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Friday, December 23, 2022

Anwar sues PAS MP for defamation over ‘RM1 salary’ claim




Anwar sues PAS MP for defamation over ‘RM1 salary’ claim


Kuala Terengganu MP Ahmad Amzad Hashim claimed Anwar Ibrahim lied about receiving a salary of RM1 when he was Selangor’s economic adviser.


KUALA LUMPUR: Anwar Ibrahim has filed a lawsuit against Kuala Terengganu MP Ahmad Amzad Hashim for allegedly issuing defamatory statements that the prime minister lied about receiving a salary of RM1 when he was Selangor’s economic adviser.

Anwar filed the suit through SN Nair & Partners in the Kuala Terengganu High Court, naming PAS’ Amzad as the sole defendant.


Anwar’s lawyer SN Nair, told Bernama that the suit was filed just before 4pm this afternoon.

In the statement of claim, the Pakatan Harapan chairman said the defendant had made several statements to a group of customers while dining at a restaurant on Dec 7.




Anwar, who is also the PKR president, claimed that the statement was subsequently published on TikTok under the name @nelly3868 on the same day. The post received more than 4,980 views, 62 comments, 116 “like” buttons, 18 “favourite” buttons and 50 shares. It is still accessible on TikTok.

Anwar said that the statements implied, among other things, that he was untrustworthy and dishonest about receiving millions of ringgit from the Selangor state government when he was its economic adviser.

It also implied that he deceived the public by stating that he received a salary of RM1 as an economic adviser, committed a criminal offence and betrayed the people’s mandate.

Anwar claimed that the slanderous statements were false, malicious and disparaging, adding that he was highly respected nationally and internationally as someone who was against corruption.


He also denounced allegations that he was politically motivated.

“The defendant’s allegations in the defamatory statements are unfounded and I was portrayed as an ex-convict although I have been given a royal pardon,” Anwar said in the statement of claim.

Anwar said the defendant had deliberately and maliciously ignored former Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s statement at the Selangor state legislative assembly in 2012 that Anwar had received a symbolic sum of RM1 as the state’s economic adviser.

He said that on Dec 8, his lawyer issued a notice demanding the defendant to withdraw, apologise, promise not to repeat the statement and pay damages but there was no response.

Anwar is seeking general and compensatory damages as well as aggravated and exemplary damages. He is also asking for an injunction to restrain the defendant from further publishing or distributing similar defamatory statements.

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