Dr M: I would have sacked Anwar even if advised not to
Tun Dr Mahathir denies allegation by Perak Mufti, says it is not true
(The Malaysian Insider) – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today denied Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria asked him not to sack Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998 but added he would ignored the advice even if it was given.
In a blog posting today, the former prime minister reasoned that at the time, witnesses had already convinced him of Anwar’s sodomy crimes and he was not prepared to accept an “immoral” person as his successor.
“Even if the Mufti did advise me, and I deny that he did, I would not be able to take that kind of advice.
“The learned Mufti may be prepared to accept an immoral person to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. I am sorry but I hold my responsibility as an ‘amanah’, a trust, and I never can be prepared to accept an immoral prime minister,” he wrote.
The Malaysian Insider published Harussani’s statement last month saying he had attempted to meet with Dr Mahathir 13 years ago to advise him against sacking then deputy prime minister Anwar and against charging him in court for sodomy.
“I would have ignored the claim by the Mufti that he advised me. But the report is in the online news portal and that has political implications unfavourable towards me,” Dr Mahathir complained.
The Perak Mufti had explained that he was concerned back then that Anwar’s sacking would bring about split Malays, and that he had repeatedly cautioned the former prime minister to think about an alternative solution.
