After Dr M's five dates with cops, lawyer wants 'murder case-like drama' to end

The police have recorded five statements from Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the latest over his controversial “Bugis pirates” remark this afternoon.

His lawyer Mohd Haniff Khatri Abdulla is livid and urged the police to cease “taking up the old man's time” with their “drama”.

"If they wish to charge, better just charge... Things like this, you don't have to investigate like you are investigating a murder or rape.

"It is straightforward, if you honestly believe it is a crime, charge. But don't make a drama out of it," he told journalists at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya after the police left.

Haniff said six officers from the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters had spent 45 minutes recording Mahathir's statement and a total of 32 questions were posed to his client.

"Mahathir cooperated and answered whatever he could and as for questions that needed to be answered in court, he reserved his right to do so then," he added.

The lawyer said he was initially informed that Mahathir would be questioned on the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Bank Negara's foreign exchange (forex) scandal.

However, he added the police later revealed that Mahathir would be questioned on the “Bugis pirate” remark instead.

The remark, which courted the wrath of two sultans and various others, is being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948, Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Section 504 of the Penal Code which concerns intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.

Meanwhile, Haniff said Mahathir emphasised to the police that his "Bugis pirates" remark was aimed solely at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The former premier had made the statement during a rally in October and was later accused of insulting the Bugis community, which he denied.

The former premier is expected to have more dates with the police in the coming weeks as reports continue to pile up, the latest coming from Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos (photo), who accused Mahathir, his wife Siti Hasmah Ali and former minister Zaid Ibrahim of insulting the Selangor ruler.

As for the forex RCI, the police are investigating a report filed by the commission's secretary Yusof Ismail.

The RCI report, which was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat last month, claimed that RM31.5 billion was lost due to Bank Negara's "excessive" and "speculative" forex activity between 1992 and 1994.

The RCI also established that Nor Mohamed Yakcop, who was part of Bank Negara’s management at the time, was the person in charge of the forex dealing operations.

It further stated that Mahathir and his then-deputy Anwar Ibrahim had likely abetted Nor Mohamed and hid certain facts from the cabinet.

Both are grave offences under the Penal Code.- Mkini