K KANGSAR POLLS Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad today declared that he will answer in court questions that the police had previously posed to him.

Mahathir, who is in Kuala Kangsar in support of Parti Amanah Negara’s (Amanah) candidate in the by-election, lamented how people today did not know if they would be arrested or not for lodging police reports.

Previously, he said, police would investigate whether a particular report had basis or otherwise, but this was no longer the case today.

Mahathir said he was ‘lucky’, too, in that he had been called for interrogation thrice.

“They asked me many things, but perhaps because I'm stupid, I didn't answer,” said Mahathir in his trademark cheeky humour at an event organised by Pakatan Harapan here today.

“If you want me to answer, charge me and I will answer in court,” he added, to applause from some 300 attendees at the event.

Once in court, Mahathir said he, through his lawyer, had the right to ask Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor on the authenticity of a picture depicting the latter boarding a private jet.

“I want to ask whether the picture is authentic, with 12 people carrying big bags.

“If we want to ride planes we have Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and we can go anywhere, but she has to rent a jet which costs RM80 million and then they say they have no money,” he said.

Mahathir’s dig was in reference to PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli's expose that Rosmah used a private jet for an overseas trip to Istanbul.

Rosmah’s aide Rizal Mansor said the the jet was chartered for two months, which led Rafizi to estimate that RM86.4 million was spent to rent it.

Mahathir had been questioned by police over remarks he made against Umno branch leaders as well as attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.

After leaving Umno, Mahathir spearheaded the Save Malaysia movement which urges, among others, Najib's resignation.