KUALA LUMPUR: ‘I have never asked him (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) to apologise.’
That was the reaction from PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when asked on statement made by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir, who said he never apologised to the former.
“I have never asked him to apologise. I have always been firm with you (the media) that I am satisfied with his (Dr Mahathir’s) demeanour and readiness to work with me.
“Forget the past and move on. It is you (the media) demanding forgiveness, or the BBC,” he told reporters after attending 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi event, hosted by the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Culture Centre (NSCBICC) and High Commission of India, Kuala Lumpur.
Present at the event were High Commissioner of India to Malaysia Mridul Kumar, First Secretary (Commerce) Dr Varun Jeph, NSCBICC director K. Ayyanar, Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran, and Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr A Xavier Jayakumar.
Meanwhile, when asked further whether it can be said that he has forgiven Dr Mahathir, although the premier has yet to formally apologise, Anwar replied, “I have said that I have forgiven him.
“With Dr Mahathir, he committed to the reform agenda.
“He has embraced me as a partner and in this process, I think that speaks volumes.”
In an interview with BBC Hardtalk today, hosted by Zeinab Badawi, Dr Mahathir said that he never made any formal apology to Anwar, following the latter’s sacking in 1998.
In the interview, Dr Mahathir also said that he never told Anwar that he made a mistake and wanted a chance to make amends.
Dr Mahathir said other people put words into his mouth because they want him to apologise to Anwar.
Anwar was Dr Mahathir’s deputy from Dec 1, 1993 to Sept 2, 1998 during the latter’s first tenure as prime minister.
He was removed from his post by Dr Mahathir and subsequently charged and jailed for corruption and sodomy.
On May 16, Anwar was granted a full pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Anwar also said that he has forgiven former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on a personal level.
“However, he (Najib) has to face issues on squandering public funds, but that is a separate issue.”