He described the allegations as unbecoming of the head of responsible government. As his political position is now secure with his uncontested nomination as UMNO President for another term, Mahathir should rise above petty party politics to try to heal the unprecedentedly deep divisions in the country in what he himself described would be his fifth and last term as Prime Minister. There was no good and acceptable reason in a democracy for the police to disallow a political party to celebrate its anniversary, as happened to Parti Keadilan Nasional in Malacca and Kuala Lumpur in the past two days. Meanwhile the a spokesman for Keadilan said it would go ahead with the mass gathering to mark the first anniversary of Anwar Ibrahim's sentencing despite government and police warnings. City police chief Kamarudin Mohamad Ali has also warned people against taking part in an illegal gathering and said organisers could be arrested or charged under the Sedition Act.
Authorities have wide powers to ban unauthorised gatherings.
Mahathir's comments might be aimed at frightening people away from the gathering, he said. We challenge the prime minister to prove his allegations. Zahid said some 5,000 to 7,000 supporters would gather. But a planned march to the national palace to submit a memorandum to the king on Anwar's conviction and other issues might be called off. The youth wing would meet police to ensure there would be no trouble, he said.