Why did Dr Mahathir object to questions about his heritage?

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Dr Mahathir Objected to Questions About His Heritage Due to Their Irrelevance to His Defamation Lawsuit

Dr Mahathir Mohamad objected to questions regarding his heritage during his defamation lawsuit proceedings because he deemed them irrelevant to the core issue of whether Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid had made a false claim about his identity. He asserted that the lawsuit was specifically about Zahid's alleged lie concerning his actual name, rather than the origins of his ancestors. Dr Mahathir felt that these lines of questioning were a personal insult, questioning his established identity as Mahathir Mohamad.
The Lawsuit Focused on Zahid's Alleged Falsehood Regarding His Name

The central contention of Dr Mahathir's defamation lawsuit against Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid revolved around Zahid's claim that his real name was "Mahathir anak lelaki Iskandar Kutty." Dr Mahathir argued that this statement was a falsehood and an insult directed at him personally, implying he was not who he claimed to be. He stressed that the legal proceedings were not intended to delve into the intricacies of his ancestral background or to challenge the identity of his forefathers, but rather to address Zahid's specific defamatory assertion.
Ancestral Inquiries Were Perceived as an Insult and Personal Attack

Dr Mahathir expressed that the persistent questioning about his heritage felt like a personal attack and an insult. He stated that Zahid's claim directly challenged his identity, which is widely known as Mahathir Mohamad. He emphasized that the official and definitive method for establishing a person's identity is through their identification card, suggesting that Zahid's claims bypassed this established norm.
Dr Mahathir Highlighted the Presence of Lies in Publications About His Family History

Furthermore, Dr Mahathir noted that many articles and publications discussing his family history contained significant inaccuracies and falsehoods. He indicated that these sources were not reliable and contributed to the irrelevant nature of the questions posed by Zahid's lawyer. His frustration stemmed from being repeatedly asked about the same matters, which he felt were based on unreliable information and deviated from the actual legal dispute.

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Why did Dr Mahathir object to questions about his heritage?

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