Following former Inspector General Rahim Noor's acceptance of responsibility for the assault on former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim while in custody in 1998 and his public apology tendered in court, there is one other person who should apologise to Anwar.

He is Dr Mahathir Mohammad.

Related to the same custodial assault, Mahathir should publicly apologise to Anwar for having then said to the international community that Anwar could have self-inflicted those serious injuries.

As the then prime minister and home minister under whom the office of the Inspector-General of Police was, and is, Mahathir made that statement recklessly and irresponsibly without caring for the truth or falsity of the same.

He should now have the decency to admit to his recklessness and apologise and seek forgiveness from Anwar.