FMT:
Defamatory to call me ‘cruel’ compared to Dr M, says Anwar
Anwar Ibrahim says Pendang MP Awang Hashim made ‘libellous’ remarks that opposition MPs were being
subjected to selective prosecution.
Anwar Ibrahim (left) said the allegation by PAS’ Awang Hashim that he had ‘blackmailed’ members of the opposition was ‘vicious, scurrilous and entirely false’.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has insisted that PAS’ Pendang MP Awang Hashim had defamed him by calling him “cruel” when compared to Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Responding to Awang’s statement of defence, Anwar said it was improper for Awang to compare him to Mahathir.
“The defendant (Awang) should not have done this,” he said in his statement in reply filed in the High Court here yesterday.
As prime minister, Anwar said, he does not have any power to direct probes by investigative authorities or to bring criminal charges against anyone.
“His allegation that I had ‘blackmailed’ (opposition members) is vicious, scurrilous and entirely false,” he said.
Anwar also reiterated that he commands majority support in the lower house. He said Awang’s allegation that Anwar relied on “illegal numbers” to become prime minister was false.
In the suit filed on March 3 by law firm SN Nair & Partners at the High Court in March, Anwar also claimed that Awang had libelled him by saying that opposition MPs were being subjected to selective prosecution.
The Pendang MP is also said to have alleged that the prime minister had interfered in the work of law enforcement agencies and the prosecutorial arm of the attorney-general’s chambers (AGC).
The remarks were also published in a TikTok video the next day.
Anwar is seeking an injunction to restrain Awang and his agents from uttering, writing or publishing the same or similar words defamatory of him.
He is also seeking general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.
In his statement of claim, Anwar alleged the impugned words were uttered and published in bad faith and were completely baseless and untrue.
“They are also specious, laced with subterfuge, and question the wisdom, legality and constitutional powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” the filing said.
He said he was “formally and officially invited by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and appointed and sworn in as the prime minister of Malaysia in an official ceremony” after the King “concluded in his sagacious judgment” that he was “likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the lower house”.
Anwar, who is also the PKR president and Pakatan Harapan chairman, said Awang’s statements implied that he is not the legitimately, lawfully and constitutionally appointed prime minister.
He said the statements painted a negative picture that he did not command the confidence of the majority to be appointed as prime minister.
He also claimed Awang’s remarks had given rise to a perception that he had abused his power by arbitrarily instructing the law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies to take action to further his personal political agenda.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has insisted that PAS’ Pendang MP Awang Hashim had defamed him by calling him “cruel” when compared to Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Responding to Awang’s statement of defence, Anwar said it was improper for Awang to compare him to Mahathir.
“The defendant (Awang) should not have done this,” he said in his statement in reply filed in the High Court here yesterday.
As prime minister, Anwar said, he does not have any power to direct probes by investigative authorities or to bring criminal charges against anyone.
“His allegation that I had ‘blackmailed’ (opposition members) is vicious, scurrilous and entirely false,” he said.
Anwar also reiterated that he commands majority support in the lower house. He said Awang’s allegation that Anwar relied on “illegal numbers” to become prime minister was false.
In the suit filed on March 3 by law firm SN Nair & Partners at the High Court in March, Anwar also claimed that Awang had libelled him by saying that opposition MPs were being subjected to selective prosecution.
The Pendang MP is also said to have alleged that the prime minister had interfered in the work of law enforcement agencies and the prosecutorial arm of the attorney-general’s chambers (AGC).
The remarks were also published in a TikTok video the next day.
Anwar is seeking an injunction to restrain Awang and his agents from uttering, writing or publishing the same or similar words defamatory of him.
He is also seeking general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.
In his statement of claim, Anwar alleged the impugned words were uttered and published in bad faith and were completely baseless and untrue.
“They are also specious, laced with subterfuge, and question the wisdom, legality and constitutional powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” the filing said.
He said he was “formally and officially invited by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and appointed and sworn in as the prime minister of Malaysia in an official ceremony” after the King “concluded in his sagacious judgment” that he was “likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the lower house”.
Anwar, who is also the PKR president and Pakatan Harapan chairman, said Awang’s statements implied that he is not the legitimately, lawfully and constitutionally appointed prime minister.
He said the statements painted a negative picture that he did not command the confidence of the majority to be appointed as prime minister.
He also claimed Awang’s remarks had given rise to a perception that he had abused his power by arbitrarily instructing the law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies to take action to further his personal political agenda.
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