DR M: NO REGRETS OVER ANWAR'S JAILING

Friday March 7, 2008-The Star Online ALOR STAR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated yesterday that he felt no guilt whatsoever over what happened to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said the video clip containing his remarks about the former deputy prime minister that had been distorted by the opposition to say he regretted the jailing of Anwar, was taken at a ceramah (political talk) he (Dr Mahathir) gave two years ago. “I was making some sarcastic remarks because there were still people who believed I was responsible for his jailing when the fact is, it was the court that found him guilty,” he said at his home in Kampung Titi Gajah here . He said that the Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser was an opportunist and would use whatever means available to get what he wants. “Initially he wanted to join PAS. But when he saw he would get nowhere in that party, he asked to join Umno ... not that we invited him in ... I did not bring him into Umno. “Two days after joining he wanted to be the Youth leader, a year later vice-president and a year after that deputy president. I only got a chance to be an elected representative after 18 years in the party and a minister after 28 years. “I was willing to be patient but he wanted to become prime minister straight away and even got his boys to take swipes at me and accuse me of practising nepotism and cronyism when in fact, he was the one doing it,” he said. He said that now even his close friend Dr Chandra Muzaffar was criticising him when then, Chandra had taken Dr Mahathir to task for purportedly oppressing Anwar. Asked about his son Mukhriz’s chances in the Jerlun parliamentary seat in the election on Saturday, Dr Mahathir said Mukhriz’s chances were bright so long as he had the full support of Umno members. Mukhriz is up against PAS’ Idris Ahmad for the seat. – Bernama