Zaid talking to reporters at his residence on Monday
PETALING JAYA: Police are investigating former Cabinet minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim for sedition over a remark he allegedly made against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak three months ago.
Surprised by the investigation, the former de facto law minister said he was questioned for one hour at his son’s office in Merchant Square, Tropicana on Monday. He said police would further question him on Tuesday.
Zaid said the remark was made in a speech he made on Sept 2, when he called on the public to rally behind former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in removing Najib.
“It is unfortunate because what I said was not seditious at all and I wasn’t inciting anybody. I was just stating a fact,” he told the press at his residence here.
In the speech which he made at Royal Selangor Club which was later posted on his blog www.zaid.my, Zaid had said Najib’s removal “must be our common priority”.
Dr Mahathir has emerged as one of Najib’s strongest critics and even called for his removal.
Despite being investigated, Zaid believed that his lawyers, Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Americk Singh Sidhu, would put up a strong defence, by citing the Perak constitutional crisis in 2009.
“I’m just saying that if Najib can do that in Perak, Dr Mahathir can do this at federal level. It is the same principle, which is removing a leader by a democratic means.
“I have a Federal Court decision with me and we will put up a strong defence,” he said.
The Perak constitutional crisis was triggered when three Pakatan Rakyat state legislators defected, causing a collapse of the state government.
Barisan Nasional, with the support from the three assemblymen, formed the new state government - which had led to a series of court battles between then Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin and the new Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.
The Federal Court confirmed in February 2010 that Zambry was the lawful mentri besar.
Zaid stressed that expressing an opinion was a democratic right that should be defended.
“I think cases like this shouldn’t make people scared. As for me, I will continue to speak up because that is my oxygen. I cannot live in fear,” he said.
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