Dr Mahathir Mohamad dedicated 20 pages of his memoirs into detailing how he came to know about Anwar Ibrahim's alleged sexual liaisons with men and women, leading to the latter's sacking in 1998.
In the chapter 'Anwar's Challenge', Mahathir states: "Four years after IGP Tun Hanif first told me about allegations linking Anwar to homosexual activities, someone sent me the book '50 Dalil Kenapa Anwar Ibrahim Tidak Boleh Jadi Perdana Menteri' ('50 Reasons Why Anwar Ibrahim Cannot Become Prime Minister').
"The book was clearly a sensationalist attempt to make money so I did not read it, but the rumours about Anwar refused to go away."
He then cites, "Then in 1997, I received a letter from a woman named Ummi Hafilda Ali. Its contents disturbed me as there were more specific detailed allegations of sodomy against Anwar."
Meanwhile, Mahathir says: "The police had continued their observations of the deputy minister's activities, as was their usual practice. Even if I had asked them to stop, I doubt they would have. This time they had evidence, including pictures and confessions of people involved.
Relating events that led to firing of Anwar, Mahathir narrates how he interviewed four girls who told him about how they were persuaded to see a very influential person by an Indian man they knew by the name of Nalla.
"He had taken each girl separately to a house in Kenny Hills. There they met a person they recognized as the deputy prime minister. They were asked to undress with the purpose of having sex.
"Two of them said they refused but the other two consented. They were willing to talk to the police and to me but were adamant that they should not appear in court to give evidence."
Mahathir said he then called the Umno menteri besar, chief ministers and state heads to Sri Perdana for a meeting and asked the police to make the witnesses he had interviewed available.
"I then briefed party leaders about what I had learnt about Anwar and showed them pictures of the witnesses."
Tell-all book
This was among the many chapters in the 800 page memoirs, which also details his earliest memories of childhood; through Malaya's struggle through the sunset of British colonialism, World War II, and Independence; and to his life as a doctor.
In a tell-all book, Mahathir states categorically that he is a Malay.
"Some claim that my father was Malayalee and was fluent in both Tamil and Malayalam. Some have even written that he was a Hindu who converted to Islam to marry my mother. Others say they have seen documents clearly stating my ethnicity.
"I admit that some Indian, or more accurately South Asian blood flows in my veins, but from which part of the Indian subcontinent my ancestors came I do not know," he says in the beginning of Chapter three of the 62 chapter memoirs, which is 843 pages long.
On Singapore's leader Lee Kuan Yew he says: "I had clashed with Lee many times when we were MPs in the 1964 and 1965 parliamentary sessions. I did not like his endless preaching of about what Malaysia should do or should be like.
"Bitter over the painful separation, he called Malays 'the jungle Arabs', likening them to the desert Arabs of who he seemed to have a low opinion. I doubt he would disparage the Arabs today as Singapore is now far more active than Malaysia in wooing investors from the Middle East, and being the model as well as their advisers for development."
On the bright side, he says, "Despite our past clashes, I was determined to have friendly relations with Singapore when I became Prime Minister."
Ops Lalang
In addition to a lot of personal, if controversial anecdotes, Mahathir narrates his constant struggles as a politician to improve the lot of his fellow citizens; his single-minded pursuit of his country's goals; his greatest fears; and his most cherished hopes.
In a 20 page chapter on Operasi Lalang, he says: " I told Musa Hitam, my then deputy prime minister and minister of Home Affairs, to tell the IGP very early in my premiership that I did not intend to use the ISA.
"How then could I have allowed Ops Lalang, biggest of such police operation in Malaysian history, to happen just six years later?"
In 1987, with the Chinese language issue, university rallies, Umno's accusation of mass conversions of Malays into Christians and a Malay soldier running amok and firing M-16 in Jalan Chow Kit, he says: "The police felt that a repeat of the May 13 riots of 1969 was more than likely. The IGP advised me that pre-emptive arrests under the ISA had to be made quickly if public order was to be maintained. "Agreeing to follow the IGP's recommendations meant having to overcome my own conscience."
On former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin
, he says: "He was repeatedly accused of lining his pockets and taking kickbacks from contracts. No clear evidence ever produced, but once again the whispering grew louder and more spiteful. People came to see me to complain about him, and when I demanded evidence, they could not produce."
Daim, as usual, ignored all the talk about him. "He must have learnt the rumours but he chose not to reply. When the talk got to be too much and I could not bear it anymore, I arranged for him to resign.
"In the end what worried me were not only the rumours of cronyism but also tales of his supposed disloyalty. He was supportive during the financial crisis, at least in front of me."
Mahathir said he was later informed by Abdul Ghani Othman, that Diam had called a number of menteri besars, telling them not to support his idea of currency controls.
"Since nobody else came with similar complaints I just discounted the story. But when it had all become too much, I didn't accuse him of anything but sent word through a mutual friend that I wanted him to resign."
On succeeding as prime minister from Hussein Onn, he says: "As deputy prime minister, I was a man chosen by a leader who did not have strong support in the party. I was obviously not going to have an easy time and Hussein could not provide much protection for me.
"Hussein had depended on Razak for support when he was chosen as deputy prime minister. When Razak died, Hussein had no great grassroots base to speak of.
"The arrests and detention of the so-called communists' sympathisers high in the party seemed to suggest that his office was influenced by communists."
The book will be launched tomorrow, 8th March 2011, at 3.00pm in the East Atrium Concourse (in front of MPH Bookstores), Mid Valley Megamall.
It will be retailed at RM100.00 and is published by MPH Group Publishing.
