Activist mocks ‘great storyteller’ Mahathir

Haris Ibrahim says Dr Mahathir Mohamad gives the impression that nothing is his fault, while Kua Kia Soong says former PM’s expression of regret for sacking Anwar Ibrahim is meaningless.

(FMT) – Two prominent activists today ridiculed Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the former prime minister said he had made the wrong decision to sack his deputy Anwar Ibrahim 20 years ago.

“I want to award Mahathir the ‘Storyteller of the Year Award’. At this age he can still tell such stories with a straight face,” said Haris Ibrahim.

He was referring to an interview Mahathir had held with Sin Chew Daily in which the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman acknowledged he had made the wrong decision by “going by the law completely” in sacking Anwar.

Mahathir added that if he could turn back time, he would not have done so.

He said he had no choice as the police had presented all the evidence to him in 1998, and that the decision to sack Anwar wasn’t his alone but a collective decision by the Umno Supreme Council.

However, Haris said Mahathir had not acted on evidence given by former inspector-general of police Hanif Omar as far back as the early 1990s of Anwar’s alleged homosexual activities.

“Mahathir only acted on it in 1998 when there was a crisis. Then the whole world was convinced that Mahathir sacked Anwar to save himself, similar to how people believe Prime Minister Najib Razak sacked his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin to save himself.”

Haris said Mahathir should stop his “sandiwara” (drama) as his “half-baked stories can’t fool all the people all the time”. He added that such comments would only reinforce doubts about Mahathir.

“If he had just admitted that he has done many wrongs and wants to work with the rakyat to get the country back on track and not insist on being prime minister, it would be better.”

Now, he said, the people, especially those who believed in the Reformasi movement sparked by Anwar’s sacking, would be more angry not just with Mahathir but other PH leaders as well.

Haris also said he “pitied” Mahathir because his recent statements showed that he had been “bullied” by everyone.

“On Anwar’s sacking he says he regrets but it wasn’t his call; on the removal of the former Lord President Salleh Abas, he blames the late Agong. On Ops Lalang, he says it was the police’s decision. Kesian (pity) Mahathir, he was helpless, bullied by everyone it seems.”

Meanwhile, Suaram adviser Kua Kia Soong said Mahathir’s remark that he should not have sacked Anwar 20 years ago was meaningless.

“Twenty years ago, Mahathir at a press conference said Anwar cannot be allowed to become a leader in a country like Malaysia, that Anwar was morally unfit, that he was a sodomiser and womaniser.

“This is all on video and can be found online. Everyone can see. Mahathir cannot twist his words anymore, he can’t rewrite history.”

Kua said it would be more meaningful for Mahathir to say that he regretted calling Anwar morally unfit rather than saying he regretted sacking him.

“I think Anwar’s family should demand that Mahathir retract what he said in that press conference 20 years ago. This would mean more to Mahathir, his family and supporters. If Mahathir had any remorse, he would do that.”