Malaysia police questions ex-PM over seditious remarks

Malaysian police on Friday questioned country’s longest serving former prime minister Mahathir Mohammad over an alleged seditious remark made by him against the incumbent premier Najib Razak at an anti- government rally here in August.

The 90-year-old outspoken former premier has been in the news after he criticised premier Najib recently asking the latter to step down over a financial scandal involving state funds.

Mahathir, who was premier for 22 years and largely responsible for transforming Malaysia into a modern economy, said he did not know what he was being investigated for.

“They asked questions, and I said I will not answer. I didn’t answer,” he told reporters after he was questioned by the police at his office on Friday.

Mahathir further said that it was “up to the police” to arrest him.

Mahathir’s lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla said the police questioned the veteran politician over several issues including the alleged seditious remarks during the Bersih 4 rally in August. He refused to give details. Mahathir, Malaysia’s longest-serving leader is still an influential figure in the country.

He has become a fierce critic of Najib, who is embroiled in a graft scandal involving state funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a strategic development company, wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia.