Aliran Media Statement
Jogging Mahathir's Memory…
The prime minister's comments in trying to justify Abu Talib's inclusion in the commission of inquiry to identify Anwar's assailant(s) are bewildering: "Was he (Abu Talib) found guilty of destroying evidence?" Mahathir asked in response to Aliran's earlier statement objecting to the former Attorney-General's appointment to the commission. "He should be charged if it is true but this is just the same kind of suspicion thrown at a person without any basis…. You can't penalise people on that basis - it is not something that is proven; it is just hearsay."
It looks like Mahathir's memory has to be jogged a little to remind him of recent history. It is a fact that 11 videotapes and 4 envelopes containing photographs in the Vijandran case were destroyed. It is a fact that Abu Talib issued the instructions for them to be destroyed. It is a fact that a heated debate flared in Parliament. It is a fact that Mahathir said that the former Attorney-General used his discretion and advised the police to destroy the videotapes and photographs.
But the former A-G was not charged for issuing instructions to destroy the evidence. This is just as perplexing as the fact that Azizan was not charged even though he had confessed that he had been allegedly sodomised - unlike Sukma and Munawar who were charged and jailed for sodomy after they had "confessed".
Aliran is 100 per cent behind Mahathir when he says that "you can't penalise people on that basis (of suspicion) - it is not something that is proven; it is just hearsay."
On what basis then did he dismiss Anwar? Mahathir claimed that he made the decision on moral grounds after speaking to some people personally. Wasn't that just hearsay since these allegations of sexual misconduct were unproven then and they remain unproven now?
Mahathir's credibility is at its lowest now - many Malaysians just don't believe him anymore. After 18 years at the helm, it is time for him to step down honourably.
P Ramakrishnan
President
3 February 1999