Anwar sues people to gag them, says Mahathir

PUTRAJAYA, June 27 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the “suing spree” of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is his customary approach to gag people.

“This is because when a matter is referred to court, it can no longer be discussed, otherwise it will be sub judice.

“He sued me, as you know, and for four years, I could not open my mouth. So, that is his way of campaigning — stop people from talking — and yet he believes in freedom of speech and things like that,” he told reporters at the Perdana Leadership Foundation building, here, today  .

Dr Mahathir (picture) was asked to comment on a newspaper report on a former associate of Anwar, Senator Datuk S. Nallakarupan, who accused the opposition leader of going on a “suing spree” to prevent his misdeeds from being exposed to the public.

The former premier had earlier received a courtesy call from Guinea President Alpha Conde, who is on his first official visit to Malaysia.

On the meeting, which took about half an hour, Dr Mahathir said the president wanted to know more about Malaysia and to learn how the government developed the country, which in turn, could help him develop Guinea.

Earlier, Conde had a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, where both parties agreed to look into new areas of bilateral relations.

Najib and Conde also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on higher education collaboration between Malaysia’s Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin and Guinea’s International Cooperation Minister Prof Datuk Koutoub Moustapha Sano.

Najib also hosted lunch for the president at the prime minister’s official residence, Seri Perdana, here. — Bernama