Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz today urged the police not to waste their time on summoning and questioning former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad for attending the recent Bersih 4 rally.

"Let's not waste your time. No need to summon him unless he has committed an offence," he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this evening.

Nazri said Mahathir didn't go to the rally to throw a bomb or break doors and windows, so there wasn't a problem in him joining the protest.

He urged those who found fault in Mahathir joining in the rally to instead use Mahathir's attendance to promote the government as an administration that cared for senior citizens.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar had said yesterday the police will summon Mahathir for accusing Prime Minister Najib Razak of bribing Umno division leaders. Khalid also said the police will give the former statesman special treatment if the cops were to probe him.

To this, Nazri ( photo ) seemed to disagree.

He argued that Mahathir was just an upset and disgruntled old man who had nobody to listen to him as the Umno members supported Najib, so he resorted to joining the rally.

“In doing this, he showed that he admitted he had made a mistake by banning rallies (when he was premier) said the Umno supreme council member.

“So let him enjoy his remaining life. If he is happy with the demonstration, let him be. It’s a good advertisement for Malaysia that we take such good care of our old folk that they are so energetic and can join protests,” he said.

Nazri added he was made to understand that the cops wanted to probe Mahathir for making an allegedly seditious speech at the rally. "This is normal," he said.

No comment on Johor ruler

Nazri also refused to comment on Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s warning against him and Umno politicians from intervening in the palace’s affairs.

He emphasised his good relationship with the ruler, and claimed he was well treated when he went to the palace.

“I don’t want to respond to a crazy question that will make the situation worse,” he said.

Meanwhile Nazri said as stipulated in party’s constitution, Anina Saadudin’s membership in Umno was automatically terminated when she took the party to court.

Anina ( photo ) had filed a legal suit against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak over the RM2.6 billion donation issue.

“It is civilised of the party’s secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to inform Anina that the party had given her a ‘divorce’, he said.

Nazri also rebutted the party’s disciplinary board chairperson Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas, who disputed the party’s sacking of Anina.

Megat had claimed the matter must be presented to the board or a supreme council meeting.

To this, Nazri said, “He said (Umno) is not following the procedure? He is old.”

Nazri also refused to comment on former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim, who had called the rakyat to rally to support Mahathir, as a strong leader who could rally the Malays.

“Who is he? I don’t know which party he represents. I don’t think he represents anybody, so it is not worth my time to comment on someone who jumps from place to another,” he quipped, probably referring to the fact that Zaid had joined different parties in his political career.

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