If suit against Najib thrown out, rule of law is dead, says Dr M

Ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad hopes that his misfeasance suit against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will be heard in court, for if it does not make it, then only can he conclude that rule of law no longer exists under the present administration.

"As per the legal process, suits like this must be brought to the courts to be heard so that it can rule on the matter. If it doesn't make it to court, it means that rule of law is not longer present; there is no rule of law under Najib," he told reporters during a press conference in Putrajaya.

In a related matter, without mentioning any parties, Mahathir said that the courts at present may also be seen as doing the opposite of what it is supposed to do, when individuals who lodged police reports are detained instead of those being reported.

"The courts are there, but when police reports are lodged, the complainant is summoned, questioned, arrested, and charged in court for making the report. Though for a different offence, apparently he is a terrorist," said Mahathir in his trademark sarcasm.

While he did not mention names, it is likely that he is referring to former Umno leader Khairuddin Abu Hassan and lawyer Matthias Chang, both of whom are widely seen to be Mahathir's confidantes and were charged in court under the anti-terrorism Sosma law last year.

Khairuddin was arrested after he lodged a series of reports against sovereign fund 1MDB in several countries and charged for allegedly attempting to sabotage Malaysia's banking system. Chang, who is Khairuddin's lawyer, was also picked up and charged under the same offence.

[More to follow]

-Mkini