DR Mahathir Mohamad today reiterated that he did not insult the Bugis community but had only targeted Prime Minister Najib Razak in his speeches.  

The Pakatan Harapan chairman, however, said he is willing to be investigated over his Bugis remark made during “Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy” rally last month in Petaling Jaya. 

“That is the police job to investigate. If they open investigation papers and I’m called, then I have to go,” he said after the “nature of leadership in our digital future” dialogue in Putrajaya today. 

On Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla urging Dr Mahathir to apologise for linking the Bugis to pirates, the former prime minister said he has never insulted the Bugis.

“I never said anything to Jusuf Kalla or to any other Bugis people. I only said it to Najib.”

Police said they have opened two investigation papers on Dr Mahathir for his alleged derogatory remarks about the Bugis.

Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Fadzil Ahmat said the investigation papers were opened after Dr Mahathir allegedly insulted the Bugis in two speeches.

The investigation papers were opened even before the Selangor Royal Court urged police to investigate Dr Mahathir for allegedly inciting hatred towards those of Bugis descent.

Selangor Royal Court secretary Hanafisah Jais said Dr Mahathir appeared to incite Malaysians to hate, degrade and view the Bugis with contempt, in a statement released last week.

Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years and is now one of the current government’s harshest critics, allegedly made such remarks in a speech at the anti-kleptocracy rally in Petaling Jaya on October 14, Hanafisah said.

In his tirade against Najib at the rally, Dr Mahathir said his ancestors were “Bugis pirates”.

Najib had, in the past, spoken proudly of his family’s Bugis ancestry.

The Bugis are an ethic group from Sulawesi in Indonesia. Many Malaysian-Muslims are of Bugis descent. – November 9, 2017.