Mahathir says won't hold mass rally
Published on: Saturday, June 18, 2016
SABAK BERNAM: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he was "tempted" to stage a mass rally against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak but would not do so as it would likely result in his arrest."I am tempted also, but is not my way. You know the song 'my way'... this is not my way, but I believe in the voice and strength of the people," he told a press conference.The former Prime Minister claimed that such an event would be used by Putrajaya to paralyse the movement seeking the Prime Minister's resignation.
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"I think the government is waiting for us to do that. Then they can use their tear gas, can wallop the people and arrest the leaders," Dr Mahathir said."They won't arrest all. There will be 500,000 people; they can't arrest all. Their idea is to arrest the leaders so that they paralyse the whole thing. That is what they want to do; they are urging us. Trying to make us have a big street demo," he added.Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu who was also present at the press conference said, however, that a rally would be held if need be."Let's see the developments. Rallies are a method of democracy without violence. That depends on the situation and development of what is happening," he said.
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Dr Mahathir also claimed that there were attempts by the authorities to keep him from speaking in public with the latest being an order to a TV station to cancel a comedy show featuring him.Dr Mahathir who campaigned for the Opposition for a second time on Thursday, said even the Immigration Department had warned him that his passport could be revoked.
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"Whenever I wanted to go overseas to meet the foreign press, I was warned not to say anything against the Najib leadership."When I came back, I was told that my passport could be revoked for three years and the Immigration Department said they had the authority to do so," Dr Mahathir said.Dr Mahathir also ridiculed the recent claims by the authorities that owning a passport is a privilege that can be revoked.The country's longest serving former leader claimed this was not stated anywhere in the Federal Constitution. "I've read the Federal Constitution, there is no such right. How this came about I don't know," Dr Mahathir sarcastically said.Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed previously said passports allowing Malaysians to travel to and from the country are issued as a privilege and not a right.He further claimed that such warnings were given to those who spoke to foreign media outlets abroad, in order to prevent them from being critical about the country's administration.Dr Mahathir said that a comedy show, "Obviously Harith Iskander," which he was supposed to appear in was "ordered to be cancelled."He said the show, aired on Saturdays, had nothing to do with politics as "they would only talk of things that are "menggelikan hati" (funny)."He said Harith, the host of the show, is not a politician."He is a comedian. We were not going to touch on politics. We were going to just talk on anything that tickles us. That was the purpose of the show," he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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