Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he would not sue any news portal even if it curses him, unlike Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
The cost of getting lawyers was a factor and besides, he knew that curses and praises come with the territory of being a politician, the veteran Umno man said.
"Yes, it is right," Mahathir said, when asked to comment on PM Najib's lawsuit against Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd, the publisher of Malaysiakini , and two editors over the publication of readers’ comments.
"I won't sue, they can call me anything also. I won't sue because this is politics. In politics, you get cursed and you get praised."
For example, Mahathir said he knows some had called him “anti-hadis”, “kafir” or worse.
“PAS has even condemned all Umno people as (breakaway Muslims) kafir,” Mahathir said.
Right of reply offer rejected
Before filing the lawsuit in his personal capacity and as Umno president against Malaysiakini last Friday, PM Najib had told the National Press Club that his suit did not mean a media crackdown. It was to differentiate between legitimate criticism and defamation.
Malaysiakini has however offered to publish Najib’s right of reply to his critics through the news portal, but he has not accepted that offer.
Mahathir also said that he won’t sue people for defamation as he has learnt that only lawyers benefit in such often long-drawn affairs.
“The law is there...and people say all kinds of things about me, but you have to pay a lawyer and in the end, only they will benefit,” he said to laughter in the room of reporters.
Mahathir cited how opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim sued him for RM100 million but Anwar lost the case, after it had gone on for five years.
“I had to pay my lawyers for that case and only got RM70,000 out of it,” Mahathir said.
Meanwhile, think-tank Political Studies for Change (KPRU) said Najib's action mimicked Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's move to sue blogger Roy Ngerng last month.
KPRU said in a statement that Najib had strayed from his own concept of moderation, which he often promoted.
He would also be undermining his “reformist” facade in the international arena, the think-tank added.
KPRU noted that this suit would also lower Najib's legacy given that this was the first time he was taking such an action.
"The suit not only raises controversy, but is a unwise step and a narrow-minded move for the long-term survival of a regime," KPRU's executive director Ooi Heng said in the statement.
KPRU also urged the Malaysians to stand behind Malaysiakini , just like how the people had backed Ngerng.
Since he was sued on May 18, Ngerng has successfully raised SG$55,700 through a crowd funding website to fund the cost of his legal defence.
NOTE: The full, 30-page Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim dated May 30, 2014, served on Malaysiakini and its editors, can be accessed here .
Related stories
NSTP group papers lead circulation plunge
