Special Affairs Department (Jasa) director-general Mohd Puad Zarkashi has dismissed Dr Mahathir Mohamad's claim that the law is being abused with regard to the police questioning his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Ali.

He also asked the former premier if Siti Hasmah had adhered to the law when she attended and spoke at a gathering which did not have a police permit.

“Who set aside the law? Furthermore, the road from Maju Junction to Sogo (where the protest march was held) has not been gazetted for peaceful rallies.

“When Siti Hasmah's statement was recorded because a police report was lodged, that is called following the law,” he said in a Facebook posting this evening.

Puad added that the police recorded Siti Hasmah's statement at her husband's office with the presence of lawyers.

The Jasa chief noted how Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunos was also investigated for holding a picket outside Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Azmin Ali's office.

“This included being held in the lock-up, handcuffed and wearing the lock-up attire,” he said.

Last Friday, police officers from Bukit Aman recorded Siti Hasmah's statement at the Yayasan Al-Bukhary building in Kuala Lumpur.

This was over her participation in a rally last September to protest against “toxic politics”.

Meanwhile, Puad, who is also an Umno supreme council member, commented on Mahathir claiming that the decision to drop Siti Hasmah as patron of Wheelchair Tennis Malaysia was politically-motivated.

“Even this becomes an issue,” he said, pointing to the string of dismissals which took place when Mahathir was prime minister.

“How about the sacking of the lord president (Salleh Abas), five judges and cabinet ministers who supported Team B, including (Mahathir's successor) Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi).

“What about Anwar Ibrahim's sacking?” he asked.

Team B refers to the faction led by former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who challenged Mahathir for the Umno presidency in 1987.