Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad rejected claims that he ruled Malaysia as a dictator during his 22-year tenure, asserting in court that a true autocrat would never have chosen to resign from power.
The 100-year-old former Langkawi MP made the statement during proceedings at the Shah Alam High Court on Thursday, where a video titled “Mahathir: I Was a Dictator” was shown by the legal team representing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The video was presented as part of a defamation suit Dr Mahathir filed against Anwar, seeking RM150 million in damages over allegedly defamatory remarks made during the Madani Malaysia: Implementing an Idealism congress two years earlier.
When questioned by Anwar’s lawyer, Ranjit Singh, Dr Mahathir firmly denied ever agreeing with the “dictator” label, adding that no leader who ruled by force or oppression would have voluntarily stepped down from office as he did. Ranjit suggested that Mahathir’s reputation depended heavily on public perception and that if Malaysians regarded him as a dictator, it would inevitably affect his legacy as a statesman.
Dr Mahathir acknowledged that some people might hold such a view but maintained that it did not make the characterization accurate. When asked about his earlier comments reported by the media — including those in which he appeared to accept the term “dictator” — Mahathir clarified that he was aware of the reports but did not agree with their interpretation.
Ranjit pressed further, citing public demonstrations in 1998 and past incidents such as Ops Lalang in the late 1980s, when several individuals were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), as evidence of Mahathir’s alleged authoritarian approach. The lawyer argued that such actions reflected dictatorial behavior. However, Mahathir disagreed, maintaining that his decisions during his time as leader were guided by national interest, not personal power.
The exchange took place as part of Mahathir’s ongoing defamation suit against Anwar, filed on May 3, 2023. Mahathir’s claim centres on accusations that Anwar had defamed him by alleging that he enriched his family and cronies through the misuse of public resources. Mahathir stated that the remarks were baseless and had severely damaged his standing as a respected former leader.
Anwar, in his defence filed in June 2023, countered that the lawsuit was politically motivated and intended to undermine his leadership and fuel racial tension ahead of last year’s state elections in six states — Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu.
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