KUALA LUMPUR (May 17): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday challenged UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to prove that the former is not a Malay. Should Ahmad Zahid fail to do so, Dr Mahathir said he would consider suing the Bagan Datuk member of parliament for defamation.

In a blog post, Dr Mahathir said Ahmad Zahid had sued him for purported defamation after the former claimed that the UMNO president met him several times during his second stint as prime minister between May 10, 2018 and February 2020 to ask for help in the former deputy prime minister's criminal cases.

"The suit Ahmad Zahid filed against me was over my statement that Ahmad Zahid wanted my intervention in the present court criminal proceedings he is facing. As this case is in court, I refrain from saying anything else on what Ahmad Zahid has alleged.

"I will see him in court and I have relayed so to my lawyers," Dr Mahathir said, adding he is bored with Ahmad Zahid's behaviour, which is to cover his lies by using the court process.

"Ahmad Zahid is a liar and in English he could be described as a compulsive liar. During Ahmad Zahid's campaign in the 14th general election, he claimed that my original identity card stated my name as Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty."

Dr Mahathir said Ahmad Zahid had claimed that his (Dr Mahathir's) IC contained that name that was submitted to the National Registration Department.

"Ahmad Zahid's statement against me [is] as he wants to allege that I am actually an Indian and am using the Malays for 22 years as the PM (in his first stint). I wait for Ahmad Zahid to show me the evidence for the public. However, until the end of the general election till today he has not shown it.

"He wanted to smear me, and show to the public at large that I had lied about the status of my race. Hence, with that he wanted to question my leading of UMNO or any other Malay party or as a matter of fact, leading the Malays in general," he added.

"He wanted to show that I should have the notion of "son of" and not bin, and hence I am not a Malay.

"Yes, I admit I have the Indian blood or ancestry inside of me as I had stated in my book. I did not deny. But the fact is my birth certificate and my IC state my name as Mahathir bin Mohamad. According to Article 160 of the Federal Constitution, I am a Malay and my struggle is to protect my race. My parents were born in Peninsular Malaysia and have been practising Islam.

"Since the start, the conversations at my home have been done in Bahasa Melayu and my culture and practice are Malay. I do not favour using the court although there are many who slander me as I realise that as politicians there will be political campaigns against me and this is something I cannot control," he added.

However, Dr Mahathir said he has to take action against Ahmad Zahid's lies as it cannot be left at that as it is not only directed at tarnishing his (Dr Mahathir's) reputation but also directed at all party members and Malays so that the latter can remain in power.

"This I find to be dangerous. I am considering taking legal action against all of Ahmad Zahid's lies and slander against me. I challenge Ahmad Zahid to show evidence in relation to my questionable identity or race as a Malay.

"If he does not apologise and withdraw the remark, I will take court action," Dr Mahathir said in the blog post.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir in his defence against Ahmad Zahid's suit maintains that what he said about Ahmad Zahid seeking his intervention in the former deputy prime minister's cases was true.

In the defence filed by the firm of Messrs Haidir & Co sighted by theedgemarkets.com, the former premier said the incident did happen and cited the defence of justification, fair comment and qualified privilege.

Dr Mahathir further listed Ahmad Zahid as having met him on several occasions, namely on June 6 and Sept 13, 2018, both at Perdana Leadership Foundation; Feb 23 and Feb 24, 2020 at his residence at Mines Resort, and Feb 25, 2020 at the Prime Minister's Office.

"In those meetings, it is true that Ahmad Zahid did mention his court cases. Those things happened," the former premier added in his defence.

"Hence, such statement should not be considered as defamatory," he said, adding that there was no mala fide or ill intention in him making the comments on Feb 23 this year.

Dr Mahathir said as what was said was facts, he is protected by the defence of qualified privilege, justification and fair comment and hence Ahmad Zahid cannot take this action.

"Hence, the suit should be dismissed with costs," the 97-year-old said in his defence.