Dr Mahathir Mohamad does not rule out the possibility of being arrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) for being vocal against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Mahathir, however, said he was not ready and too old to be detained under the security law.

"I am not ready, I am old, not very well and unable to think. (I am) nyanyuk (senile), you know ?" quipped the 90-year-old former premier at an education forum.

"But there is no excuse for the nyanyuk people to say the wrong thing.

"This is the law. I suppose I have to submit. If I am guilty I will have to face life imprisonment," he added.

Mahathir was asked if he expected to be arrested after Khairuddin Abu Hassan ( photo ), the former Batu Kawan Umno division deputy chief was held under Sosma for allegedly sabotaging the country.

Prior to his arrest, Khairuddin was barred from leaving the country, after lodging reports against 1MDB at various international enforcement agencies.

Held for life?

Mahathir opined that Sosma was worse than the repealed Internal Security Act (ISA), which it replaced.

He claimed that ISA had a two-year limit and subjected to review at the end of the term, but one can be held for life under Sosma.

"You may face the possibility that you may be jailed for the whole of your natural life. That is what Khairuddin is facing," he claimed.

However, the law states that one can be held for a maximum of 28 days without trial under Sosma, after which the Attorney-General's Chambers must decide whether to prosecute.

Although one can be held for a maximum of two years without review under the repealed ISA, the detention order can be extended consecutively with no limit.

Mahathir ( photo ) further argued that the authorities held the right to interpret "sabotage", the offence Khairuddin allegedly committed.

"If you are accused of sabotaging and sabotage is not defined, you can be jailed for life. So Khairuddin is facing this problem.

"Of course what he has done can be called sabotage because the definition is not given. The government can make a definition if you do something, then this is sabotage," he said.

Khairuddin was first arrested on Sept 18 at his home in Mont Kiara, under Section 124C of the Penal Code, for attempting to commit acts detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

This was in relation to his police reports in Switzerland, London, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong on the 1MDB scandal.

On Sept 19, Khairuddin was remanded for six days.

He was released on Sept 23 only to be re-arrested under Sosma for allegedly violating Sections 124K and 124L of the Penal Code.

Sections 124K and 124L deal with sabotage and attempting to sabotage the state.

Najib, who conceived the state investment fund 1MDB, has said there is an international plot to topple him.

Related stories

Police, gov't seek one month for Khairuddin's Sosma hearing

Umno leader: Grassroots can't accept Muhyiddin's sacking

Dr M: Najib's safe overseas, int'l laws won't touch him

Umno branch to host info session with Dr M amid crisis