Dr M probed under criminal defamation over Idi Amin remarks, says IGP

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad is being investigated for criminal defamation under Section 500 of the Penal Code over his remarks likening Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said this when asked for further details on the investigation against Mahathir at the Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya earlier today.

"We have been investigating him over a few cases. I think this is the 8th case that we have investigated Tun (Mahathir).

"(This case is under) Section 500 of Penal code for his statement naming the prime minister as Idi Amin," said Khalid during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Mahathir had made the comparison in his speeches in the run-up to the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections, calling Najib the “Idi Amin of Malaysia”.

'All police reports investigated'

Khalid also insisted that the authorities have a duty to investigate all police reports lodged.

"It is our standard operating procedure. If there is a police report, we investigate.

"If there is enough evidence, we will forward to attorney-general and wait for action to be taken," he said.

Asked whether investigations so far have pointed to any wrongdoing by Mahathir, Khalid said: "That's not for me to say. That's for the court to determine later, when the matter is brought to court."

Mahathir had this morning said he would not retract his statements.

"I won't retract. I didn't say that he (Najib) killed people, but I did say that he is a bad president (prime minister)," he said.

Mahathir also said that the questioning session was brief as he had declined to answer most of the questions.

At the event, Khalid received a contribution of 300 safety helmets for the Kuala Lumpur traffic police force from Celcom Axiata's CEO Shazalli Ramli.

Also present at the event were Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh Ishar Singh and Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department director Abdul Hamid Mohd Ali. - Mkini