DR M’S ‘FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION’ PROMISE GREETED WITH DERISION

Look at his record when he was PM, says Nazri

HARIZ MOHD, DAWN CHAN, ARFA YUNUS

KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my

TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad is unlikely to change his ways despite making promises that he will return freedom of expression to the people as many see this as a political gimmick.

This could be seen from his past actions when he was in power for 22 years, said Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

The tourism and culture minister said many politicians had wasted their lives behind bars when Dr Mahathir was the prime minister.

He said those jailed under his watch included de facto opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang.

“He is mad to propose this 35 years later when all the laws are in place to protect freedom of speech.

“Dr Mahathir has become a political comedian and should try to become a stand-up comedian.

“He makes people laugh with his recent political remarks and promises,” said Nazri, who had worked for several years under the longest-serving prime minister.

He was responding to Dr Mahathir’s opening speech at Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) annual general assembly in Shah Alam, where the former premier said the party would return freedom of speech to the people if Pakatan Harapan was placed in power.

MCA central committee member Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said Dr Mahathir’s history of censorship had been well documented.

“Dr Mahathir is a dictator and will always be known for his dictatorial ways.

“The best way to judge his sincerity when he was in power is by looking at the evils he had done.

“When he was prime minister, hundreds of people were locked up under the Internal Security Act (ISA) during Op Lalang and the Reformasi days, to name a few of his wrongdoings,” said Ti.

He said things had improved since Datuk Seri Najib Razak took over as prime minister in 2009.

The freedom of expression in the country has undergone formidable changes as Najib had abolished restrictive colonialera laws like ISA.

Although censorship remained, it took on a different character in line with the present times aimed only at protecting the interests of the nation’s multiracial society harmony, he

said.

In Batu Pahat, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said Dr Mahathir’s promise to return freedom of speech when he takes over the country’s leadership was hilarious.

He said Dr Mahathir had forgotten that it was he who used the ISA to catch, put fear, as well as silence his political enemies when he was in power.

“What Dr Mahathir says cannot be trusted. He is not only the ‘King of U-turns’, but is capable of changing (his mind) in the blink of an eye,” he said.

In Johor Baru, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said Dr Mahathir would never act liberally and allow freedom of expression at it went against his nature.

“Can a leopard change its spots? Of course it can’t. Who used ISA and Op Lalang for his own ends?” said Nur Jazlan.

He said this at a press conference after attending the Pulai parliamentary level Fiesta Sukan Rakyat in Kompleks Sukan Hospital Permai in Kempas.

Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Muhamad Fuzi Harun said it was merely Dr Mahathir’s own “view” that police had been used by the current administration as a tool to protect them from wrongdoings.

“That is his view and we can’t stop him for giving any comments,” he told the New Sunday Times.

Dr Mahathir in his speech had also said that if they were in power they would not ask the police to take action against those who criticised the ruling government. Additional reporting by Fernando Fong