PUTRAJAYA – The public should not put too much stock in “attention-seeking” assertions made by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said unity government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi, who is also communications minister, said that it would be best to avoid “entertaining” remarks made by the nonagenarian.
“I think he’s an attention seeker at this time. To me, we don’t have to ‘layan’ (entertain) him so much anymore.
“We should still respect him, but maybe we should give him some space in his twilight years,” Fahmi said during a press conference at his ministry’s headquarters, here, today.
Fahmi said this when asked about Dr Mahathir’s latest claim of a rise in suicide cases involving Malays as the community could not cope with rising costs of living and other pressures.
“I don’t know where he (Dr Mahathir) gets his data from. Maybe he is using some other form of knowledge, it would be hard for me to factually say what kind,” Fahmi added in jest.
During a protest outside Istana Negara yesterday, Dr Mahathir said that the rakyat’s “sufferings” were driving them to end their own lives, and even the lives of their parents.
Following the gathering, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the rally is under police investigation over its organisers’ alleged failure to provide notice on the event to authorities.
He said the rally, which was organised by three non-governmental organisations and attended by about 700 people, is being probed under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
Dr Mahathir has reiterated his assertions about a purported rise in the suicide rate among Malays in at least two recent press conferences.
However, he has yet to provide evidence to support these claims. – January 24, 2024