KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 27): Tun Mahathir Mohamad may be a nonagenarian but his biting wit was fully on display during the on-going trial where he is suing deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The two-time prime minister, who is in his second day in the dock, did not hold back when questioned again about his ancestry during cross-examination by Zahid's counsel Mohd Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman.
"I find that you keep on asking about my ancestry and heritage [like] when we were Muslims, etc. My case is whether Zahid told a lie [and whether he should] apologise for libelling me. Please show evidence that my name is Mahathir Iskandar Kutty.
"[Zahid] is not insulting my grandfather or anyone else; he is insulting me. Show proof that I am not Mahathir Mohamad. The proof that can be shown by the [Identification Card]," the 99-year-old told the court during the afternoon session of proceedings.
At the hearing, an annoyed Mahathir said that if the defence counsel was going to continue asking questions that were not relevant to his case, he would refuse to answer them.
This is as Mohd Shahrul went through different books and articles written about Mahathir's heritage, which Mahathir said contained inaccuracies but he cannot sue the multitude of publishers and authors.
The legal action is not about his ancestry, but whether he had lied about his name, he added.
To this end, presiding Judicial Commissioner (JC) Gan Techiong held court and explained that this is merely the process of a defamation suit.
The JC also gently but sternly remarked that the reference to the articles was to show that Zahid was not the first one to have made such comments about Mahathir.
"These are questions the defendant would be entitled to ask. [...]. We are at the cross-examination stage. After this re-examination, you will be given a chance to clarify or clear [any] doubts [that arise].
"This is the process. It may not be pleasant but it's due process. [All] plaintiffs have to undergo [the process] to prove their case. Bear with us to go through the process," Gan said.
Gan also commented on Mahathir's level of alertness and his answers to all the questions till this point.
"I'm sure everyone in this courtroom is quite impressed that your mind is clear and [you have] answered clearly [at this advanced age]," he said.
Mahathir is suing Zahid over the Umno chief's comments which Mahathir says implied that he was not born as a Malay or a Muslim with the alleged original name of "Mahathir s/o Iskandar Kutty".
Zahid's comments, Mahathir claims, painted him as an opportunist where he proclaimed to be Malay only to gain political and personal favour and had a skewed view about the Indian community.
Mahathir is seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages from Ahmad Zahid and an injunction barring him or his agents from repeating the making of such claims.
The trial continues on Oct 14 with Mahathir still on the stand.