Cross-examined during his RM150 million lawsuit against the incumbent prime minister, Mahathir was asked whether he agreed that his reputation following 22 years in office when Barisan Nasional was in power hinged on public perceptions of his leadership.
“No dictator has ever resigned,” Mahathir said in reply to a question from counsel Ranjit Singh.
Ranjit: But you yourself accepted that you were a dictator?
Mahathir: No, I never agreed.
Ranjit then played a video clip from a 2016 press conference in which Mahathir was heard saying: “They can do what I did. I was also a dictator before, but that is all right. People did not demonstrate like this against me before.”
When asked if he understood the concept of being a dictator, Mahathir replied: “Yes.”
The former prime minister also agreed with Ranjit’s assertion that a dictator is a leader who yields power without necessary checks and balances to prevent abuse of power.
However, Mahathir disagreed when Ranjit cited the 1987 Operasi Lalang as the “clearest example” of his “dictatorship”.
Operasi Lalang saw 119 civil society activists, intellectuals and opposition politicians detained without trial under the now-repealed Internal Security Act.
Ranjit went on to challenge Mahathir’s assertion that, unlike Najib Razak, he was never subjected to mass demonstrations when in power.
Ranjit: You said there was no demonstration against you, but do you recall the Reformasi protest in 1998 after you sacked my client? There was a demonstration against you.
Mahathir: I disagree.
Ranjit: Would you accept that just because you resigned, it doesn’t mean you were not an authoritarian during your 22 years in power?
Mahathir: I disagree.
Anwar was represented by Ranjit, Alliff Benjamin Suhaimi and Razlan Hadri Zulkifli, while Rafique and Nizam Bashir Abdul Kariem Bashir appeared for Mahathir.
Mahathir is suing Anwar over remarks made in March 2023 at the PKR Special National Congress.
The PKR president is alleged to have said that “someone in power for 22 years and 22 months” had enriched himself, his family, and cronies, failed to pay taxes, and moved funds abroad.
Mahathir claims the remarks were directed at him and were defamatory.
The hearing continues before Judicial Commissioner Donald Joseph Franklin on Oct 29.