Dr M skirts round question about Anwar claim at town hall session

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been asked whether he stands by his claim 19 years ago that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had “masturbated” other men.

Speaking at a town hall session with youth on Tuesday night, the former prime minister appeared to skirt round the question posed by several youths.

“Three years before the arrest of Anwar, the police submitted a report to me about his misdeeds.

“I thought police were trying to undermine him. He was my deputy,” Dr Mahathir said, adding that he decided not to take any action then.

Dr Mahathir served as prime minister from 1981 to 2003, while Anwar was his deputy from 1993 to 1998.

“I then saw letters from (PKR deputy president Datuk Seri) Azmin Ali’s sister, which I also disregarded.

“But, later on, police came and gave me a detailed report on what had happened. I still didn’t want to believe.”

Dr Mahathir said he interviewed people who were said to have been “abused by Anwar”.

“I asked them and they agreed that this thing happened. I asked what we could do in such a case.

“As far as the party (Umno) was concerned, it decided that he (Anwar) was no longer fit to be in the party or to be deputy prime minister.”

Dr Mahathir, however, said what happened next was action by the police, and not him.

“Beyond that, it is police action. It is up to the police (whatever action they want to take). I had no more involvement in police action.”