Probed 9 times but Dr M says it won't stop him speaking on 3R

JOHOR BY-ELECTIONS | Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad asserted that he will continue to speak out on issues pertaining to race, religion, and royalty (3R) despite knowing that the police will launch investigations against him.

Mahathir was quoted by Berita Harian as saying that the police had called him in nine times to have his statement recorded regarding the 3R issues.

“If they want to investigate, so be it... I have been called in nine times. After this, it’d be the 10th, 11th (time)...

“But it’s okay, we will count how many times I have been called,” he was quoted as saying in Perikatan Nasional’s mega ceramah for the Simpang Jeram by-election at the Bakri PAS headquarters in Johor last night.The two-time premier was also quoted by the Malay daily as reiterating his claims that the current government’s ban on 3R issues is unconstitutional.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

He said he had read the Federal Constitution multiple times to find out if Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim could make such laws, insisting that only the Dewan Rakyat can do so.

“He (Anwar) wants to shut our mouths for speaking on 3R issues, what is his right? But I know he can instruct the police to question me.

“I want to speak for my race, I don’t want my race to lose its country.

“I know what I say here will be recorded by certain quarters... I will get called (by the police) again. If you were to ask why I speak this way, my answer is simple. If I am wrong, charge me in court and then I can answer in court.

“However, they said there are laws which allow them to arrest me but there is no need to bring me to court,” he alleged.

Selective enforcement

On Aug 18, the 98-year-old was called in by the police to give a statement over his comments about the non-Malay communities in the country.

On the same day, he accused the government and the police of selective enforcement for the investigation into his remarks.

He claimed that the police questioning was an attempt to threaten and silence him from talking about problems experienced by the Malays and from repeating his claim that “Malaysia is a Malay country” (Malaysia sebagai Tanah Melayu).

On Aug 29, his statement was once again recorded by the police to assist in the investigation regarding disparaging remarks made against the royal institution as published by a news portal on June 6. - Mkini