PAKATAN Harapan’s prime minister-in-waiting Dr Mahathir Mohamad should be the first to set a good example by not abusing his power or violating the law, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak.

He said Dr Mahathir had grumbled that he was not allowed to visit Anwar Ibrahim in hospital yesterday, but Dr Mahathir of all people should know that one could not simply drop in to meet a prisoner because there was a procedure to be followed.

“If not, he would be teaching Malaysians that if you are ‘somebody’ then you need not follow the law.

“Had Mahathir followed the proper procedure? Even wives cannot visit husbands in prison if the proper procedure is not followed,” he said on his blog sskeruak.blogspot.my late yesterday .

“Wives and lawyers need to first be approved before they can visit prisoners and even then there is an approved time and date that the visit can be made.

“There is no such thing as ad hoc or surprise visits, plus it cannot exceed the number of allowed hours a week,” he said.

The Umno treasurer said it was strange that Dr Mahathir had previously shown no interest in visiting Anwar in prison. 

He said Anwar was in prison from 1998 to 2004 and then from 2015 till now, but Dr Mahathir had never wanted to visit him in prison.

“In 1998 Anwar was admitted into a hospital because of his ‘mata lebam’ (black eye) and Dr Mahathir did not show any concern in wanting to visit him.

“Now, however, since Dr Mahathir needs Anwar to endorse him as Pakatan’s prime minister-in-waiting, he is suddenly so excited about visiting Anwar in prison.” – Bernama, January 11, 2018.