PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has expressed concern over the safety of those voicing any form of disagreement nowadays.
“We are no longer safe now. If anybody insults or says something that a person doesn’t like, then it is alright for that person of another country to send a drone and perhaps shoot at will,” said Dr Mahathir after chairing the Special Committee on Anti-Corruption meeting today.
The prime minister said this in response to the killing of top Iranian commander Major-General Qasem Soleimani by the United States in an airstrike at Baghdad airport.
Top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, was also reportedly killed in the drone attack.
The high-profile assassinations are a massive blow to Iran, which has been locked in a long conflict with the US that escalated sharply last week with an attack on the US embassy in Iraq by pro-Iranian militiamen following a US air raid on the Kataib Hezbollah militia, founded by Muhandis.
Asked whether he would continue to be critical on the global platform, the prime minister said he would continue to speak the truth.
“I don’t care who is strong or weak. If wrongdoing is being committed, I have every right to voice it out,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said he feared the attack by the US, which he said was against US laws and the laws of the world, would lead to more terrorist attacks.
“At the moment we can do nothing about it. So if you see an escalation of what you call terrorism, well that may happen because this act is akin to the killing of (journalist Jamal) Khashoggi (last year by Saudi operatives).
“Both are guilty of an immoral act, if not, (it is) against the law,” he said.
A eulogist at Soleimani’s funeral procession called for a US$80 million (RM328 million) bounty to be placed on US President Donald Trump’s head.
The announcement by the eulogist was broadcast live from Mashhad on state television as millions of people took to the streets for Soleimani’s funeral.
Dr Mahathir was then asked whether it was time for the Muslim nations to stand united.
He replied: “The time is right for Muslim countries to come together. Although it is right (time), it (Muslim world) is not yet together.”