If Khairuddin got arrested, I could be next, says Mahathir
Former premier says he is not ready to be behind bars given his age and health for “saying the wrong thing.”
(Free Malaysia Today) – If former Batu Kawan Umno vice-chairman Khairuddin Hassan (pic) could be arrested under the dreaded Sosma or Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, then former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says he could be next on the list.
Speaking at a press conference here today, Mahathir said that by right, no one should escape the law if they were suspected to have attempted sabotage, as was the case with Khairuddin, who was re-arrested last Wednesday for lodging reports with foreign investigators regarding alleged corruption at 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
“If I am guilty I will have to go for life imprisonment… I’m not ready, I’m old, not very well, unable to think, nyanyok, you know?
“But even nyanyok people have no excuse for saying the wrong thing,” Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insider today.
Mahathir has been a relentless critic of Prime Minister Najib Razak, repeatedly calling for his resignation over a range of issues, the most prominent being allegations of massive corruption at 1MDB.
On August 30, Mahathir attended the Bersih 4 rally, and during a press conference, alleged that Najib had bribed his Cabinet ministers in exchange for their support.
Elaborating on Khairuddin’s arrest, Mahathir said that Sosma was far worse a law than the Internal Security Act (ISA) as the act of “sabotage” was not clearly defined, making it possible for an individual to be imprisoned for life if he or she was indeed convicted of committing it.
