HOW MAHATHIR DODGES THE BURDEN OF PROOF

Sabah Umno's Salleh says former premier using trial by innuendo against Najib as in Anwar's case

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno deputy chairman Salleh Said Keruak has likened the Mahathir Mohamad campaign against Najib Razak as a trial by innuendo, saying that Dr Mahathir is using the same tactics he launched against his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim.

Salleh, a strong supporter of the prime minister against Mahathir’s campaign to unseat Najib, accused Mahathir of being two-faced.

He would subject his opponents to a campaign of having to prove their innocence against his charges, yet refused the burden of proof when faced with criticism against him.

Salleh, who is deputy chairman of Sabah Umno, said Dr Mahathir had subjected Anwar Ibrahim to a trial by media after he went on national TV in September 1998 to accuse Anwar Ibrahim of sexual misconduct with men and women.

“Dr Mahathir described in great detail what Anwar was alleged to have done,” Salleh wrote. “Anwar was subsequently found guilty of sodomy because, according to the judge, he had failed to prove his innocence. Later the Federal Court acquitted Anwar on grounds that the prosecution had failed to prove his guilt, which was what the prosecution should have done, instead of asking Anwar to prove his innocence,” he wrote in his blog today.

He said Anwar was subjected to a trial by media for six years up to September 2004 on the basis that Anwar was guilty until and unless he could prove his innocence. “The stigma remained even after the court acquitted him” because the prosecution had failed to prove Anwar’s guilt, Salleh said.

Now Mahathir was once again using the same tactics. “He is doing to Najib what he did to Anwar 17 years ago, guilty until proven innocent. And, just like back in 1998, Dr Mahathir is talking as if he has the indisputable evidence of Najib’s guilt.

He said Mahathir would dodge the burden of proof when it was pointed out that he, too, had made mistakes as Prime Minister. “Dr Mahathir will argue that no evidence has ever been produced to prove that. When it is an allegation against him, Dr Mahathir talks about evidence but when against others mere suspicion is enough and no evidence is required,” Salleh said.

Mahathir sacked Anwar Ibrahim from the Cabinet and Umno in 1997, leading to the Reformasi movement, years of protest and political campaigning against Mahathir and Umno-Barisan Nasional, which eventually led to the formation of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition after Anwar was released from prison after serving a jail term on a charge of misuse of power.

He is currently serving a another jail term on a sodomy charge brought by a former aide.