Mahathir: I have nothing against Anwar now

Former PM also says he has no power to order the release of his former protégé, currently serving time in Sg Buloh prison.

(FMT) – Dr Mahathir Mohamad says he has nothing against his former protégé-turned-nemesis Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently serving a five year prison sentence.

“I have nothing against him now. It was before,” the former prime minister said in an interview with Mehdi Hasan, the host of Al Jazeera’s current affairs programme “UpFront”.

Mahathir had said this when asked about Anwar, adding that he had no power to order the release of those who had been incarcerated.

Once tipped to succeed Malaysia’s longest serving premier, Anwar – then the deputy prime minister – was unceremoniously sacked in 1998 on the grounds of corruption and sodomy.

Many of Anwar’s supporters till today hold Mahathir responsible for the jailing of PKR’s de-facto leader on what they deem were trumped-up charges.

The former Permatang Pauh lawmaker is currently imprisoned in Sg Buloh after he was convicted of sodomising his former aide.

“His detention now is not because of me, it’s because of Najib,” Mahathir said, alluding to Prime Minister Najib Razak.

While the elderly statesman has claimed that he had nothing against Anwar, the latter is still wary of his former mentor.

In May, Anwar – via a letter – warned the party’s leadership to be mindful of Mahathir’s “tricks” after the latter had launched the Citizens’ Declaration, which calls for the resignation of Najib and various institutional reforms in the country.