KUALA LUMPUR: The move by the United States’ House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump reflects the view held by a large section of American lawmakers.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said despite the Democrats having a majority in the House of Representatives, the fact that the process had followed its due course through the Republican-dominated Senate before this, indicated that both sides of the political divide were agreeable to initiate the impeachment process.
“I think that was a judgment of Congress, which is mostly (made up of) Democrats,” he told reporters after visiting the International Media Centre at the Fifth Kuala Lumpur Summit 2019.
“But, I’m quite sure even the Republicans feel that he is the wrong leader. That he has breached their rules and laws and also their Constitution. Therefore he is impeached.”
On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives had voted for a Senate trial to remove Trump from office three years into his first term as president.
The 45th US president is only the third occupant of the White House to be impeached.
The House of Representatives passed the article of impeachment which leveled two accusations against Trump.
Firstly, Trump was said to have solicited the president of Ukraine to help him politically, when he sought the latter’s hel-p to investigate his potential White House challenger in 2020, veteran Democrat Joe Biden.
Secondly, he is accused of obstructing Congress in hindering the House’s investigation in the matter.
Meanwhile, on a separate matter, Dr Mahathir said the Kuala Lumpur Summit was not meant to be a platform to discuss politics and religion, as it was focused on development involving Muslims.
He said this when asked whether the summit would take a stand on issues faced by the Muslim community in Xinjiang, China, and Yemen.
“This meeting isn’t about politics, not about religion. It’s about developing Muslim countries.”