In a legal battle that appears to be a tit-for-tat response, former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad testified in court on Monday, confirming that his defamation lawsuit against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was triggered by Zahid’s earlier legal action against him. Mahathir, now 99, took the stand, explaining that Zahid’s 2022 lawsuit was among several factors influencing his decision to pursue legal action.
Mahathir’s suit centers on Zahid’s remarks about his ancestry, where Zahid allegedly claimed that Mahathir was of Indian origin, not Malay, and used the name "Mahathir s/o Iskandar Kutty." These comments, made in 2017, implied that Mahathir only identified as Malay for political gain, painting him as an opportunist who sought favor from the Malay community while distancing himself from his Indian roots. Mahathir strongly denies this portrayal, accusing Zahid of defamation.
During cross-examination, Zahid’s counsel, Mohd Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, probed Mahathir on whether the lawsuit was merely a reaction to Zahid’s legal action. Mahathir responded that while Zahid’s suit was indeed a factor, the primary reason for his own case was that Zahid’s statements were false and damaging. “The main reason is that what he said was a lie,” Mahathir stated.
The legal dispute between these two prominent figures involves two separate defamation suits. Zahid is suing Mahathir over allegations that he had sought the latter's help to resolve his criminal cases in 2022. Mahathir, on the other hand, is suing Zahid over the 2017 comments about his heritage. The rivalry between the two has escalated into a legal confrontation that could have wider implications for Malaysia’s political landscape.
One key point of contention in Monday’s trial was the timing of Mahathir’s lawsuit. Zahid’s legal team argued that Mahathir took nearly five years to respond to the 2017 comments, filing his case only in July 2022—months after Zahid had initiated his own lawsuit. This, the lawyer contended, raised questions about the authenticity of Mahathir’s claims, as defamation cases typically require swift action to protect one’s reputation.
Mahathir, however, defended the timing of his lawsuit, asserting that the damaging effects of Zahid’s comments had lingered over the years. He explained that even today, people continue to ask him about Zahid’s remarks, further justifying his decision to sue. “Sometimes, we remember things even after five years,” he said, adding that Zahid’s position as Deputy Prime Minister gave added weight to his words.
Mahathir also suggested that Zahid’s comments had negatively impacted his political career, citing his party’s poor performance in the 2018 general election. Although Mahathir himself won the Langkawi seat in 2018 and returned to power as Prime Minister for a second term, his party, Bersatu, only managed to secure 13 out of 52 contested seats. He argued that Zahid’s remarks had contributed to his party’s losses and tarnished his reputation within the Malay community.
The former premier’s political woes continued in the 2022 general election, where he faced a historic defeat. Running again for the Langkawi seat, Mahathir finished fourth in a five-way race, securing just 6.8% of the vote and losing his deposit—a significant fall from his previous success in 2018. Mahathir suggested that Zahid’s defamatory comments played a role in his poor electoral performance.
Represented by Mior Nor Haidir Suhaimi and Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, Mahathir is seeking general, exemplary, and aggravated damages from Zahid. He is also requesting an injunction to prevent Zahid or his associates from making similar statements in the future.
The trial, presided over by Judicial Commissioner Gan Techiong, will continue on Wednesday, with both sides preparing for further legal arguments in what has become one of the most high-profile political defamation cases in Malaysia.
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