Media statement by Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 5^th June 2012: 

Can Mahathir give assurance that he will not suffer another attack of amnesia when testifying before RCIII in Sabah?

Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who is acting more and more like the de facto sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia after going on a 5-year “Sabbatical” following his 22-year premiership as the fourth PM of Malaysia, made two remarkable statements yesterday.

Firstly, he said he is unperturbed that the truth in all the alleged financial scandals during his 22-year premiership would be exposed if Pakatan Rakyat wins the next general election.

He said I could do whatever I wanted even now to prove there were financial scandals during his premiership.

He said: “He can open any file, even now. He can bring me to court. I am not afraid.,”

What bravado indeed!

Secondly, he said he is prepared to testify if asked by the Royal Commission of Inquiry investigating problems related to illegal immigrants in Sabah, saying:

“I don’t know what I can testify to. If I have any knowledge that they want, I am quite willing.”

There can be no doubt that the person who has the most knowledge about the long-standing problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah is none other than Mahathir, especially as the infamous “Project IC” is known as “Project Mahathir”.

Can Mahathir give an assurance that he would not suffer another attack of amnesia when testifying before the Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants (RCIII) in Sabah, as happened when he testified before the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Videotape in January 2008?

Mahathir, who is well-known for his “elephantine memory” before and after his appearance before the Lingam Videotape RCI, said “I cannot remember” or its equivalent 14 times during his 90-minute testimony in January 2008.

Would Mahathir suffer another attack of amnesia if he is to appear before the RCIII in Sabah?

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor