Anwar withdraws RM100-mln suit against Syed Hamid Albar after apology

The RM100-million defamation suit brought by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim against former Home Minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar over a newspaper article was settled after the former withdrew the suit.

Anwar agreed not to pursue the matter further after Syed Hamid read out a written apology before Justice Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad.

The hearing of the suit was scheduled for two days from today.

Anwar told reporters that Syed Hamid read out a brief statement in Nik Hasmat's chambers stating that he had not intended to hurt his (Anwar's)reputation via a press statement that was reported on by the Star

daily on July 2, 2008.

Anwar said that since Syed Hamid had stressed that the report by the daily based on his (Syed Hamid's) statement was not what he had intended to say, he agreed to accept the apology.

Anwar had filed the suit on Aug 29, 2008, and named Syed Hamid as the first defendant and the Government of Malaysia as the second.

In his suit, Anwar claimed that Syed Hamid had uttered words that were defamatory of him at a press conference at the lobby of Parliament House on July 2, 2008, which was published in the Star newspaper the following day.

Anwar said the newspaper article based on Syed Hamid's remarks implied that he (Anwar) was a traitor, was disloyal to his religion and race, and was a person who could not be trusted.

Besides the RM100 million in damages, Anwar had also sought exemplary damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

At today's proceedings, Anwar was represented by counsel S. N. Nair while senior federal counsel Mohamad Abazafree Mohd Abas appeared for Syed Hamid.