Dr M: No libel suit if I am ‘kacang putih’ seller

DR MAHATHIR Mohamad said Friday he would not have filed a defamation suit against Ahmad Zahid Hamidi if he (Mahathir) was a “roadside kacang putih seller”.

The former prime minister, 99, told the High Court here he decided to sue the Umno president after he made an “insulting remark” as he was a politician and the then leader of a political party.

“The defamatory remark was about me and not a roadside kacang putih seller,” Mahathir said under cross-examination by Zahid’s lawyer, Shahrul Fazli Kamaruzman.

He said the statement made by Zahid, who is also the deputy prime minister, made it seem that he was a Hindu who became a Muslim convert.

Mahathir is suing Zahid over his alleged use of the name Kutty, which he said was intended as a derogatory reference to him.

In his statement of claim, he said Zahid made the allegedly defamatory remark at an Umno divisional meeting in Kelana Jaya, Selangor, on July 30, 2017.

He claimed the remark implied that he was not born a Malay or a Muslim, and that his original name was Mahathir son of Iskandar Kutty.

It also implied that the name Mahathir Mohamad was used to profit himself politically and personally.

In his defence, Zahid said the name referred to an individual based on information contained in a copy of an old identity card.

Today, Mahathir denied a suggestion by Shahrul that he decided to file the suit in July 2022, after Zahid refused to apologise and to pay RM50 million as stated in a letter of demand sent three months earlier.

He said his lawyers came up with the figure as Zahid’s statement had “destroyed” his reputation.

“Good reputation is very costly,” he said.

Mahathir said he was hopeful that Zahid would apologise over the incident. “I filed the suit when he failed to respond,” he said.

The hearing before judicial commissioner Gan Techiong continues.

Dr M: Saya bukan penjual kacang putih

BEKAS Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mendakwa, kenyataan oleh Presiden Umno Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi pada Julai 2017 yang menuduhnya ‘Mahathir anak lelaki Iskandar Kutty’ mungkin tiada kesan jika beliau penjual kacang putih.

“Jika saya penjual kacang putih di tepi jalan, tak siapa peduli, tetapi sebaliknya kenyataan Ahmad Zahid itu telah mencalarkan reputasi dan nama saya sebagai bekas Perdana Menteri dan pemimpin politik.

“Dia tidak sepatutnya menipu, kata-katanya diambil serius oleh orang awam. Saya di sini untuk membuktikan dia menipu, sebagai ketua parti politik dia (Ahmad Zahid) tidak sepatutnya menipu,” katanya.

Dr Mahathir berkata, sebagai ketua sebuah parti politik, apa yang dikatakan oleh Ahmad Zahid diambil secara serius oleh orang awam.

“Orang awam tidak ada tempat untuk merujuk kenyataan Ahmad Zahid itu sama ada betul atau palsu, mereka mempercayainya kerana kenyataan itu dikeluarkan oleh seorang pemimpin parti politik,” katanya.

Ketika menjawab soal balas daripada peguam, Mohd Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman yang mewakili Ahmad Zahid, Dr Mahathir berkata, pada peringkat awal selepas video kenyataan Ahmad Zahid tular, beliau menganggapnya sebagai kenyataan politik dan tidak diambil serius oleh orang ramai.

“Tetapi selepas itu saya dapati semakin ramai orang yang bertindak dan memberi komen mengenai kenyataannya. Kenyataan itu juga antara faktor kekalahan parti Bersatu dalam pilihan raya pada 2018.

“Ketika menonton video itu, dia (Ahmad Zahid) menunjukkan satu imej yang didakwa kad pengenalan asal milik saya,

“Dia tidak pernah menunjukkan gambar itu secara telus. Setakat sebuah imej, sesiapa sahaja boleh mengubahnya,” katanya.

Dr Mahathir yang memberi keterangan sebagai plaintif dalam kes saman terbabit di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur Jumaat lalu, berkata, kenyataan Presiden Umno itu menggambarkan seolah-olah beliau bukan Mahathir Mohamad.

 

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