Declaring that everyone was equal under the Malaysian law, Mahathir
said:
"Even the King is not exempted if he beats up somebody. There is
a peculiar thinking that Opposition lawyers should be an exception. Karpal
Singh has said a lot of nasty things against us, he should have been charged
long time ago."
But this was not shocking and outrageous enough.
On February 1, 2000, I issued a media statement that I have been informed that Mahathir had gone further in his speech when referring to Karpal, that he had also said that "he wished to hang Karpal but that was just his wish, he had no power to see it happen."
In response to this statement, an aide told the AFP that he was not aware that the Prime Minister had made such a statement.
There is now independent corroboration that Mahathir did speak of hanging lawyers like Karpal in his speech to Malaysian students in London Hall last Sunday.
The electronic media, malaysiakini, yesterday carried the third part
of a report by a Malaysian student in London, Lee Tse Yin on Mahathir’s
speech at Malaysia Hall, confirming such a reference. This is from
Tse Yin’s report, quoting verbatim Mahathir’ speech:
With such independent corrobarative support, Mahathir should withdraw and apologise for such an reference, for this is clearly no joking matter when it could have a far-reaching bearing on Karpal’s personal liberties and future, both political and professional.
Mahathir should put this matter right without any more ado, unless he wants to be known as the "hanging Prime Minister".
(3/2/2000)