KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian police have opened four investigation papers against former premier Mahathir Mohamad, inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar said on Monday (April 11).
"We have already opened up four investigation papers against Mahathir,'' the Malaysiakini news website quoted the IGP as saying.
"Some are incomplete and some are being discussed with the attorney-general (Mohamad Apandi Ali)," IGP Khalid was quoted as saying.
"Some (investigations) are for sedition and some for other things. No decisions have been made so far," he added.
A demonstrator with a Save Malaysia banner during a rally in Kuala Lumpur on April 2. The rally called for the end of the Goods and Services Tax, implemented a year ago, as well as the release of jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and the resigna
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Najib holding up under Mahathir's attacks
He would not confirm if any of the investigations are related to Dr Mahathir's latest call for foreign intervention to oust Prime Minister Najib Razak, according to the report.
In an interview with The Weekend Australian newspaper, Dr Mahathir said that the chances of ousting Datuk Seri Najib, who is under fire over heavily indebted state investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), were slim if there was no external pressure.
In response, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Dr Mahathir's comment could result in the people losing respect for the former premier.
He said on Sunday that Dr Mahathir, when in power from 1981-2003, had frequently reminded government officers and party leaders not to cooperate with foreign powers to tarnish Malaysia's image or damage the country.
"He used to scold us if we cooperated with foreigners, while some of us have also even been accused as being foreign agents," the New Straits Times quoted Datuk Zahid as saying.
The Umno Veterans Club has urged that action be taken against Dr Mahathir under the Sedition Act for trying to bring in foreign interference into the administration of the country, Malaysiakini reported.
Its secretary Mustapha Yaakub reportedly said that the former prime minister had gone overboard, a clear indication that he was desperate in his attempts to overthrow Mr Najib, according to the news website.
Dr Mahathir is leading a "Save Malaysia" movement calling for Mr Najib to step down as the prime minister. He has been questioned previously over his allegations against Umno leaders, and has suggested that he may soon be arrested for his continued attacks against Putrajaya.
In February, several police reports were lodged against Dr Mahathir over his blog posting that repeated calls for Mr Najib's resignation, on grounds that 1MDB-linked financial scandals had shamed the country.
