreme Council of Mahathir's party, PPBM, listed examples on his blog of politicians in other countries who had resigned after being implicated in scandals.

Mahathir said that due to advances in technology, it was easy to fake images of any individual in compromising positions.

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Top image from Mahathir Mohamad's Facebook page.