Media Statement Karpal Singh in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 8^th April 2008: 

‘The first thing we do, we hang the lawyers.’ 

I am amused at Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s statement that he was joking during a Cabinet meeting when he quoted Shakespeare,

‘The first thing we do, we hang the lawyers.’

What he said was not a joke; he meant every word for it because he had a phobia for lawyers. This is, clearly, borne out by what he said on 2nd February, 2000 at a meet-the-students session in London that it was his private wish to ‘hang’ errant lawyers, especially Karpal Singh.

Dr. Mahathir has asked me and Datuk Param Curamaswamy to use our considerable knowledge of law to shut his mouth.

There is no need to resort to law in this regard. After his retirement as Prime Minister in 2003, and having handed the mantle of governance to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Dr. Mahathir should have refrained from political activity. Conventionally retired Prime Ministers do not interfere in the performance of their successors. When the curtain falls, the wise recede into the twilight with dignity and honour.

Dr. Mahathir’s public outbursts against Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi amount to indiscipline. Dr. Mahathir is still a member of UMNO and should know the parameters within which he can criticise publicly leaders of his own party. Rightly, Dr. Mahathir should be referred to the UMNO disciplinary committee. Although I should not interfere with the workings of UMNO, I am constrained to state the embarrassment Dr. Mahathir has brought upon the country and himself by his public outbursts, should in the public interest, cease. Tunku Abdul Rshman and Tun Hussein Onn, after they had retired, as gentlemen became apolitical and respected statesmen. Dr. Mahathir should emulate these personalities.

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* Karpal Singh, DAP National Chairman & MP for Bukit Gelugor