'I, Mahathir bin Mohamad, wish to report sabotage': Historic police report filed against Anwar over Trump deal

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today called on authorities to investigate Anwar Ibrahim for economic sabotage and undermining the country's sovereignty over an agreement signed with the US, in a historic police report lodged by one of Malaysia's best-known post-independence figures against a sitting prime minister.

In his report lodged at the Putrajaya police headquarters this morning, accompanied by lawyer Rafique Rashid, the centenarian said the Malaysia-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) signed by Anwar with President Donald Trump in October could harm Malaysia's position and undermine its economic and political sovereignty.

"I believe that the action was taken without fully considering the national interest and, in my opinion, can be considered an act by someone who disregards the sovereignty of Malaysia as a sovereign country, and has the potential to drag the country into a situation where it is mortgaged to the influence of foreign powers," Mahathir said in his police report seen by MalaysiaNow.

He cited breaches under various sections of the Penal Code, namely sections 124B, 124C and 124K, dealing with acts of sabotage and activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

Mahathir also listed at least four major clauses in the agreement which he said effectively surrender Malaysia's sovereignty and trade independence to a foreign power.

They include clauses obliging Malaysia to follow any unilateral sanctions by the US against other countries, and to reveal Malaysia's cross-border data, which has "potential to interfere with the country's regulatory policy".

He also listed 14 negative implications for Malaysia, including those related to regulation of the halal industry, Bumiputera economic empowerment, national strategies for the high-tech sector, and export of critical minerals such as rare earth elements.

"All of these matters raise serious concerns, as in my opinion, they eliminate Malaysia's power to determine foreign policy, economic policy and the use of national strategic resources independently and sovereignly," said Mahathir.

'Probe MITI, AG and everyone involved'

He said any investigation should also probe elements of power abuse and negligence in discharging official duties, including breach of trust regarding decisions involving rare earths and critical minerals.

He said that besides Anwar, police should also question officials of the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti), the attorney-general, and all parties involved in the preparation and negotiation of the agreement.

Today's police report comes four days after  Mahathir said Anwar should face charges of treason for signing the agreement.

"It is now clear that the statement by the government on the agreement with the US hid many serious undertakings by Malaysia to submit to the US," said Mahathir, the man widely credited with Malaysia's rapid economic growth throughout the eighties and nineties.

The agreement, which has been hailed by Anwar and government leaders, has sparked public outrage and criticism from experts and politicians over clauses seen as overwhelmingly favouring Washington's interests.

Among them is former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, who said the various commitments imposed on Malaysia showed that those involved in the negotiations – from the Prime Minister’s Office to the Attorney-General’s Chambers – "did not negotiate at all".

"The US handed them their draft. And it was signed lamely by Anwar, who had Trump’s pen to show for it, and a ride in Trump’s car," he said, referring to Trump's gift of a White House pen to Anwar shortly after the latter signed the agreement in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the Asean Summit on Oct 26.

Details of the deal only emerged to the Malaysian public after the White House published them on its official website hours later.

At the heart of the outrage is a provision that obliges Malaysia to become a direct participant in US economic conflicts.

It states that if Washington imposes sanctions or tariffs on any third country for national security reasons, Malaysia "shall adopt or maintain a measure with equivalent restrictive effect", effectively ending Malaysia’s long-held foreign policy of non-alignment and mirroring US sanctions against other nations.

Anwar's defence of the agreement has renewed accusations of the Pakatan Harapan chairman's leaning towards US and Western policies, a claim cited by Mahathir as far back as 1998 when he sacked Anwar from the government during the height of the Asian financial crisis.