FORMER Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said he initiated a lawsuit against Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for commenting on his Indian ancestry because the deputy prime minister had sued him first.
The 99-year-old said that the separate legal action against him, which Zahid had filed in April 2022, was one of the many factors which resulted in his current legal action.
Dr Mahathir was replying while being cross-examined by Zahid’s counsel Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Mohd Shahrul: You are suing Zahid because he sued you first?
Dr Mahathir: That is one of the reasons. The main reason is that what he said was a lie.
Dr Mahathir was referring to why he sued Zahid for defamation over an allegation of an identity card bearing the name “Mahathir anak lelaki Iskandar Kutty”.
Dr Mahathir claimed that Zahid's comments made in 2017 painted him as an opportunist, where he proclaimed to be Malay only to gain political and personal favour, and had a skewed view of the Indian community.
Mohd Shahrul also pointed out that although Zahid's comments were made in 2017, Dr Mahathir took nearly five years to initiate a lawsuit - in July 2022, a few months after Zahid had initiated his suit.
The lawyer questioned the length of time as reputations are at stake and swift action is needed to rectify the situation.
Dr Mahathir's lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali objected to the line of cross-examination, pointing out that civil law gives a plaintiff up to six years from the date of an impugned statement.
"Sometimes, we remember things even after five years," Dr Mahathir said, adding that Zahid is the Deputy Prime Minister and his words carry weight.
Dr Mahathir is seeking general, exemplary, and aggravated damages from Zahid, and an injunction barring Zahid or his agents from repeating the making of such claims.
The trial before Judicial Commissioner Gan Techiong continues on Wednesday. - October 14, 2024
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