'I did nothing wrong' - Dr M defends 'disloyal Indians' comment

'I did nothing wrong' - Dr M defends 'disloyal Indians' comment


Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has doubled down on his recent racial remarks that Indian Malaysians are “not completely loyal to the country” despite being questioned by the police on the matter today.

Speaking to reporters after having his statement recorded, Mahathir said he doesn’t believe he “has done anything wrong”.

“I have my rights, I have my own stance. The rest I will answer in court, I am an abiding citizen,” he said at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.

Earlier, the police earlier questioned him at the Perdana Leadership Foundation for over an hour.

Mahathir also divulged that he was asked 19 questions during the session.

On Jan 13, during an interview with Indian satellite TV channel Thanthi TV, Mahathir alleged that Indian Malaysians are not completely loyal to the country as they still identify with their country of origin.

He also said that one should identify as Malay to have the right to call the country their own.

"Indian Malaysians do not speak Malay as their home language, they speak Tamil (instead)," he said when the host asked whether one can’t remain loyal to the country while committed to their roots.

The nonagenarian then said that his "problem" is when "immigrants" (Indians and Chinese) call the country their own while professing their own cultures and customs.

The two-time premier’s comments have since drawn brickbats from various quarters.


‘Difficult being a Tun’

During the press conference today, Mahathir said he was informed by the police that 18 police reports were lodged against him over his comments.

“I was told that 18 people lodged police reports against me about my interview with Thanthi TV. They didn’t make statutory declarations. They just told the police and I’m under investigation, so 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?

“In this country, we say that we are free. My comments in the interview are just my views.”

The former Langkawi MP then lamented that he has been treated like a “common criminal” after claiming that he has been quizzed up to 10 times by the force for merely voicing his views.

“This shows how easy it is to investigate a ‘Tun’. Even the smallest things, I’m questioned by the police.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim


“I feel very sad, Malaysia used to be one of the best-governed countries but now the police are instructed by politicians,” he alleged.

Yesterday, he refuted Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s notion that it is not easy to investigate a “Tun”.

He claimed that it is harder to investigate those in power - especially the prime minister, deputy prime minister and the MACC chief instead of a “Tun”.

“There is nothing difficult about investigating me. I’m just a Tun. If they put me in jail, I will just die in jail.

“If I’m dead, there is no need to investigate me. There won’t be many problems,” he said in a jest.

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kt comments:

"did nothing wrong???" Kerbau, I can easily think of three humongous wrongs he did:

(1) insulting Malaysian citizens of Indian and Chinese descents, based purely on his senile opinion,

(2) not apologising for the gross insult, against the very etiquette of a civil-minded bersopan santun Malay, ironically against his claim of being 100% Malay, wakakaka, and MOST of all,

(3) abandoning his Indian heritage and thus insulting his own Malayalam ancestors - podah