EX-PRIME minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad may drag Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to court for alleging that the former faked his identity as Malay.

The nonagenarian said if the former deputy prime minister does not apologise and retract the “defamatory” claim made in 2017, he will not hesitate to take legal action.

“I challenge Zahid to show proof that disputes the status of my race as Malay,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook today.

Zahid accused Dr Mahathir of faking his Bumiputera status as Malay in 2017.

He claimed to have received a document from the National Registration Department director-general at the time, stating that Dr Mahathir’s name on his identification card is Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty instead of Mahathir bin Mohamad.

“Previously, I did not like to use the courts though many slandered me as I am aware that there will be those who act outside the boundaries and limits in political campaigns,” said Dr Mahathir.

“But this time, I feel the need to act as Zahid’s lie is disgusting and cannot be left alone.

“It is not only because it damaged my reputation, but his deceiving of Malays and Umno supporters for the sake of staying in power is very dangerous.”

The Langkawi MP’s post appears to be a reaction to the Bagan Datuk MP’s recent defamation suit against him.

Zahid is suing Dr Mahathir over a claim that the former met the latter to get in the good books of the then prime minister as the former anticipated that he will face criminal charges.

Dr Mahathir said Zahid sought his help in 2018, after it became clear that the former will become prime minister.

Dr Mahathir, in reply to his notice of summons on March 2, denied defaming Zahid.

He also said the Umno man is a compulsive liar.

Dr Mahathir said Zahid made the claim to accuse him of Indian descent and using Malays in his 22 years as head of government.

“He wants to discredit me in such a way as to show to the public that I lied about the status of my race.

“With that, he wants to dispute my eligibility to lead Umno, other Malay parties and Malays as a whole.

“Yes, I do have Indian blood and I have stated this in my book. I do not deny it. But the fact is that my birth certificate and identity card are Mahathir bin Mohamad.

“According to article 160 of the Federal Constitution, I am Malay and my struggle has been for my people.

“My parents were born in Tanah Melayu before Merdeka and we are all Muslims.

“When I was a child, we spoke Malay at home and have always practised Malay customs.”

Zahid is on trial for 47 charges of criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as home minister.

He is also on trial for 33 charges of receiving graft amounting to RM42 million from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd as an inducement to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centre for the foreign visa system in China, and maintain the agreement to supply system paraphernalia to the same company.

He is also charged on seven counts for obtaining for himself, while he was home minister, USD$15,000, S$1.15 million, RM3 million and €15,000 in cash from the same company. – May 17, 2022.