PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pix) has threatened to sue Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the claim that he is not Malay.
Zahid made a claim in 2017 where he accused Dr. Mahathir of lying about his ethnicity and using the Malays to further his agenda.
“Previously, I did not like to use the courts though many slandered me as I am aware that there will be those who act outside the boundaries and limits in political campaigns.
“But this time, I feel there’s a need to act on his claim and cannot be left alone.
“It is not only because it damaged my reputation, but his deceiving of Malays and Umno supporters for the sake of staying in power is very dangerous,“ Dr Mahathir said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir acknowledged that he had Indian ancestors but that he was not Indian in the constitutional sense.
“Yes, I do have Indian blood, which I state in my book, and I do not deny it. But the fact is that my birth certificate and identity card are both Mahathir bin Mohamad. According to the definition of the Malaysian constitution (Article 160), I am Malay and my struggle is to defend the interests of my race.”
Dr Mahathir’s reaction also appears to be due to the Bagan Datuk MP’s recent defamation suit against him.
Zahid is suing Dr Mahathir over a claim that the former met the latter to get in the good books of the then prime minister as the former anticipated that he will face criminal charges.
Dr Mahathir said Zahid sought his help in 2018, after it became clear that the former will become prime minister.
Dr Mahathir, in reply to his notice of summons on March 2, denied defaming Zahid.
