Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has taken legal action against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, citing personal defamation over remarks made in 2017 regarding Mahathir's ancestry. This lawsuit comes amid a tit-for-tat exchange, as Zahid had filed a defamation suit against Mahathir in April 2022. The ongoing legal battle has centered around Zahid's comments, which Mahathir claims questioned his ethnic identity and tarnished his political reputation.
On the witness stand at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, Mahathir, now 99 years old, explained that Zahid’s previous lawsuit was one factor influencing his decision to sue. However, he stressed that the primary reason was Zahid’s false statements about his heritage. Zahid’s comments, made during a 2017 Umno divisional meeting, implied that Mahathir, whose original name was allegedly "Mahathir anak lelaki Iskandar Kutty," had concealed his Indian roots and only claimed to be Malay for political gain.
During cross-examination, Zahid’s lawyer, Mohd Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, questioned Mahathir about the timing of the lawsuit, pointing out that it took nearly five years for the former prime minister to initiate legal action. Zahid’s comments, made in 2017, were not addressed by Mahathir until July 2022, shortly after Zahid filed his defamation suit. Shahrul Fazli suggested that swift legal action is crucial in defamation cases, as reputations are on the line.
In response, Mahathir explained that the defamatory remarks continued to have an impact over the years, with people repeatedly questioning him about his ancestry. He noted that as Zahid was then a deputy prime minister, his words carried significant weight, and the delay in filing the lawsuit did not diminish the impact of the statements.
Mahathir’s lawsuit claims that Zahid’s remarks portrayed him as an opportunist who falsely claimed Malay identity to gain political favor. The former prime minister argued that these comments damaged his political image, contributing to the losses his party, Bersatu, suffered during the 2018 general elections. While Mahathir himself secured the Langkawi parliamentary seat and went on to serve as prime minister again, he noted that Bersatu’s poor performance—winning only 13 out of 52 contested seats—was partly due to the damaging effects of Zahid’s remarks.
Despite winning the 2018 election, Mahathir faced electoral defeat in the 2022 polls, failing to defend his Langkawi seat and finishing fourth in a five-way race. He linked his declining popularity in part to Zahid’s comments, which he believes influenced voters and contributed to his party’s losses over time. This political fallout, combined with Zahid’s earlier lawsuit, prompted Mahathir to take legal action.
Zahid, in his defense, denied that his comments were malicious or defamatory. He claimed that the remarks were based on old identity card records and argued that he had no control over how his words were disseminated in the media. Zahid also maintained that his statements were not intended to harm Mahathir’s reputation.
As the legal proceedings continue, Mahathir is seeking general, exemplary, and aggravated damages, along with an injunction preventing Zahid or his agents from repeating the alleged defamatory claims. The trial, overseen by Judicial Commissioner Gan Techiong, is set to resume on October 16. Both political heavyweights remain locked in their respective defamation suits, with the outcome potentially influencing their standing in Malaysia's political landscape.
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