Dr M only apologised for factual errors in speech

I would like to clarify a report “Dr M: Bloggers should always write the truth” The Star, April 19), where it was reported that:
“Dr Mahathir also apologised to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for accusing him of owning a house in Perth, Australia.
“He said he got carried away when he mentioned it at a talk in Kulai, Johor, on March 29 and added it was based on a rumour.”
I would like to point out that at the press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation on Wednesday, April 18, what Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had actually said in response to a question by Raja Petra Kamaruddin of Malaysia Today was:
“Well, I shouldn’t have made that statement because I was stating something based on rumours that I heard.
“The rumours repeatedly said that the house belongs to him (Abdullah)... and then of course when you are carried away giving a speech like that ... and if you don’t censor yourself ... and you are not too careful about what you say ... so I said it.
“I’m sorry that I said something that was wrong and I stand to be corrected and ... I am very grateful that people have actually paid attention to my allegations and they found that the person who owns the house is not the PM, and is not his son, but is somebody else.”
It is quite evident from the transcription that Tun had apologised for the factual errors that he had made.
In this case, unfortunately what appeared in The Star’s report is therefore factually inaccurate.

SUFI YUSOFF,

for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.