I never lodged report against Apandi Ali on 1MDB - Kit Siang

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang told the High Court here today that he never lodged a police report against former Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Lim said this when cross-examined by Mohamed Apandi's lawyer M. Visvanathan on the fifth day of the trial of Mohamed Apandi's defamation suit against Lim over an article on the 1MDB scandal before Judge Datuk Azimah Omar.

When it was suggested that Lim did not lodge a police report because he knew that Mohamed Apandi did not aid and abet in the 1MDB scandal, Lim said he did not agree.

Visvanathan: I put it to you that you are not brave enough, not bold enough to lodge a police report at the material time that the AG at that time had aided and abetted in 1MDB scandal?

Lim: I did not lodge a police report because the AG must be accountable to the people.

Visvanathan: Do you agree that the reason you did not lodge a police report was because you knew in the bottom of your heart the plaintiff had not aided and abetted in the 1MDB scandal?

Lim: It’s not so; I don't agree.

To another question on whether Lim had written to Mohamed Apandi previously to seek clarification on his Jan 26, 2016 statement that cleared former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak of wrongdoing in 1MDB and SRC International Sdn Bhd matters, Lim said he had not.

Visvanathan: As a Member of Parliament (MP), would it be better to write to him officially demanding a clarification and if the former AG fails to respond, then you can say, I wrote to the AG but he refused to respond. That is the proper way, that is being fair, that is about the rule of law?

Lim: With due respect, I don’t agree.

Visvanathan also said that Lim's action in not wanting to get any verification from Mohamed Apandi was an attempt to bring the issue into the political arena, and to this Lim disagreed.

On July 5, 2019, Mohamed Apandi sued Lim, claiming that on May 6, 2019, Lim had written and caused to be published an article titled “Dangerous fallacy to think Malaysia’s on the road to integrity” in Malaysiakini.

He claimed that the alleged libellous words in the article implied that he was involved in crime and had abetted in the 1MDB financial scandal, was a person with no morals and integrity, was unethical and had abused his power when he was the AG.

Mohamed Apandi, who was the AG from July 27, 2015 to June 4, 2018, contended that the libellous words were untrue and written with the intention of tarnishing his image and credibility as a former Malaysian AG for cheap publicity.

He is seeking aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as RM10 million in general damages, an injunction to prevent Lim and/or his agents from publishing the alleged defamatory words again and other relief deemed fit by the court.

The hearing before Justice Azimah continues on June 21.

-- BERNAMA