Former IGP questions Mahathir’s claims that police were behind Anwar sacking
(The Star) – The former IGP is puzzled at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claims that the police spurred him on to sack his deputy.
Utusan Malaysia reported that Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor (pic) said he did not know the former Prime Minister’s motives in making such claims, as the police had no legal power to sack any politicians.
“I don’t know why he said that and what he is thinking. The police do not have any legal power to dismiss anyone,” he told Utusan Malaysia.
In an exclusive interview with Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew Daily published Monday (March 12), Dr Mahathir blamed the police for the action he took against former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was sacked and arrested for corrupt practices and sodomy in 1998.
Abdul Rahim added that the appointment and dismissal of any Deputy Prime Minister was not easy as it had to go through a proposal from the Prime Minister with the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“The appointment and dismissal of a Deputy Prime Minister is not like picking coconuts, it was all proposed by the Prime Minister at that time.
“The police is only a government department whose powers are subject to the Police Force Commission as stipulated in the Federal Constitution which outlines the duties of the police,” he said.
Meanwhile, Utusan Malaysia also said former Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib described Dr Mahathir as irresponsible for blaming the police for encouraging him to sack Anwar.
Muhammad claimed that he heard it himself how Dr Mahathir had questioned Anwar back then, adding that there was no mention of police interference in the case.
Umno information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa also agreed that Dr Mahathir mentioned the same issues, when he went to look for him (Dr Mahathir) at his office after Anwar was fired.
“We talked about the same things as what Muhammad had explained.
“Face to face, I asked him why he fired Anwar because just the day before we had finished the Cabinet meeting, but suddenly the next day (Anwar) was sacked,” he recalled.
“He also did not mention anything about the police chief.”
