(Nov 3): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is likely to have his statement taken by police this Friday, more than two months after he had allegedly made defamatory statements against Umno leaders at the Bersih 4 rally.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar was reported as saying by Malaysiakini that Dr Mahathir was the one who had proposed this Friday as a tentative date for police to record his statement.

"But this is subject to the availability of his lawyer," Khalid was quoted as saying, adding that police were leaving it up to the retired statesman to decide on the venue.

Khalid had previously said police would question Dr Mahathir over the defamatory statements he had allegedly made at the Bersih 4 rally under Section 500 of the Penal Code, which carries a two-year jail term, a fine, or both upon conviction.

Dr Mahathir, who is now a strong critic of the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had then issued a challenge to the police to arrest him over his speech, adding that he was willing to extend his full cooperation if called up for questioning.

Khalid later said out of respect for Dr Mahathir, police would not ask him to come to the station to give his statement but would assign an officer to meet him wherever he was.

Dr Mahathir, Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister, was present on both days of the Bersih rally which was held over 34 hours, joining thousands in calling for Najib's resignation.

He said he did not support Bersih 4's demands and only wanted to see Najib resign.

"The only way to return rule of law is to remove this prime minister, and to remove him, the people must show people's power," he had said.

Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah was today charged under Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) for failing to give notice of the assembly to the police 10 days in advance and is liable to a maximum fine of RM10,000 under Section 9(5) upon conviction. – The Malaysian Insider