I’m not ashamed of Indian heritage, but still Malay, says Dr M

 

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was not sure if his grandfather or ancestors had come from Kerala, as his family had never discussed the matter seriously.

PETALING JAYA: 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not ashamed of having Indian blood, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today, but the former prime minister said it does not detract from the fact that he is a Malay.

“My father was born and registered as a Malay from Malaysia. 

I am not ashamed to say that I have Indian blood, but this does not mean I am not Malay,

 Utusan Malaysia reported Mahathir as saying.

He was responding to a question posed by lawyer Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, representing deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as to whether he was ashamed of his south Indian heritage.

In his testimony, Mahathir also said he was unsure if his grandfather or ancestors had come from Kerala, as his family had never discussed the matter seriously.

“Zahid gave the impression that I was lying when I said my name is Mahathir Mohamad, and not Mahathir son of Iskandar Kutty.

This is not about whether Mahathir is a Muslim name or not. The name that he used is not my real name, and I did not lie when I said my name is Mahathir Mohamad,

 he said.

Mahathir also denied a statement in Barry Wain’s book, 

Mahathir: The Malaysian Maverick

, in which the author claimed that Mahathir’s father bore the name 

Mohamad Iskandar Kutty

 and was of Jawi Peranakan descent.

He also denied that a photograph reproduced in the book was of his father.

When asked why no legal action had been taken against Wain, Mahathir said: 

He is unimportant.

Mahathir filed the suit against Zahid on July 20, 2022.

In his statement of claim, Mahathir alleged that Zahid had defamed him at an Umno divisional meeting in Kelana Jaya on July 30, 2017, by using the name 

Kutty

 in a derogatory manner to refer to him.

He claimed the statement was meant to imply that he was not born a Malay or Muslim, and that his original name was Mahathir son of Iskandar Kutty.

In his defence, Zahid said that name referred to an individual based on information contained in a copy of an old identity card.

The trial continues before judicial commissioner Gan Techiong. - FMT