Is Malaysia’s former PM Mahathir Mohamad next to be arrested over anti-government protests?

Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, 91, faces possible arrest following a huge anti-government rally in which he called on protesters to topple Prime Minister Najib Razak

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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed attends the mass rally organised by Bersih calling for the resignation of Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:00pm, 22 Nov 2016Updated: 10:20pm, 6 Jul 2017

Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, 91, faces possible arrest following a huge anti-government rally in which he called on protesters to topple Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Mohamad accused Najib of “abusing the law” and “stealing the people’s money” as he addressed tens of thousands of people who had joined street protests at the weekend to demand Najib step down over corruption allegations.

Scores of activists, opposition and government politicians were arrested before the rally, in a move some observers said was a “crackdown” aimed at stifling dissent, but others said was necessary to prevent clashes between followers of Bersih, the electoral reform group that organised the rally, and the pro-government “red shirts”.

Protesters from Bersih display placards during a mass rally in Kuala Lumpur calling for the resignation of Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak. Photo: AFP

The chairwoman of Bersih, Maria Chin Abdullah, was arrested a day before the rally.

After the rally, Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed warned that Mahathir could be arrested if he continued to incite “hatred towards the government”, but said authorities were cautious as the former prime minister might be trying to get arrested to gain public sympathy.