To everyone’s surprise, the proceedings ended in about 30 minutes with no tough questions posed by Maria’s lawyer, N Surendran, during cross-examination or any explosive statement from Mahathir.
The former prime minister took the stand this afternoon as a witness for Jamal, whom Mahathir had criticised for his outrageous behaviour.
Jamal, who is also Sungai Besar Umno division chief, was present in court but they did not exchange any pleasantries.
In his testimony, Mahathir, who is the second witness for the defendant, said the home ministry presented a White Paper in the Dewan Rakyat on the arrest of 106 politicians and civil society leaders in 1987 under the now repealed Internal Security Act (ISA).
“The arrests were made due to a threat to the security and peace in the country,” he said when examined by Jamal’s lawyer Mohammed Nasser Yusof.
Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years until October 2003, was also home minister from 1986 to 1999.
He agreed with the contents in the report that said the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) was a militant organisation and that Maria’s late husband Yunus Ali and activist Hishamuddin Md Rais had met CPM secretary-general Chin Peng.
Yunus was one of those arrested under the ISA then.
“I acted on the advice of the police because they are the ones who conduct investigations,” Mahathir said.
Mahathir said his view, held since 2006, that Bersih was a violent group had changed now.
He admitted that national news agency Bernama had carried his statement that Bersih would resort to violence if the now defunct Pakatan Rakyat lost in the 13th general election.
Cross-examined by Surendran, Mahathir said he no longer held a negative view about Bersih, based on his own experience with the movement.
“Their leaders did not promote chaos and the rally participants had collected rubbish at the gathering,” he said, adding that the two Bersih events he attended were peaceful in nature.
Mahathir said his past statements against Bersih and its leaders were based on information given to him by the police.
Maria is suing Jamal for slandering Bersih during a press conference outside the Putra World Trade Centre on Sept 28, 2016.
She also claimed that on Oct 4 that year, Jamal had uttered similar slanderous words against Bersih during a media conference at the Bukit Aman police headquarters compound.
In her statement of claim filed on Oct 7, Maria said she had been brought into public scandal and had her reputation and good name tarnished.
She is seeking general and aggravated damages, as well as an injunction to stop Jamal from uttering or publishing similar words, either verbally, in print, or online.
Jamal is relying on justification and fair comment as defence.
The hearing continues before Justice Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab.
2012 Bersih rally was to topple government, ex-IGP tells court
Activist: Maria’s husband a member of PLO but didn’t use arms