KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is demanding that Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin apologises within 24 hours regarding the disposal of Felda settlers’ debts amounting to RM8.3 billion.
He also wants a payment of RM200 million in damages for the severe injury to his reputation as prime minister.
Anwar’s counsel Datuk S.N. Nair said the apology is to be published in the newspapers and media of his client’s choice and that Muhyiddin must delete all offensive and slanderous comments, besides demanding that the Bersatu man withdraw his letter of demand.
“We also demand that Muhyiddin pays damages or substantive compensation of RM200 million for the severe injury done to the reputation of our client, who is the prime minister of Malaysia and pay all legal costs that have arisen from this matter.
“Therefore, we have been instructed by our client (Anwar) to state that if our client does not receive any satisfactory response within 24 hours from the date of this letter, our instruction is to initiate legal action against Muhyiddin,” said the lawyer in a letter sent to the counsel representing Muhyiddin today.
Nair when contacted by Bernama said the letter was sent at 4.45pm.
According to Nair, they also referred to Muhyiddin’s demand letter dated July 18, which gave Anwar 24 hours to respond to the demand letter.
“It should be emphasised that our client (Anwar) has responded to your client (Muhyiddin) within the time period given with a media statement dated July 20 via a Facebook post.
“Therefore, it is a misconception and a malicious act by Muhyiddin to tell the media that Anwar has not yet given any response to Muhyiddin’s allegations,” said Nair in the letter.
According to Nair, the content of Muhyiddin’s letter contained allegations that the Pakatan Harapan chairman had made defamatory statements against Muhyiddin regarding the disposal of Felda’s debts when speaking at Felda 2023 Settlers’ Day celebration in Serdang on July 7 and during a dialogue at Universiti Utara Malaysia on July 8.
“The fact is, it is our client who has disposed of Felda’s RM8.3 billion debt and not Muhyiddin. It is asserted by our client that your client (Muhyiddin) is indeed an untruthful and misleading party,” said Nair.
According to the lawyer, the transcription presented in Muhyiddin’s demand letter was quoted out of context and twisted simply to give an untrue image with the intention of defaming, when not presenting a full and orderly transcription of Anwar’s speeches.
“In that regard, our client (Anwar) maintained that Muhyiddin had intentionally and maliciously defamed our client in publishing untrue and out-of-context statements,” he said.
— Bernama
