Response to Dr Mahathir’s press conference today
Salleh Said Keruak
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad held a press conference today in response to Khairuddin Abu Hassan and Matthias Chang being charged in court under Section 124L of the Penal Code. They had both earlier been detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
Dr Mahathir said that this is an abuse and disrespect of the law and the only crime that the two committed was to tell the truth. It has not been established yet whether what Khairuddin and Matthias said is the truth so let the trial determine this. Anyway, Dr Mahathir of all people should know that the truth is subjective and just because one tells the truth that does not mean one has not broken any laws.
Dr Mahathir must be reminded of many cases during his time when people who told the truth were arrested, charged and convicted for the crime of telling the truth. For example, Marina Yusoff was convicted and sentenced under the Sedition Act in 2000 for telling the truth and the judge ruled that just because she told the truth does not mean she is not guilty of a crime. Under the Sedition Act, telling the truth can actually get you jailed, the court reminded the defence.
