Anwar issues letter of demand to Muhyiddin over RM15 mln allegation

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has issued a letter of demand to Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for the latter to make an unconditional apology over an allegation that he (Anwar) was paid RM15 million while he was Selangor Economic Advisor.

According to lawyer Datuk SN Nair, his client is demanding that Muhyiddin immediately retract a Tik Tok video under the name "@beritakini8" of his speech on Anwar during the Padang Serai general election campaign which allegedly contained defamatory words and delete or remove all offensive and defamatory comments.

Nair said his client also demanded a written undertaking by Muhyiddin not to repeat any allegations and comments in the video, in addition to seeking damages.

"If my client does not receive any satisfactory response within three days from the receipt of this notice, our instructions are to apply for an injunction order and proceed with legal action against Tan Sri Muhyiddin," he said.

Based on the notice of demand, Muhyiddin on Dec 5 had allegedly expressed or caused to be published an excerpt from the speech, which has over 1.1 million views, 6,061 comments, over 21,400 likes and shared 2,169 times as of the date of the notice.

According to the lawyer, the video was made with malicious intent against his client, is untrue and is a distortion of facts that shows moral and legal impropriety, in addition to seeking cheap publicity for political purposes in an attempt to win votes in the 15th General Election for the Padang Serai parliamentary seat.

Nair further said that the video and defamatory remarks, among others, meant that Anwar had abused his power as a member of parliament, used dirty and unethical tactics and betrayed the people's mandate.

He also said that the entire video and defamatory remarks had been denied by the political secretary to the Selangor Menteri Besar, Juwairiya Zulkifli, in a media statement dated Dec 7 posted on her Facebook account, adding that the statement was quoted in a Free Malaysia Today article entitled "Anwar received only RM1 as Selangor economic adviser".

Nair, when contacted, confirmed to have sent the notice of demand to Muhyiddin by hand.

-- BERNAMA