Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code on criminal defamation for the remarks he made during Bersih 4, inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said today.

The police might go soft on Mahathir, Khalid said, when asked if the former prime minister would be given special treatment.

"I do not want to discuss it now. But of course, he is a statesman and we have to take good care of our statesmen," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

Khalid said Mahathir, 90, was being investigated after an Umno division leader lodged a report against him.

Mahathir is currently in Jordan, and is expected to return to Malaysia on Sept 9.

The former prime minister electrified crowds at the Bersih rally last weekend.

During his appearance on the second day of the rally, Mahathir said, among other things, that Najib had bribed the Umno leaders.

He also urged Umno and BN lawmakers to support a vote of no confidence against Najib.

Khalid said he would inform Mahathir, personally, that he is being investigated, but Khalid is Khalid is certain that Mahathir already knows about this.

He said he has yet to decide on a date when Mahathir will be questioned.

Meanwhile the IGP said police would also look into claims by former journalist Lester Melanyi that Mahathir instructed Sarawak Report to write against the government.

"I have instructed my officers to meet Lester and ask him to make a police report

"His allegation is serious and needs to be looked into," Khalid said.

Lester claims to have an audio recording of Mahathir's conversation with Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, but refused to furnish it when grilled by journalists.

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