Lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla (centre) with other members of the legal team which advised former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during questioning by police today. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, November 6, 2015.A police team from Bukit Aman arrived at former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's office in Kuala Lumpur today as part of a probe into his criticisms of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Three officers arrived in a patrol car at 10.40am, carefully avoiding reporters gathered outside the Al Bukhary Foundation building hours earlier.
Media personnel were however barred from entering the premises.
It is believed police will interview the country’s longest-serving leader over criticism he made against Najib during the Bersih 4 It is understood that the police team, led by Supt Azham Othman had posed 45 questions to Dr Mahathir over alleged statements he made against the country's leadership and other related issues including the Bersih 4 rally.
Dr Mahathir's legal team, headed by Haniff Khatri Abdulla, said that the police spent about 45 minutes questioning Dr Mahathir.
"Three of our counsels were there with him. He was also advised not to answer a few questions. Tun (Mahathir) kept it simple and it went well," Haniff said.
He said the session started at 11am and ended 45 minutes later.
Haniff said that the answers given by Dr Mahathir was sufficient based on the questioning by the police.
"I do not know if there will be another session but what needed to be said and wanted to be said has been said. So I believe there is no reason to record Dr Mahathir's statement again."
When asked under which section is Dr Mahathir being investigated, Haniff declined to comment.
"I cannot reveal the specifics and the questions were in general not on specific incidents," said Haniff.
The authorities opened several investigation papers after reports were made against Dr Mahathir, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said last month.
The investigations were said to be related to Section 500 of the penal code on defamation.
Dr Mahathir, 90, has been Najib's staunch critics for the longest time and has been openly asking the prime minister to step down over his alleged "failure" to govern the country as well as over the debt-ridden 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
The former leader escalated his criticisms after The Wall Street Journal reported in July on hundreds of millions of dollars that ended up in Najib’s private accounts before the last general election in 2013.
Najib had said the funds were "political donations" from the Middle East rather than public money, an initial conclusion also reached by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Lawmakers will get answers to questions on the donations on the last day before Parliament goes on a hiatus.
It was reported that Najib will either respond to questions himself on December 3 or appoint a representative to do so. rally in August. – November 6, 2015.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mobbed by the crowd as he makes a surprise appearance at the Bersih 4 rally last August. The former prime minister is expected to be questioned by police today. – The Malaysian Insider pic, November 6, 2015.
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