I owe nobody any apology, says Dr. Mahathir

PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has accused DAP chairman Karpal Singh of being a detractor who was moved by pure hatred.

In a two-paragraph open letter to Karpal Singh dated April 3, the former prime minister said the politician was like any of his other detractors who would never believe him (Dr Mahathir) no matter what he said.

“You are moved by pure hatred and I cannot respond to people who can never accept reality. My conscience is clear. I have done what was my duty, and I owe nobody any apology,” Dr Mahathir wrote.

The letter was a reply to Karpal Singh’s earlier open letter stating that the former prime minister had abused the provisions of Article 125(3) of the Federal Constitution during the 1988 judicial crisis.

This led to the setting up of the two tribunals which found Tun Salleh Abas, Datuk George Seah and the late Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawanteh guilty of misconduct.

In his letter, Dr Mahathir also said Karpal Singh would make use of his letter to tarnish his name further.

Dr Mahathir further said that the Bukit Gelugor MP was the most contemptible of politicians and individuals.

In a statement yesterday, Karpal Singh said he stood by whatever he had said in his letter to Dr Mahathir.

“As Dr Mahathir is much older to me, I do not propose to hurt his feelings in the vein by which he has described me,” he said, specifically pointing to the line where Dr Mahathir called him “the most contemptible of politicians and individuals.”

Karpal Singh also told Dr Mahathir to take his views in his stride and added, “I do not hate him.”