Dr M: Sodomy wrong in Malaysia, but ‘good friend’ Anwar convicted by courts

(MMO) – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has reiterated that sodomy is a crime here, but maintained that the previous conviction of his former protégé-turned-ally Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim under his administration was done properly by the courts.

When asked if he considers the act of sodomy to be “wrong”, Dr Mahathir bluntly responded by saying: “In our society, it is wrong. If you want to do (it) yourself, go ahead, but in England, not in Malaysia.”

Dr Mahathir was replying to a member of the audience at a dialogue session yesterday at the prestigious Oxford Union in the UK after delivering his speech.

Among other things, Dr Mahathir was asked if he thought he himself was responsible for setting back Malaysia’s political development by allegedly subverting the judiciary and purportedly manipulating the country’s institutions to detain Anwar on charges of sodomy in the 1990s, and if he accepted that there was active human rights abuse under his administration through the use of “antiquated laws” such as the Internal Security Act and sodomy.

“Even if I tell you the truth, you are not going to believe me. He was tried in the court of law nine months before he was sentenced to jail, my successor immediately released him.

“But now I am a good friend of his, because we considered getting rid of Najib as prime minister as something far more than something that happened in the past,” he replied.

When asked further if he rejected claims that he had himself weakened the rule of law in Malaysia during his decades in power, Dr Mahathir pointed out that Anwar’s conviction was not decided by him.

“I followed the rule of law, that was why that thing was decided by the court, not by me. Nine months of trial, they brought in any number of witnesses, all kinds of things were shown in the court, what else do you ask for?” he asked.

Dr Mahathir said the situation would have been different if he had told a person who appeared before him that “I want to sack you”.

“Then you have a right to complain.

“But you say about the rule of law. The rule of law says that if you commit something wrong, you will be charged and tried in a court of law; and it is the judges who will decide, not me,” he said.

During Dr Mahathir’s first stint as prime minister from 1981 to 2003, his then deputy Anwar was sacked in 1998. The latter then faced corruption and sodomy charges in 1998, which resulted in jail time until the convictions were eventually overturned.

Now after about 20 years since Anwar was imprisoned, he is working together with Dr Mahathir through their ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan which unexpectedly defeated Barisan Nasional in the 14th general elections.

In an interview published by US publication Wall Street Journal last September, Dr Mahathir had similarly said people blamed him for Anwar’s conviction, but maintained that he does not interfere with the courts.