Dr M believes may be charged over attacks on Umno
(Malay Mail Online) – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he expects to be charged over allegations against Umno and its leaders, based on “hints” he received from police investigators who questioned him last week.
In a blog post today, the former prime minister said he arrived at the conclusion after he took time to re-examine his interview with police officers at his office in the Al-Bukhary Foundation building on November 6.
“Thinking it over afterwards I concluded that they were trying to make what I did or said in public before were some kind of wrong-doings, to even be some kind of criminal act.
“Although they did not say I would be charged, but there was just a hint that I might be charged,” he wrote today.
He then expressed belief that the line of questioning was intended to dissuade him from further criticising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the government, but said that he will not do so as it was his democratic right to demand the latter’s resignation.
The former prime minister today also acknowledged his allegations of corruption and misappropriation against Najib and 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), but contended that these were not criminal offences even if they were untrue.
Dr Mahathir insisted that false claims should be considered defamation and that the government should institute legal action against him if it considered his accusations to be baseless, instead of seeking to prosecute him as a criminal.
“Prove that what I said is false then sue me for defamation. That is the way to go,” he wrote.
Police reports were lodged against Dr Mahathir over remarks he made at a press conference during the Bersih 4 rally on August 29 and 30, when he had alleged that several Umno leaders would not criticise the Najib administration over current controversies due to being corrupt.
He had also urged Malaysians to use their “people power” to push for Najib’s removal through a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
Dr Mahathir was questioned by three police officers in a 40-minute interview a week ago today, during which he refused to answer questions but said he did not “censor” himself while giving his statement.
He is among the most vocal critics of the 1MDB controversy and has demanded Najib take responsibility for his brainchild, which is under corruption investigation by government agencies in several countries, including Hong Kong, Switzerland and the UK.
He has also criticised Putrajaya for its use of an anti-terrorism law to detain two critics of 1MDB and accused the government of abusing the law to silence dissenters.
