Cops To Call Up Dr M Over ‘Bugis’ Remark

(Bernama) – The police will call up Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to record his statement that was alleged to have insulted the Bugis community, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

He said the police needed some time to complete the investigation on the case and hoped that it could be resolved as soon as possible.

“This depends on the requirement of the investigating officer, but we are certain he (Dr Mahathir) will be called. If I say in the near future, you have to give us time. We will resolve it as soon as possible,” he told reporters after opening the 29th Annual Conference of the Malaysian Auxiliary Police, here today.

Dr Mahathir, in his speech at the assembly organised by the opposition parties in Petaling Jaya on Oct 14 tried to link the descendants of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as possibly originating from the Bugis pirates.

Following the statement, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah expressed his displeasure and deepest regret over the statement which was perceived as trying to incite Malaysians to hate, insult and look with contempt at the ethnic Bugis race which forms the hierarchy of the Selangor Sultanate.

Meanwhile, concerning the statement made by DAP member Datuk Zaid Ibrahim on the Sultan of Selangor, which was considered by several quarters to have seditious elements, Mohamad Fuzi said the police would call up Zaid to take his statement tomorrow.

He said two police reports had been received on the case which was being investigated under Section 4 of the Sedition Act 1948.

According to the reports, Zaid, through his Twitter account on Dec 5, had questioned the criticism by the Sultan of Selangor on Dr Mahathir concerning his statement on the Bugis community.

Meanwhile, when asked on the development of investigations on the forex business losses sustained by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in the 1990’s involving Dr Mahathir, Mohd Fuzi said a special team was carrying out investigation on the case.

“Investigation is ongoing, it is not easy. So many people will be called to complete the investigation. After a police report was lodged, we have formed a task force. The task force is working round the clock now to get whatever statement, and whatever needs to be done, has to be done as soon as possible. This is an on-going matter,” he added.