Immunity is for the fearful and guilty, Dr M tells Anwar
PETALING JAYA : 'I do not need to be given immunity due to my age', former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has told Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after the Cabinet refused to take action against him over his role in the Batu Puteh issue.
In a post on X today, Mahathir said he should be taken to court to be proven guilty given the accusations.
'The one who judged me as guilty was Anwar. The one who said no action needs to be taken against me was also Anwar.
'He said I was not charged, despite being guilty, as I am 100 years old. This means I have been given immunity.
'I know I am not guilty, and I want to prove it. Immunity is for those afraid of going to court because they know they are guilty,' he said.
Yesterday, Anwar noted that a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) last year had found it likely that Mahathir had deliberately influenced the Cabinet to discontinue review applications regarding Batu Puteh's sovereignty in 2018, despite the views of international consultants who said the applications had a reasonable likelihood of success.
The RCI recommended that a police report be lodged against Mahathir, saying a criminal investigation could be initiated under Section 415(b) of the Penal Code for cheating.
'Was he not wrong? He was wrong. Should we take action? The Cabinet agreed not to. We made a decision because it involved a former prime minister who is 100 years old,' Anwar said in the Dewan Rakyat.
Mahathir lambasted Anwar for acting as 'judge and prosecutor' in the matter.
'Such is his great power. But the constitution does not say that the prime minister can be a prosecutor or judge,' he said.
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