KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad made history today (Aug 26), stepping into the courtroom as the oldest statesman ever to testify in court.
The former prime minister, resplendent in a three-piece suit, strode into the building accompanied by his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, his son Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, and several officers.
Members of the public and several lawyers were seen trying to catch a glimpse and training their cameras on the former prime minister as he was about to enter the courtroom located on the fourth floor of the building.
The 99-year-old politician as plaintiff testified in his defamation suit against Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the latter's remarks in 2017 alleging Dr Mahathir's real name was Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty.
The proceedings began with Dr Mahathir taking his oath in Bahasa Malaysia before his lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali started his examination-in-chief with several questions on the issue.
Dr Mahathir, in his witness statement, said he was born a Malay Muslim but has paternal roots which can be tracked back to Kerala, India.
"My name is Mahathir bin Mohamad and I am a Malay and Muslim since birth and this is clear based on my identification card and evidence of my old and new birth certificate.
"My father's name is Mohamad bin Iskandar, and my mother is Wan Tempawan binti Wan Hanapi.
"My father was from Penang and was a Malay, with ancestors who had roots in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
"My mother, on the other hand, was from Kedah, and both of her parents were of pure Malay descent," he said before judicial commissioner Gan Techiong.
The plaintiff said Zahid, who is Umno president, lied to his party members when he claimed that he had Dr Mahathir's previous MyKad stating the name "Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty".
"Since I was born, entered university, and became a doctor, nobody has ever called me Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty.
"I am taking this action to state that the defendant (Zahid) has defamed me.
"He is a liar and a deceiver because that is all the defendant has as a politician," he said.
Meanwhile, during cross-examination by Zahid's lawyer, Mohd Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, Dr Mahathir said Zahid's statement was clearly aimed at him.
However, Dr Mahathir struggled to understand the lawyer's question when asked about the technicalities of the video footage showing Zahid making the remarks.
The hearing also faced a hiccup when Dr Mahathir's hearing aid malfunctioned, prompting the lawyer to speak a little louder and at a slower pace.
Dr Mahathir said he does not care about the issues Zahid spoke about during the meeting, as he is only concerned with the alleged defamatory statement Zahid made about his ancestry.
Zahid was present during the hearing but left the courtroom with his entourage at about 11.15am.
On July 20, 2022, Dr Mahathir filed the lawsuit, naming Zahid, who is also the Umno president and deputy prime minister, as the defendant.
His suit states that the plaintiff genuinely believes that the defendant's reference in the alleged defamatory statement to "that person", "he", and "Mahathir, the son of Iskandar Kutty", explicitly refers to him.
He said his status as a statesman and an influential political figure in the eyes of the world was also skewed as a result.
The statement also makes out Dr Mahathir to be a liar, untrustworthy, selfish, unethical while holding public office and unfit to be a leader or public figure, he said.