PUTRAJAYA – Eighteen police reports were lodged against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for saying Malaysian Indians and Chinese are “disloyal” to the country.
The number of reports was told to him when he had his statement recorded today, the former prime minister told reporters at his office in the Perdana Leadership Foundation here, today.
“I was told that 18 people lodged police reports against me about my interview with Thanti TV.
“These people didn’t make statutory declarations. They just told the police, and I am under investigation. I have to give my statement.
“So, being a Tun is difficult – I can’t say anything. I want to know, can I speak or not?
“There are more racist statements which were never investigated,” Dr Mahathir said after his session with the police was over.
He said he did not say anything wrong to Thanti TV, adding, “I have my own views and understanding.”
He also claimed he had been questioned by police “ten times” in the past.
“Even the smallest thing (sikit-sikit), I am questioned by the police. As if I am a common criminal. They ask me, so I answer. I am a law-abiding citizen.”
Three police officers from the Bukit Aman headquarters had come to his office here and spent about an hour taking the 98-year-old leader’s statement.
In his interview with Chennai-based Thanti TV, Dr Mahathir not only referred to Malaysian Indians and Chinese as immigrants but also stated that they should not call themselves Malaysians unless they identify as Malays.
The country’s longest-serving prime minister also said Malaysian Indians do not speak Malay as their mother tongue, do not practice Malay culture, customs, or traditions, and thus should not refer to Malaysia as their home country.
The two-time prime minister considered it a “problem” when the “immigrants” (referring to Malaysian Indians and Chinese) claimed the country as their own while practicing their own culture and customs – a view he has long held and repeats frequently in media interviews.
Various leaders have strongly condemned Dr Mahathir’s remarks, noting the potential danger of inflaming racial tensions. – January 23, 2024