Minister: Did Dr M admit to demonising Najib to topple him?

Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak has zoomed in on Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remarks during a live Facebook question and answer session.

The minister said he found it interesting that the former premier claimed that a person is demonised in order to topple that person.

“Is this not what he is doing now? So did Mahathir inadvertently admit that in order to topple the current prime minister, he is demonising him with false claims?” he told Malaysiakini.

Salleh also pointed out that Mahathir does not stop with hurling allegations against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak alone, but also targets the latter's wife.

“Cracking jokes about a person's wife, someone's weight and things like that is unbecoming of a man whose supporters claim is a statesman. It is crude and juvenile,” he said.

This morning, Mahathir, during the Facebook session, talked about how he was portrayed as someone who hated the Chinese during his 22-year tenure.

“But the fact was that the Chinese supported me and I won five general elections.

“So, the accusation that I was an ultra Malay was merely a political gimmick. When we want to topple someone, we just demonise him,” the former premier had said.

Meanwhile, Salleh also found it bizarre and comical that Mahathir is now deploring the purported lack of space for dissent.

“This was a man who was described as a dictator and despot who ruled with an iron fist. This is the same man who was accused of fabricating charges against political opponents.

“This is the same man accused of castrating the judiciary, media and enforcement agencies. This is the same man blamed for jailing politicians and activists without trial. Even Anwar Ibrahim was beaten during incarceration.

“Malaysiakini should know this well. There was a lot of pressure from the Mahathir administration when the news portal first started.

“Ironically, those who made these allegations against Mahathir are now bending over backwards to defend him,” he added.

Responding to a question on Facebook concerning the incident where a movie producer was slapped in front of Najib, Mahathir claimed that dissenting views are no longer tolerated.

Claiming that such incidents did not occur during his tenure, Mahathir alleged that those who pose questions now are roughed up.

“This never happened during my time and the prime ministers before me. This only happens during Najib's era ... Those who speak end up in trouble. The newspapers are censored, so is TV3 and other (media).

"So when given a chance to speak, they try (to air their views), and this is the consequence and result of such attempts to speak the truth. Ask questions also cannot, (you get) beaten,” he added.- Mkini