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Malaysia police open four investigations on Mahathir
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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (center) attends a special press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 4. (AP/-)
T
he Malaysian police have opened four investigation papers against former premier Mahathir Mohamad, inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar said on Monday.
"We have already opened up four investigation papers against Mahathir,'' the Malaysiakini news website quoted the IGP as saying.
"Some are incomplete and some are being discussed with the attorney-general [Mohamad Apandi Ali]," IGP Khalid was quoted as saying.
“Some [investigations] are for sedition and some for other things. No decisions have been made so far," he added.
He would not confirm if any of the investigations are related to Mahathir's latest call for foreign intervention to oust Prime Minister Najib Razak, according to the report.
In an interview with The Weekend Australian newspaper, Mahathir said that the chances of ousting Najib, who is under fire over heavily indebted state investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), were slim if there was no external pressure.
In response, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Mahathir's comment could result in the people losing respect for the former premier.
He said on Sunday that Mahathir, when in power from 1981-2003, had frequently reminded government officers and party leaders not to cooperate with foreign powers to tarnish Malaysia's image or damage the country.
"He used to scold us if we cooperated with foreigners, while some of us have also even been accused as being foreign agents," the New Straits Times quoted Zahid as saying.
The Umno Veterans Club has urged that action be taken against Mahathir under the Sedition Act for trying to bring in foreign interference into the administration of the country, Malaysiakini reported.
Its secretary Mustapha Yaakub reportedly said that the former prime minister had gone overboard, a clear indication that he was desperate in his attempts to overthrow Najib, according to the news website.
Mahathir is leading a "Save Malaysia" movement calling for Najib to step down as the prime minister. He has been questioned previously over his allegations against Umno leaders, and has suggested that he may soon be arrested for his continued attacks against Putrajaya.
In February, several police reports were lodged against Mahathir over his blog posting that repeated calls for Najib's resignation, on grounds that 1MDB-linked financial scandals had shamed the country.
