KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 5 -- Businessman Albert Tei has denied that his recent meeting with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had any political agenda, saying he had approached the latter purely for advice over the corruption case he is facing.

According to Berita Harian, Tei, whose full name is Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, said the photo of the meeting that circulated widely on social media had prompted "groundless speculation", despite it being his first encounter with Dr Mahathir.

"The photo that went viral was actually the first day in my life that I met him. I was shocked to see all kinds of theories online suggesting I have political ties with Dr Mahathir," he told reporters outside the Shah Alam Courts Complex today.

"Some even ...