Dr M: Nobody ever called me ‘Mahathir Iskandar Kutty’, defamation suit to teach Zahid a lesson for allegedly lying

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today claimed that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had lied about his alleged birth name.

Dr Mahathir, who is 99 this year, said there is no such identification card that uses “Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty” to refer to him.

“Throughout the time from when I was born, until I went to university, until I passed to be a doctor, never has there been anyone who called my name as ‘Mahathir anak lelaki Iskandar Kutty’.

“It is not written anywhere at all, until Zahid made the statement that purportedly he has a blue identification card with the name ‘Mahathir anak lelaki Iskandar Kutty’. This is the lie made by Zahid Hamidi,” he said in a steady voice in the High Court here when replying to questions from his lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali.

Shown a video clip lasting about two minutes 41 seconds of Zahid’s alleged defamatory speech on July 30, 2017, Dr Mahathir told Rafique that Zahid had purportedly tried to show the alleged blue identity card with the name “Mahathir anak lelaki Iskandar Kutty” during an Umno Kelana Jaya division meeting.

But Dr Mahathir said that Zahid had merely shown his handphone, and it was unclear what was on that phone screen.

“When the speech was made, show the IC, but can’t see, he used the phone and the phone that was raised cannot be read, cannot be identified what was said to be IC,” he said.

In his written witness statement that was filed in court, Dr Mahathir said he had sued Zahid for defaming him and for allegedly openly lying in public that his name was “Mahathir son of Kutty” when he clearly knew his name as “Mahathir bin Mohamad”.

In his witness statement, Dr Mahathir said Zahid had never shown any firm proof to support his allegations, and accused the latter of being malicious when making the alleged defamatory remarks.

Dr Mahathir said he had previously challenged Zahid’s remarks and thought the latter would apologise to him and gave him chance to do so.

“But until this defamation action was filed, the defendant still did not admit wrong and tried to defend his defamatory statement without any firm proof at all,” he said.

While saying that he does not like to take court action, especially when it involves political matters, Dr Mahathir said that Zahid’s defamatory remarks were a personal attack with the intention to bring him down in the political arena.

“Such behaviour cannot be left alone, and a lesson has to be given. Since the defendant is still stubborn, I have no choice but to file this defamation action,” he said in his written statement, while also telling the court today this is the first time he has filed a court case.

The hearing before High Court judicial commissioner Gan Techiong started at 10am, and Zahid was also seen attending the hearing before leaving at 11.10am.

In his lawsuit filed on July 20, 2022 at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Mahathir is seeking compensation from Zahid for hurting his reputation and causing society to lose trust and confidence in him and his leadership.

Dr Mahathir is also seeking a court order for Zahid to publish an unconditional apology — in both written and verbal form — over the defamatory statements.

Dr Mahathir is also seeking an injunction or court order to stop Zahid or his agents or assistants or anyone from communicating, giving comments, repeating or causing the publication of the defamatory statements.