PRESENT POINT POWER

Dr Mahathir: Get Rid ISA - Elect Another Government Not Supportive ISA; Also Interviewed 1 Hr by ACA Friday; At Langkawi Lima 2007 – Alive & Kicking

Malaysiakini has the early report (as below) of him being interviewed by ACA but no mention of ISA views;
ACA calls on Dr M over judiciary scandal; Fauwaz Abdul Aziz | Dec 22, 07 12:12pm; updated 3.54pm Former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad revealed today that he was interviewed by the Anti-Corruption Agency yesterday in relation to the Lingam tape. One-hour interview - I've not seen the tape

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December 22, 2007 17:17 PM

ACA Interviews Dr Mahathir Over Controversial Video Clip

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad revealed that he was interviewed by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) yesterday over the video clip of images of a person purported to be a lawyer speaking on the telephone on the appointment of judges.

ABOVE Dr Mahathir speaking to Reporters today, Dec 22 07

"The ACA interviewed me and they asked me questions and I answered them," he told reporters after the launch of a book, "The Third World and International Law", at the Perdana Leadership Foundation office here today. The book was written by Tunku Sofiah Jewa. Also present were Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali and Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim. Dr Mahathir said he was interviewed by three ACA officers for an hour at the foundation's office. He said he was also willing to testify if the law required him to do so. However, Dr Mahathir said: "I don't know whether Lingam said it or not. I did not see the tape. What I saw was on TV3, that's all. So I don't know about it." He pointed that a Royal Commission had been set up to look into the allegations. "It is up to the commission to see whether there is truth or not in the allegations," he said.

The government has appointed former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor as chairman of the six-member Royal Commission of Enquiry to ascertain the authenticity of the video clip and the identity of the speaker, the person he was speaking to over the phone in the clip and the persons mentioned in the conversation.

When asked on the government's decision to invoke the Internal Security Act (ISA) on the group behind the activities which threatened public order and national security, Dr Mahathir said: "I used the ISA too."It is up to the government and the people to decide, as you know we are a democratic country. If you elect people who are supportive of the ISA, naturally the ISA will be there. "If you don't like the ISA, you have to elect people who don't like the ISA. The choice is yours." According to Dr Mahathir, he was elected by the fact that he supported the ISA. "I was elected by the people, so I thought the people approved the ISA, that's why I implemented the ISA," he said.

On claims of ethnic cleansing here, Dr Mahathir said he read a lot about ethnic cleansing in Bosnia. "I have yet to see a lot of Indians being killed here. Malays killing Indians and all that....I think that's a bit absurd." On street demonstrations, he said the people were entitled to raise (issues) but there were other ways of doing it. "Not unless they are prevented from making their presentation in other ways. "If they don't have a choice, of course they may resort to demonstrations. But if they have a choice, they have their own leaders to explain their problems. I think that should be their first choice," he said. On the newly launched book, Dr Mahathir said "This book, to me, is very important".

ABOVE & BELOW: Launching the BIG BOOK by Tunku Sofiah Jewa.(who?)

"Most of the knowledge we have about international law and the Third World comes from the writings of Europeans and they are naturally bias." He said he had not read about many of the things mentioned in the book. "That is why it's interesting, and I think a lot of Asians, Africans and American Indians need to do research and write books from their own viewpoint for a better balance."

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December 05, 2007 15:58 PM

Mahathir Delighted Over LIMA's Progress

LANGKAWI, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has expressed delight over the progress shown by the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) 2007 exhibition, saying that it has become increasingly popular among those in the maritime and aerospace industries.

The former prime minister said that the ninth edition of Lima currently underway here had provided more exhibition space to cater to an increase in the number of local and foreign participants."Lima is progressing well...it seems that Lima has become a permanent biennial event for Malaysia and proven to be popular too," he told reporters after visiting the exhibition here Wednesday. Lima 2007 kicked off yesterday with the participation of 450 well-known defence companies from about 20 countries. Its aerospace segment is being held at the Mahsuri International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIEC) while the maritime portion takes place at the Awana Porto Malai.

Dr Mahathir, who mooted the idea of organising Lima which was held for the first time on the resort island in 1991, said the event had spurred economic activities in Langkawi to the extent that all hotel rooms had been fully booked for the week. "Some of the hoteliers want Lima to be organised every week as it brings them good business," he said in jest.

Earlier, Dr Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali were greeted by the country's first astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor (ABOVE) Sheikh Mustapha when visiting the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry's booth at the MIEC. The trio became the centre of attention as many visitors whipped out their cameras to capture the moment.

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Malaysia ex-PM Mahathir quizzed in judicial probe

Saturday December 22, 2:10 PM
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (Reuters) - Malaysian anti-corruption officials have interviewed former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad as part of their investigation into a scandal over judicial appointments. Mahathir, whose critics say he presided over a weakening of the judiciary during his 22 years in power, said on Saturday that three officials had come to interview him on Friday for about an hour. He did not reveal the questions or his answers. "The anti-corruption agency interviewed me and asked me questions and I answered them," the 82-year-old, who retired as leader in late 2003, told reporters.

The government has ordered a royal commission of inquiry into allegations that a lawyer with connections to government played a role in influencing judicial appointments. It followed the release in September by opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim of a video said to have been recorded in 2002 and purporting to show the lawyer boasting to a judge over the phone of his ability to influence appointments. In Malaysia, judicial appointments are made by the king, on the advice of the prime minister, though the Malaysian Bar Council has been lobbying for years for a special commission to handle the appointment of judges, free from politics. Mahathir has always denied he sought to interfere in the judicial process during his rule, though Malaysian justice has been dogged since the late 1980s by the perception that it is not free from government interference.

Asked on Saturday for his criteria in appointing judges, Mahathir said he had only considered their judicial merits. "Obviously when you promote people, you have to look into their qualifications, also their background and performance when they were magistrates," he said after launching a book at his think-tank in the administrative capital of Putrajaya. Mahathir said he would also appear, if required, to give evidence at public hearings of the royal commission of inquiry. The hearings are scheduled to begin next month. "Well, if I am required to testify, if the law requires I should testify, I cannot say no," he said.

= == = =Watch the 2 min 48s Video Clips on his Views On ISA & ACA Interview

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