Mr Blame-Everyone-Else

TMI - Why is Dr Mahathir blaming us over Anwar sacking, asks ex-top cop (extracts):

FORMER inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Noor is perplexed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claims that police were the ones who prompted him to sack former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, Utusan reports today.

Rahim said he doesn’t know the former prime minister’s motive in making such claims, as police have no legal power to dismiss any minister.

“I don’t know what he is thinking and why he said those things as we have no legal power,” said Rahim, who was the top cop when Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister.

Anwar was sacked on September 2, 1998 and arrested and jailed on September 20.

However, when Anwar was taken to court to be charged, he was spotted with a black eye and subsequent events showed that he was hit by Rahim.

Rahim was sentenced to two months’ jail and fined RM2,000 for hitting Anwar after the Court of Appeal upheld the sentence in April 2001.

In an interview with Sin Chew Daily, the Pakatan Harapan chairman said he made the wrong decision in firing Anwar, but he “had no choice”.

Dr Mahathir said he “should not have followed the law completely” in making the decision.

“From a political point of view, I would not have done this (sacking Anwar). When I was the prime minister, I promised myself not to do anything that would make people hate me,” he was quoted as saying.

Dr Mahathir said he had no option but to sack Anwar after police presented evidence to him.

Rahim said any appointment or dismissal of a minster to the cabinet can only be done through a proposal from the prime minister with the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“The sacking of a deputy prime minister is not like picking coconuts. It is all done by the prime minister (Dr Mahathir) at that time.

“The police are just a government department whose powers are subjected to the Police Force Commission as stipulated in the federal constitution which outlines the police duties,” Rahim said.

unlike himself