Half truths again, Dr M? It wasn't my fault, it was the King who wanted Salleh Abas sacked

Reviled former premier Mahathir Mohamad was accused of resorting to "half-truths", even deflecting blame onto the King, when he denied the claims made by former chief justice Dzaiddin Abdullah that he was to blame for the slide in justice and integrity in Malaysia's notorious legal system

The 86-year-old Mahathir called Dzaiddin's comments "slander", but he was quick to add that he would sue. Mahathir even suggested that it was the King's fault in an attempt to deflect blame for a sorry situation that can no longer be denied despite Prime Minister Najib Razak's claim Malaysia was still the "best" place in the world.

"That’s slander, but I won’t sue them. That whole gang, they make unfounded accusations.  There was no such provision. If I had power, I would’ve replaced a lot of people if I could. It was the King who wanted Salleh Abas dropped,” Malaysian Insiderreported Mahathir as saying.

Mahathir's 'explanation' was immediately rubbished by opposition leaders, pointing out that the wily leader was again twisting the truths to squirm out of an indefensible spot.

"The King at that time signed on the dotted line so to speak. It was most likely on Mahathir's recommendation," PKR MP for Batu Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"By now, it is clear to all that we don't have any real legal system. It is whim-and-fancy kangaroo court and while Mahathir is responsible for starting and sustaining such corruption and abuse of power, it is actually Najib who has destroyed whatever reputation the judiciary had left, beginning with the Perak crisis in 2009 which was watched around the world. At this point, Malaysia may be the best place but only for corruption and abuses."

Half-truths and outright lies

Salleh was sacked as Lord President of the judiciary in 1988 after protesting Mahathir's attempts to subjugate the judiciary to the executive arm of the government.

Over the weekend, Dzaiddin Abdullah had said the two arms - judiciary and executive - must stay independent of each other. He also said the judiciary became subservient after Mahathir clipped its wings in the 1980s by amending Article 121 of the Constitution.

“As a result of the amendment, the judicial powers of the courts were removed and they have only such judicial powers as Parliament gives,” said Dzaiddin.  “This alters in my view in a very fundamental manner the basic structure of the Federal Constitution, from the concept of the independence of the judiciary to dependence of the judiciary on the executive for its judicial powers.”

The former chief justice was delivering a keynote address at a function celebrating Tunku Abdul Rahman’s birthday. He lambasted the way the judiciary has slowly but surely become a pawn for political expediency and tpo carry the wishes of the pwoerful politicians of the day.

"Parliament attempted to dictate to the judiciary that it only has judicial powers which Parliament itself says the judiciary has,” he added.

Malaysia Chronicle